WISCONSINREPORT.COM (02/18/08) - While all of the publicity over the past few months has been about the presidential primaries and caucuses determining who will represent Democrats and Republicans on the November 2008 ballots, the Green Party primaries process is in progress, as well. The Green Party of Wisconsin will be sending 24 of the 836 delegates that will travel to Chicago for the mid-July Green Party Nominating Convention in Chicago. The Wisconsin Green Party’s Primary will be conducted by mail during the month of March. An effort is afoot to draft Ralph Nader who has not officially filed. WisconsinReport.com has more.

Although Ralph Nader has formed a Presidential Exploratory Committee, and there is an active Draft Nader Committee, Mr. Nader has not declared in time to be named as a candidate on the Wisconsin Green Party Primary ballot. Should he declare that he is seeking the nomination of the Green Party of the United States before Wisconsin Greens send in their ballots, they are being encouraged by the Green Party to write in his name and consider him as one of the 5 candidates.

The Green Party (US) Nominating Convention is July 10-13, 2008 in Chicago. The Wisconsin Green Party will have the seventh largest state delegation in Chicago.

Green Party Primary Ballots will be sent to all current members in March. The ballots will contain the names of all declared candidates for the Green Party nomination for President, along with options for “Uncommitted” and “Write-in”.

At this point the candidates appearing on the ballot are: Jesse Johnson of West Virginia, Cynthia McKinney of California, Kent Mesplay of California, and Kat Swift of Texas, at this writing, according to a the Green Party spokesperson.

“We’ve got some outstanding candidates this year,” said Cindy Stimmler of the Wisconsin Green Party. “Mesplay and McKinney have already visited our state, and we warmly welcome all of the candidates.”

Green Party Presidential Candidates
Jesse Johnson (WV) is the co-chair of the Mountain Party of West Virginia, which became affiliated with the Green Party of the United States at the national meeting in Reading last July. He produced, directed, and acted in many plays and films, and founded Talkback, Children Respond to Violence in the Media, which uses the arts to teach inner-city elementary school students how to combat violence. He was the Mountain Party’s candidate for Governor in 2004 and U.S. Senate in 2006. Website: http://www.jesse08.org

Cynthia McKinney (CA) was elected to the Georgia state legislature as a Democrat in 1988 and to Congress in 1992. She was the first African-American woman from Georgia in the House of Representatives, serving in Congress from 1993 to 2003 and from 2005 to 2007. She served as an advocate for Hurricane Katrina victims, voters disenfranchised in the 2000 and 2004 election. Last year, she left the Democratic Party and registered as a Green. Website: http://www.runcynthiarun.org/

Kent Mesplay (CA) has been a registered Green since 1995 in California, serving as one of his state’s delegates to the Green National Committee since 2004. He has worked as a substitute teacher and an Air Quality Inspector at the Air Pollution Control District, San Diego. He also served as the president of Turtle Island Institute In 2004, he ran in the Green Presidential primaries and caucuses, and in 2006, in the Green primary for U.S. Senate. Website: http://www.mesplay.org/

Kat Swift (TX) is a member of the Green Party of Texas, having served on her party’s State Executive Committee and as co-Spokesperson for the national party’s Women's Caucus. She has served as a facilitator for the Green Party and for several other organizations, groups, and coalitions, including Clean Money San Antonio and SA Democracy Now. She currently works as an accountant. In 2007, she became the first Green to run for the City Council of San Antonio. Website: http://www.bexargreens.org/katforprez/

Draft candidate Ralph Nader has been a long-time advocate for consumer rights, environmental causes, product safety, and greater government and corporate accountability. He helped to pass numerous reforms, including the National Automobile and Highway Traffic Safety Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Consumer Product Safety Act. He founded or sponsored many organizations, including Public Citizen and Multinational Monitor. In 1996 and 2000, he was nominated as the Green Party’s Presidential candidate. Website: http://www.draftnader.org/

Anyone seeking more information can visit http://www.wisconsingreenparty.org on the Internet.