State Green Party claims additional wins from Nov. 2 election; Greens takes control of 2 city councils, make big gains elsewhere

GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release: Thursday, Nov. 29, 2004

Contacts:
Cres Vellucci, State Press Office, 916-996-1970,
Beth Moore Haines, GPCA Spokesperson, 530-277-0610,

SACRAMENTO (Nov. 29, 2004) – The Green Party of California has announced that after the all the votes were counted in the Nov. 2 election, Greens captured 16 seats across the state – up from the 14 winners claimed earlier this month when some votes were not certified. Since June, Greens have won 18 seats in the state.

More than 20 percent of the Greens running for office on Nov. 2 wound up in the victory column, giving Greens statewide a hold on about 77 seats, including those on city councils, board of supervisors and school boards. Green candidates in congressional and state races – although not winning – also made big gains at the ballot box, according to the GPCA.

In all, 11 Greens won or retained seats on city councils in California on Nov. 2, including a majority on the Sebastopol City Council after winning two spots (Craig Litwin, Sam Pierce). Greens also now have the city council majority in Arcata with two more victories (Harmony Groves, Paul Pitino).

In addition to Arcata and Sebastopol, other Greens to win city council seats were Melody Demeritt (Morro Bay), Lynda Deschambault (Moraga), Doug Hammerstrom (Ft. Bragg), Holly Madrigal (Willits), Gayle McLaughlin (Richmond), Christine Mulholland (San Luis Obispo) and Karl Warkomski (Aliso Viejo).

Greens also claimed a big seat in a major city, San Francisco, when longtime Green campaign consultant Ross Mirkarimi led all voters in the District 5 race for Supervisor, a seat vacated by popular Green Matt Gonzalez, who chose not to seek re-election.

Greens also captured seats on two schools boards Nov. 2 – Mark Sanchez, who became the first Green to be re-elected in San Francisco to the Board of Education and John Selawsky, Berkeley Unified School District Board. Other Greens winning office on Nov. 2 include Jeffrey a Sklar - Santa Monica Rent Control Board; Kaitlin Sopoci-Belkn - Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District. Winning in June of 2004 were Sheila Bernard - Government Relations Officer, Grassroots Venice; and Emily Winters - Grassroots Venice Neighborhood Council.

Elsewhere, 12 Green congressional candidates made credible showings, including in the12th CD (San Mateo, San Francisco), where labor activist Pat Gray drew nearly 10 percent of the vote (9.2 percent) in a race against 13-term incumbent Tom Lantos (D), making the withdrawal of troops from Iraq the major campaign issue.

Board of Supervisors
Ross Mirkarimi - San Francisco Board of Supervisors, 5th District

City Council
Melody Demeritt - Morro Bay City Council
Lynda Deschambault - Moraga Town Council
Harmony Groves - Arcata City Council
Douglas Hammerstrom - Mendocino County Council
Craig Litwin - Sebastopol City Council
Holly Madrigal - Willits City Council
Gayle McLaughlin - Richmond City Council
Christine Mulholland - San Luis Obispo City Council
Sam Pierce - Sebastopol City Council
Paul J. Pitino - Arcata City Council
Karl P. Warkomski - Aliso Viejo City Council

School Board
Mark Sanchez - San Francisco Board of Education
John T. Selawsky - Berkeley Unified School District School Director

Other
Sheila Bernard - Government Relations Officer, Grassroots Venice (June elected)
Jeffrey a Sklar - Santa Monica Rent Control Board
Kaitlin Sopoci-Belkn - Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District
Emily Winters - Grassroots Venice Neighborhood Council (June Elected)

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The Green Party of California
http://www.cagreens.org
P.O. Box 2828, Sacramento, CA 95812
Phone: (916) 448-3437
gpca@greens.org