Green Party newsletter

Dear Ohio Green Party member, January, 2012
You are receiving this letter because you made history by voting Green in the statewide primary in 2010, the first statewide primary in which the Green Party was included, or because you ran or are running as a Green Party candidate. A small handful of dedicated Green Party of Ohio activists worked for several years to gain recognition as a political party to allow Ohioans the opportunity to vote in a Green primary and to become official members of the Green Party of Ohio. We did this because we are deeply committed to participatory democracy and to changing the way that politics is done. We are working to build a political system that is more inclusive and allows for participation outside the two major parties, each of which relies on raising obscene amounts of money and therefore are dependent on wealthy corporate donors.
Along with participating in the political process we have continued our activism around the important issues that effect our communities. We have advocated for the production of clean sustainable energy, for the closure of the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power plant, against fracking, and against drilling in our Ohio Sate parks. We have spoken out for reproductive rights and for workers rights, we have advocated persistently for peace, and our members have participated in the “occupy” efforts that have taken place in various places throughout the state. Greens participate in the political process so that we we can have a positive impact in our communities and we will not sacrifice our beliefs for the sake of getting elected, rather we are committed to making the issues important features of our campaigns.
“We the people” must be more than just a good slogan. This must be the foundation for a political movement that transforms our government at every level and makes it responsive to the needs of the people. To this end the activists of the Green Party of Ohio have continued the work of maintaining our status as a recognized political party in Ohio, which allows us to hold a primary and makes it easier for us to run candidates for office. In order to continue to be recognized we must run candidates and must demonstrate that we have“a modicum of support” from Ohio voters.
You have an opportunity to play an important role in this effort by voting for Green Candidates in the March 6, 2012 primary and by participating in the
Ohio Green Party's Bi-Annual convention
Saturday February 4th from 11 am to 5:30pm, Maynard Avenue United Methodist Church
2350 Indianola Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43201
All Green party presidential candidates will be invited to attend this convention and the Green Party of Ohio will vote to endorse a candidate for President in the November general election. We will also accept and vote on proposals to modify our by-laws and our Statewide organizational plan. In addition we will provide information on our committees and our projects and accept volunteers to some of those committees.
You may register on line at our website www.ohiogreens.org, or you may register at the door from 10am to 11 am. Anyone who voted in the 2010 Green Party primary, who has run for office as a Green Party candidate in Ohio or who is currently a Green Party candidate, will be able to vote at this convention. Observers may attend but may not vote, present proposals, or address the group.
There is a suggested donation of $10 per person to cover our costs, but this will be waived upon request and no one will be turned away for inability to pay. You can make pay pal donations at our website or at the door. For more information please contact:Elaine Mastromatteo, mrsem@speakeasy.net, 440-639-8439, or Anita Rios at rhannon@toast.net, 419-243-8772.

In Service,
Your Ohio Green Party State Central Committee,
Robert Fitrakis,(Columbus) Co-chair Anita Rios (Toledo) Co-Chair
Connie Gadel-Newton (Columbus) Secretary Josh Krekeler (Cincinnati) Treasurer

Ohio Green Party's
Bi-Annual convention
Saturday February 4th from 11 am to 5:30pm,
Maynard Avenue United Methodist Church,
2350 Indianola Ave., Columbus, Ohio
Suggested donation of $10 per person,
this will be waived upon request and no one will be turned away for inability to pay.
For more information visit www.ohiogreens.org,
or contact:Elaine Mastromatteo, mrsem@speakeasy.net, 440-639-8439, or
Anita Rios at rhannon@toast.net, 419-243-8772.

Your Ohio Green Party
State central committee:
Dennis Spisak, Youngstown Rich Stevenson, Cincinnati, 513-251-3155 rich@cs2pr.us
Gwen Marshall, Cincinnati Josh Krekeler Cincinnati (Treasurer)
Donald Rucknagel,Cincinnati, 513-931-3459 Elaine Mastromatteo, Bristolville, 440-639-8439 mrsem@speakeasy.net,
Robert Fitrakis,Columbus (Co-chair) Suzanne Patzer,Columbus
Connie Gadel-Newton, Columbus(Secretary) Don Gibson, Columbus
Nick Teti, Cochocton David Berenson, Cleveland
Alan Crossman, Cleveland Vaughn Stull, New Philadelphia
Joseph Rosario DeMare Dennis Lambert, Ironton, 740 479-2266
lambertdg@gmail.com,
Ed, Duliba, Ada Logan Martinez, Dayton
Timothy Bruce, Dayton Anita Rios,Toledo (Co-chair), 419-243-8772
rhannon@toast.net,
Sean Nestor,Toledo Stacy Jurich, Toledo

2012 Green Party Presidential Candidates,
Kent Mesplay and Jill Stein have been invited to attend. Harley Mikkelson has recently entered the race and will be invited. Jill Stein has confirmed.
Kent Mesplay (www.mesplay.org)holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University, and is currently an Air Quality Inspector in San Diego County California.
Dr. Jill Stein (www.jillstein.org) is a mother, housewife, physician, longtime teacher of internal medicine, and pioneering environmental-health advocate. She, graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1973, and from Harvard Medical School in 1979. Jill lives in Lexington Mass. with her husband.
Harley Mikkelson (www.harleymikkelson.com) graduated from Michigan State University, served in the U. S. Army and spent one year in South Vietnam. Mr. Mikkelson retired after working for the State of Michigan for over 26 years.

2012 OHIO GREEN PARTY CANDIDATES:

Senate
Joseph Rosario DeMare (write in)
Anita Rios (write in)
(for information about how to do a write in please see our website: www.ohiogreens.org)

U.S.Congress
Elaine Mastromatteo ((14th district)
Robert Fitrakis (3rd district)
Rich Stevenson (1st district)

State central Committee candidates( elected by State School board District)
Rich Stevenson, district 4 ( Cincinnati)
Gwen Marshall,district 4 ( Cincinnati)
Josh Krekeler,district 4 ( Cincinnati)
Donald Rucknagel, district 4 ( Cincinnati)
Elaine Mastromatteo,district 7 ( Bristolville)
Robert Fitrakis, district 6 ( Columbus)
Suzanne Patzer, district 6 ( Columbus)
Anita Rios, district 2 (Toledo)
Sean Nestor,district 2 (Toledo)
Stacy Jurich, district 2 (Toledo)