The 2020 Green Party presidential primaries were a series of

primary election Primary elections, or direct primary are a voting process by which voters can indicate their preference for their party's candidate, or a candidate in general, in an upcoming general election, local election, or by-election. Depending on the ...

caucus A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a specific political party or movement. The exact definition varies between different countries and political cultures. The term originated in the United States, where it can refer to a meeting ...

es and state conventions in which voters elected delegates to represent a candidate for the

Green Party A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence. Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation ...

's nominee for President of the United States at the

2020 Green National Convention The 2020 Green National Convention (GNC) or presidential nominating convention was an event in which delegates of the Green Party (United States), Green Party of the United States (GPUS) chose its nominees for President of the United States, pres ...

. The primaries, were held in numerous U.S. states on various dates from early spring into early summer of 2020, and featured elections publicly funded, concurrent with the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

and Republican Party primaries, and elections privately funded by the Green Party, held non-concurrently with the major party primaries. There were 357 out of a possible 358 delegates elected to the Green National Convention, which took place over July 9 to July 12. A candidate needed a simple majority of these delegates to become the Green Party's nominee in the

2020 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2020 lists the national/federal elections held in 2020 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *5 January: **C ...

. Howie Hawkins became the

presumptive nominee In politics of the United States, United States politics and government, the term presidential nominee has two different meanings: # A candidate for president of the United States who has been selected by the Delegate (American politics), delegate ...

on June 20 after passing the simple majority of delegates needed to win the nomination. Hawkins was nominated as the Green Party's presidential candidate on July 11.

Background

Former nominees

The former Green Party presidential nominees, in chronological order, are consumer advocate

Ralph Nader Ralph Nader (; born February 27, 1934) is an American political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney noted for his involvement in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes. The son of Lebanese immigrants to the Un ...

, political activist David Cobb, congresswoman

Cynthia McKinney Cynthia Ann McKinney (born March 17, 1955) is an American politician, academic, and conspiracy theorist. As a member of the Democratic Party, she served six terms in the United States House of Representatives. She was the first African American ...

, and political activist

Jill Stein Jill Ellen Stein (born May 14, 1950) is an American physician, activist, and former political candidate. She was the Green Party's nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 and 2016 elections and the Green-Rainbow Party's candidat ...

. Both Nader and Stein received the nomination for president twice from the Green Party. The former vice presidential nominees of the Green Party are environmentalist and economist

Winona LaDuke Winona LaDuke (born August 18, 1959) is an American economist, environmentalist, writer and industrial hemp grower, known for her work on tribal land claims and preservation, as well as sustainable development. In 1996 and 2000, she ran for Vice ...

, political activist

Pat LaMarche Patricia Helen LaMarche (born November 26, 1960) is an American political figure and activist with the Green Party of the United States; she was the party's vice-presidential candidate in the 2004 United States presidential election, with Davi ...

, organizer and hip-hop activist Rosa Clemente, National Coordinator of the

Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign The Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign (PPEHRC) is a coalition of grassroots organizations, community groups, and non-profit organizations in the United States of America committed to uniting the poor across color lines as the basis for a ...

Cheri Honkala Cheri Lynn Honkala (; born January 12, 1963) is an American anti-poverty advocate, co-founder of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU) and co-founder and National Coordinator of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign. She has been ...

, and human rights activist

Ajamu Baraka Ajamu Sibeko Baraka ( ; born October 25, 1953) is an American political activist. In 2016, he was the Green Party nominee for Vice President of the United States on the ballot in 45 states and received 1,457,216 votes (1.07% of the popular vote). ...

. In 2016, LaDuke became the first Native American woman and Green Party member to receive an Electoral College vote for vice president. The vice presidential nominees from the preceding 2016 and 2012 elections, Baraka and Honkala respectively, endorsed

Howie Hawkins } Howard Gresham Hawkins III (born December 8, 1952) is an American trade unionist, environmental activist, and perennial candidate from New York. A co-founder of the Green Party of the United States, Hawkins was the party's presidential nominee ...

for president.

Candidates

This section lists candidates that have at some point been considered active by the party's Presidential Campaign Support Committee. Holding an active status does not mean the candidate has received official recognition from the party. On July 24, 2019, the Green Party of the United States officially recognized

' campaign. Nearly a month later,

Dario Hunter Dario David Hunter (born April 21, 1983), also known as Yisroel Hunter, is an American rabbi, lawyer and politician. He is the first Muslim-born man to be ordained as a rabbi. A former member of the Youngstown, Ohio Board of Education, Hunter sou ...

's campaign was also recognized. In February 2020, David Rolde's campaign met the requirements for recognition. The remaining candidates did not obtain formal recognition by meeting the established criteria by the party's Presidential Campaign Support Committee. Popular vote counts presented here are incomplete, as many states have reported their delegates but not the corresponding popular vote.

Candidates

Withdrew before the primaries

Declined to be candidates

The following individuals were the subject of speculation as being possible candidates, but publicly denied interest in running. * Darryl Cherney, musician and environmental activist; Green candidate for president in

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...

, Lexington Town Meeting member 2005–2010; Green nominee for president in

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...

and

; Green nominee for

Governor of Massachusetts The governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the chief executive officer of the government of Massachusetts. The governor is the head of the state cabinet and the commander-in-chief of the commonwealth's military forces. Massachusetts ...

2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...

and

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

* Jesse Ventura,

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

(1999–2003); Mayor of

Brooklyn Park, Minnesota Brooklyn Park is a suburban city on the west bank of the Mississippi River, upstream from (north of) downtown Minneapolis in northern Hennepin County, Minnesota, Hennepin County. It is the List of cities in Minnesota, sixth-largest city in the U ...

