www.NebraskaGreens.org

Original Text by Rick Lohman Edited by Dante Salvatierra A small group of activists, led by Frances Mendenhall, ran a petition drive during the Spring and Summer of 2000 to get the Green Party a line on the November 2000 general election ballot. Ralph Nader spoke at Creighton University in July, boosting the effort. The NGP ran an active campaign in all three Congressional districts, directed by Katie Fisher, our state's campaign coordinator (elected by the Nader 2000 campaign). The Nebraska Green Party held its first state convention on August 29, 2000, at the Unitarian Church of Lincoln. Officers, a slate of Electors, and a post-election steering committee were elected. The steering committee guided the NGP until the ratification of the Party's bylaws in 2001.   Nader received 3.51% of the vote statewide, around 6% in Lancaster and Dawes (Chadron area) Counties, and 4.01% in Douglas County. Getting this result in one of the most conservative states in the union speaks volumes about our effort, and about the growth potential for the Green Party in Nebraska.  Since the 2000 election, the Nebraska Green Party has grown and matured into a significant political entity.  Green Party volunteers gathered hundreds of signatures to put the Greens on the ballot in the state's Second Congressional District.  In 2002, the NGP officially became members of the United States Green Party earning a vote in how the national party is run.  November 2002 by Dante Salvatierra Greens in Nebraska fared relatively well considering the conservative trend in the 2002 November Election.  Steve Larrick became the first Nebraska Green Party member to win an elected office as he garnered over 55% of the vote for the Lincoln area's Natural Resources District.  Doug Paterson ran the first partisan race for a Nebraska Green which resulted in over 3000 votes for him in the Second Congressional District.  Frances Mendenhall and Tom Foster ran a joint race for spots on the OPPD Board.  Mendenhall and Foster ran an agressive and courageous campaign but fell short, losing to the incumbents. November 2004 by Dante Salvatierra In August of 2004, the Nebraska Green Party managed to gather enough signatures to earn a ballot line statewide. Steve Larrick of Lincoln had already begun his run for Congress in the 1st District. It was only a few days after receiving statewide ballot access, when Roy Guisinger and Dante Salvatierra entered their races in their respective Districts. Nebraska joined Alaska as the only state where every Congressional district had a Green party candidate. The final results of the November 2004 election were as follows:

Green Party Presidential Candidate David Cobb also received 978 votes statewide. November 2006 In this election cycle, the two state Green candidates ran for "down ticket" seats in the hope of capturing a magical 5% of the vote so as to retain ballot status for the party. Fortunately, Doug Paterson got just over 5% in his race and so no petitioning will be required for ballot status in the upcoming election cycle. Steve Larrick also ran successfully for re-election to a Lincoln area Natural Resources District seat. The flyer for the Doug Paterson for Secretary of State and Steve Larrick for State Auditor campaigns.

OFFICIAL 2006 STATE ELECTION RETURNS PAGE