Matt Gonzalez leaves Green Party
Increasing ballot access for presidential run cited
Independent vice-presidential candidate Matt Gonzalez
announced today he has left the Green Party.
Photo by Luke Thomas
By Luke Thomas
March 4, 2008, 6:15 a.m
Vice-presidential candidate Matt Gonzalez ended weeks of speculation about his political party affiliation, formerly announcing today he has left the Green Party.
In a statement released to Fog City Journal, Gonzalez said he made the decision to withdraw his Green Party affiliation “to increase ballot access for the Nader/Gonzalez ticket.”
According to Gonzalez, states including Delaware, Idaho and Oregon do not allow members of political parties to run as independents.
“I have enormous respect for the Greens but I don’t want to create additional hurdles for the campaign by remaining in the party,” Gonzalez wrote. “I expect to work in tandem with future Green campaigns, and remain committed to alternatives to the two-party system.”
Hansu Kim, a senior advisor to Gonzalez, stated, “As a prominent member of the Green Party, Gonzalez has been credited with helping recruit candidates and raise money for campaigns. He will remain committed to all progressive political efforts as an independent.”
Gonzalez currently serves as the treasurer of Green Party school board president Mark Sanchez’s bid for the District 9 Supervisorial seat being vacated by Tom Ammiano.
Filed under: Politics
10 Responses to “Matt Gonzalez leaves Green Party
Increasing ballot access for presidential run cited”
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I was trying to change my affiliation to “Independent” as well but there was only something called the “American Independent Party” which is an organization for a bunch of nutbags and screwballs. Does anybody know how to do what Matt is doing? Thanks!
Why leave the Californian Green Party? I understand the national party, but where does it say in Oregon that he cannot belong to the California Green Party and be an independent nationally?
Looking for clarification…
Hey Matt,
There isn’t an Independant party. You can decline to state your party affiliation and that is what people mean by Independent.
Best,
Robert
@Matt: While I don’t encourage folks to follow Matt’s lead and leave the Green Party, ticking the box in front of “Decline to State” is California’s version of registering as an “independent”.
In Louisiana you register as “No Party” to be considered an independent.
The Burning Questions on Everyone’s Minds at the moment are these:
Now that Hillary Clinton appears to have made a comeback, will Matt Gonzalez pen a critique of her? And to which on-line publication will he submit it?
I’m disappointed. I hope he comes back to the greens after his run. We don’t have a system that supports more than two parties, but someday we will.
In California we do have a party called the American Independent Party that is a “paleoconservative” party according to wikipedia! Ithas ballot status I think only because many people who want to register as independent mistakenly join this party. To register outside of a party, you must check the “decline to state” box on the registration form.
But I’m sticking with the Greens. Never had power so they’ve never been corrupted!
[…] of states that don’t enforce their restriction, but there are three that I cited in the press release that you got that that do enforce it. One of those states, I think Richard Winger later commented […]