(1991–1995)

Debates

The Green Party's Presidential Campaign Support Committee (PCSC) hosted a presidential forum on July 26 during the party's 2019 Annual National Meeting. All other debates and forums were organized by state Green Parties and caucuses.

Schedule

Participation

Timeline

2018

*December 14: Former

Maryland Green Party The Maryland Green Party is the state party organization for Maryland of the Green Party of the United States. The Maryland Green Party qualified as a recognized political party on August 17, 2000, since that time the party has grown to 9,350 m ...

co-chair Ian Schlakman became the first Green Party candidate filed with the FEC to announce their presidential bid for the

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...

election, the first presidential election he qualified for.

2019

*January 17:

answered questions on public "Green Party Power Project" conference call on the Green New Deal, during this he announced that he was considering a run for the Green Party nomination *January 21: Rabbi and Youngstown Board of Education member

(then) of Ohio formed an exploratory committee. *February 18: Dario Hunter officially announced his campaign and filed his candidacy with the FEC. *April 3: Howie Hawkins formed an exploratory committee. *May 10: U.S. Army Veteran Dennis Lambert announced his campaign. *May 28: Hawkins formally launched his campaign. *June 4: Howie Hawkins filed his candidacy with the FEC *July 14: David Rolde announced his campaign. *July 19: The Green Party of Minnesota hosted the first green primary debate. *July 26: The second Green Party debate took place in

Salem, Massachusetts Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, located on the North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem would become one of the most significant seaports tr ...

. *July 29: Sedinam Moyowasifza-Curry announced her campaign. *August 8: Moyowasifza-Curry filed her candidacy with the FEC. *August 9: Dennis Lambert filed his candidacy with the FEC. *August 11: The third Green Party debate took place in

Springfield, Missouri Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Springfield metropolitan area, which had an estimat ...

. *August 18: The Green National Committee decides to hold the

in Detroit, Michigan on July 9–12. *August 19: Dennis Lambert filed his candidacy with the FEC. *August 27: David Rolde filed his candidacy with the FEC. *September 8: Chad Wilson announced his campaign. *September 20: The fourth Green Party debate took place in

Muncie, Indiana Muncie ( ) is an incorporated city and the county seat, seat of Delaware County, Indiana, Delaware County, Indiana. Previously known as Buckongahelas Town, named after the legendary Delaware Chief.http://www.delawarecountyhistory.org/history/docs ...

. *October 18: Schlakman suspends his campaign over disputes with the Green Party *October 19: The fifth Green Party debate took place in Boise, Idaho. *December 7: The sixth Green Party debate took place in

Fresno, California Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, makin ...

. *December 11: Chad Wilson filed his candidacy with the FEC. *December 14: Kent Mesplay announces his campaign.

2020

*February 25: Hunter won Minnesota caucus. *February 25: Hawkins won Ohio. *March 3: Super Tuesday: Hawkins won California and North Carolina; Hunter is the winning candidate in a close race in Massachusetts (as declared by the MA Secretary of State), the no preference option received the most popular votes. Hunter announces Darlene Elias, parole officer and former Green Party Co-chair, as his running mate. *March 4: Howie Hawkins and Sedinam Moyowasifza-Curry take part in the Free & Equal elections debate held in Chicago. *March 10: Hawkins won Missouri. *March 14: Hawkins won Illinois. *April 14: Jesse Ventura submits his interest in running for president under the Green Party to the Presidential Campaign Support Committee. *April 17: Hawkins won Colorado. *April 18: Hawkins won Texas. *April 21: Hawkins won Wisconsin at popular vote, but at tie with Hunter at delegates. *April 25: Hawkins won New Mexico. *April 28: Hawkins won Pennsylvania and Utah. *May 2: Hawkins won South Carolina. *May 3: Hawkins won Arkansas. Hawkins declared winner of Pennsylvania. *May 5: Hawkins won Tennessee and announced Angela Walker as his running mate. *May 12: Hawkins won West Virginia. *May 16: Hawkins won New York. *May 17: Hawkins won Kansas. *May 23: Hunter won Hawaii. Washington primary TBA. *May 24: Hawkins won the Young Ecosocialists (YES) primary. *May 28: The Green Party of Rhode Island announces they will not endorse nor provide any ballot access efforts for any Green Party candidate in the 2020 election. *May 30: Hawkins won Florida, Maryland, and Mississippi primaries. Hunter won Idaho. *June 2: Hawkins won the District of Columbia as Montana votes no preference for their candidate. *June 6: Hawkins won Oregon. *June 9: Hawkins won Nevada. *June 12: Hunter won Maine. *June 12: Hawkins won Indiana. *June 14: Hawkins won Connecticut. *June 19: The Alaska Green Party endorses Sedinam Curry for President, and commits their delegates to her, despite not registering for the Green National Convention. *June 20: Hawkins won Michigan and the Lavender Greens primary.

Ballot access

Filing for the primaries began in October 2019. Green check

indicates that the candidate is on the ballot for the upcoming primary contest, Yellow check

indicates that the candidate is a recognized write-in candidate, and Dark Red x

indicates that the candidate will not appear on the ballot in that state's contest. Blanks indicate that a candidate is not yet known to be on the ballot but a final list of candidates eligible to appear on the ballot is not yet available. States that have not yet announced any candidates who are on the ballot are not included. The requirements to gain ballot access are determined either by the state government or the state party, depending on local election law.

Endorsements

Schedule and results

Campaign finance

This is an overview of the money used by each campaign as it is reported to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Totals raised include loans from the candidate and transfers from other campaign committees.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2020 Green Party presidential primaries

Background

Former nominees

Candidates

Candidates

Withdrew before the primaries

Declined to be candidates

Debates

Schedule

Participation

Timeline

2018

2019

2020

Ballot access

Endorsements

Schedule and results

Campaign finance

See also

Notes

References