Green Party of California

Application for Member, Delegation to Green Party of the United States
(job description)
received January 3, 2010

Name  -  Craig Thorsen
City - Long Beach
County  - Los Angeles
Contact information - (310) 347-6655
craig.thorsen@gmail.com
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1) Please list any prior or current positions, related experience, and/or personal and professional skills within of the Green Party that you have, that apply to this position.

GREEN PARTY MEMBER: I became a Green Party member in 1999.

BRPP COMMITTEE: I have been a member of the GPUS Bylaws, Rules, Policies and Procedures Committee since 2006.

CA DELEGATE TO GPUS: After a few months as an Alternate, in April of 2008, I asked to move from Alternate to Delegate and was approved.

BALLOT ACCESS COMMITTEE: In February of 2008, I petitioned in Arizona for 9 days. That was followed by a month of petitioning in Virginia in May of 2008. CA approved me to be a member of the National Ballot Access Committee in July 2008. Subsequently, I traveled to Vermont and worked for about two weeks on petitioning. I have spoken with Richard Wenger (owner / editor of the Ballot Access News) and am subscribed to his monthly newsletter. I am the plaintiff in the AZ Ballot Access Law Suit, that will be having a hearing on January 11, 2010. I will be traveling to Hawaii, Feb 1 to 15, to do petitioning for the HA Green Party.

GPUS HEADQUARTERS: I spent the month of May 2008 in Arlington, VA. During that time I spent 2 days per week at the National Office, doing whatever project or task assigned. That included envelope stuffing for Fund Raising mailings, calling individual Green Party delegates in states without Ballot for a survey. About 4 weeks before the Annual National Meeting of 2008 in Chicago, I worked with and for the Meeting Coordinator. I stayed in Chicago; running errands for the Coordinator, and assisting with the Registration for the event.

LA COUNTY COUNCIL OF THE GP – Jul 2008 to Dec 2009: In June 2008, while working in Chicago on the ANM, I was elected in the election in LA in the primary in a contested race (7 people for 6 seats) and came in with the second highest number of votes. I have subsequently moved out of the CA Senatorial District and so am resigning my seat effective on my last day of residency in Torrance – Dec 31, 2009.

ELECTION TO STEERING COMMITTEE: Winning election in July 2008 has resulted in a large amount of time going to National. I serve CA as a member of BRPP, Ballot Access, Merchandise and Presidential Campaign Support Committees. I serve GPUS as Portfolio Manager of the Accreditation, Annual National Meeting, Apportionment Standing, Ballot Access, and BRPP Committees. I also observe on the Finance, Fund Raising and Media Committees; primarily to ensure doing a good job as Co-Chair on the Steering Committee.

2) Please list any prior or current positions, related experience, and/or personal and professional skills outside of the Green Party that you have, that apply to this position.

My education was in Speech / Theater / Communication, so it involved Public Speaking. I have spent the majority of my life in different fields, rarely being in any position for more than 6 months before being promoted to a supervisory or management position. I have supervised between 6 and 136 people at different times.

3) Please describe your vision for serving as GPUS Delegate including addressing the job description for GPUS Delegate.

I am subscribed to the GPUS Votes List and the CA Delegation List and participate in all votes. I attend every monthly teleconference that I can. I attended the Plenary in Venice, CA. I attended the ANM in Chicago 2008 and in Durham 2009. I am active in at least one National Committee.

I see the National Committee as the decision-making body of the Green Party of the United States and the role of Delegate from California is an important one.

I have taken part in discussions and read the views of others in regard to each Proposal in order to make the best decision that I can, in the interests of the Green Party of California and the people of California and the United States.

I wish to continue to represent California in the National Committee.