38 Greens and Libertarians Win Nonpartisan Office

On November 5, 20 Green Party members, and 18 Libertarian Party members, who non-partisan elections.

Green in Arizona: Haryaksha Gregor Knauer, Joint Technical Education District Board, Coconino County.

Greens in California: Sylvia Chavez, Calipatria City Council; Aqeela El-Amin Bakheit, Lake County Education Board; Jesus “Jesse” Mendoza, City Council of Mendota; Gabriel Medina, Watsonville School Board; Zachary Saltzberg, Sebastopol School Board; Randy Marx, Sacramento County Water Board; Jane Jarlsberg, San Bernardino County Water Board; Jocelyn Bolanos, Alderpoint Water Board; Alan Hangar, Vacaville Water Board; Christopher Medeiros, Merced County Irrigation Board; Eduardo Torres, Contra Costa County Parks Board; Nancy Heliotes, Napa Parks Board; Harry Farmer, Cambria Community Services Board.

Greens in D.C.: Kimory Orendoff, Anna Roblin, Slobodan Milic, to various Neighborhood Advisory Commissions.

Green in Florida: Kim O’Connor, Leon County Soil and Water Board.

Green in Maine: Lynette McLaughlin, Houlton Water Board.

Green in South Carolina: Eugene Platt, James Island Public Service Board.

Libertarians in California: Aaron Starr, Oxnard City Council; Bob Karwin, Menifee City Council; Wendy Hewitt, Calimesa City Council; Brian Holtz, Purissima Hills Water District.

Libertarian in Colorado: Terri L. Wallert, Keenseburg Trustee Board.

Libertarian in Kansas: James Doyle, Belleville City Council.

Libertarians in Kentucky: Aaron Judd, Dayton City Council; Chad Finkenbiner, Orchard Grass Hills City Council.

Libertarians in Michigan: Ben Dejong, Lake Odessa Trustee; Brice Burge, Munising City Commission; Larry Johnson, Ypsilanti Township Parks Commission.

Libertarians in Nebraska: Jim Pinkman, Ashland City Council; Jesse Schmidt, Bennet City Council; Clay Andersen, Chadron City Council; Katherine Schwieger, Reynolds Board; Cole Stark, Waverly School Board; Don Jacobson, Lower Platte South Natural Resources Board.

Libertarian in New Jersey: Caitlin Statkus, Montague School Board.

Twelve Independent Candidates Win State Legislative Elections

On November 5, twelve independent candidates were elected to state legislatures. All were elected to the lower house, except in Kentucky:

Alaska District 2, Rebecca Himschoot

Alaska District 9, Ky Holland

Alaska District 12, Calvin Schrage

Alaska District 14, Alyse S. Galvin

Alaska District 37, Bryce Edgmon

Kentucky Senate District 29, Scott Madon

Maine, District 44, William Pluecker

Massachusetts, Franklin Two district, Susannah Whipps

Rhode Island, District 49, Jon Brien

Vermont, Lamoille 1 district, Jed Lipsky

Vermont, Washington 1 district, Anne Donahue

Vermont, Windham 2 district, Laura Sibilia

Six Progressive Party Members Win for Vermont State Legislature

On November 5, six members of the Vermont Progressive Party won seats in the legislature. All six were also nominated by the Democratic Party. However, the ballot showed that they were Progressive Party members. In Vermont, which allows aggregated fusion, the party listed first next to a candidate’s name indicates the candidate’s membership.

The six are: State Senate, Chittenden Central District, Tanya Vyhovsky

State House, Chittenden 1-5 district, Brian Cina and Troy Hendrick

State House, Chittenden 1-6 district, Kate Logan

State House, Chittenden 2-1 district, Chloe Tomlinson

State House, Franklin 7 district, Heather Moore.

Vermont Progressive Party Nominee David Zuckerman Defeated for Re-Election as Lieutenant Governor

On November 5, David Zuckerman, the incumbent Progressive Party member who had been serving as Vermont’s Lieutenant Governor, was defeated by Republican nominee John Rodgers. Neither candidate had a majority, but Rodgers got 48.8% and Zuckerman got 47.1%. The third candidate on the ballot, Ian Diamondstone, was the nominee of the Green Mountain Peace & Justice Party, got 3.9%.

The Constitution says that the legislature can choose the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Treasurer if no one gets at least 50% of the vote. So in theory, the legislature could choose Zuckerman when it convenes. But that is considered unlikely, even though Diamondstone endorsed that idea. See this story.

Write-in Candidate Elected to Kentucky State Senate

On November 5, Kentucky voters in the 29th State Senate district saw two names on their ballot for State Senate. However, there were signs in the polling places saying votes for neither candidate would be counted. One name was David Suhr, an independent candidate, but he had withdrawn because of his need to be deployed overseas in the military. The other name was the incumbenet, Senator Johnnie Turner, but he had died shortly before the election.

There were eleven declared write-in candidates. One of them, Pineville Mayor Scott Madon, won with 6,825 write-in votes, 35.18% of the total vote for all eleven declared write-in candidates. Kentucky was fortunate to have a very late deadline for candidates to file as declared write-ins. Otherwise a special election would have been needed in the near future.

The list of declared write-in candidates was not posted at the polling places, but any voter was free to ask to see the list. Polling place officials would then give a copy of the list to the voter who had requested to see it.

Names did not need to be spelled correctly, and first names weren’t required.