GREENS CITE ELECTION DAY VICTORIES -- READY TO MOVE FORWARD IN MINNESOTA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
11.08.06

Green Party of Minnesota
Contact: Rhoda Gilman, Green Party of Minnesota Politics Chair, (651)
224.6383

GREENS CITE ELECTION DAY VICTORIES -- READY TO MOVE FORWARD IN MINNESOTA

Minneapolis** The Green Party made history this year in securing enough
signatures to place five statewide, two congressional, and two legislative
candidates on the ballot by petition.

There were Green Party victories in several local races, including St.
Francis, where Leroy Schaeffer won his bid for City Council with 29.72% of
the vote and Winona, where Green Party member Dwayne Voegeli won re-election
as a county commissioner. In Minneapolis voters approved the use of Instant
Runoff Voting in municipal elections. Garnering 2.33%, and 1.93%
respectively, Green Party candidates Dave Berger for State Auditor and Papa
John Kolstad for Attorney General assured that the Green Party will continue
as a minor party in the state. Others, like the Constitution Party, were
not so successful, and the Greens remain the state¹s only minor party.

"The Green Party has worked for years in a multi-partisan effort to promote
electoral reforms such as Instant Runoff Voting in Minneapolis." said
Darrell Gerber, Green Party member and member of the board of the Better
Ballot Campaign. Minneapolis became the second major U.S. City (after San
Francisco) to adopt the treasured Green goal of Instant Runoff Voting, and
it passed by nearly a two-to-one vote. According to Dave Berger, candidate
for state auditor in 2002 and again this year, "We have won a structural
change that is far more important for the future than election to a few
offices. Four years ago most Minnesota voters had never heard of IRV, but
the work of the Green Party has changed that."

In reviewing election results last night, Green Party activists agreed that
while concerted efforts to eliminate Green candidates had partially
succeeded, Greens had won significant success on the issues they championed.
"Green candidates were blanked out by the mainstream media," declared Papa
John Kolstad, who ran for attorney general. "Our exclusion from candidate
listings and from debates, including those on Minnesota Public Radio, was
outrageous, and it was a great disservice to the voters." But while Greens
failed to regain major party status, the long-range impact of their repeated
campaigns could be clearly seen.

In Minneapolis, Keith Ellison, the first Muslim to be sent to the U.S.
Congress, campaigned on a Green platform. "His issues were identical to
those I put forward in 2004 and again this year," said Green Party candidate
for Congress Jay Pond. "Our campaigns were what brought them to the
forefront with voters." Those issues, including single-payer health care,
which all Green candidates listed as a top priority this year, also played a
strong role in overthrowing Republican control of the state House of
Representatives.

While Greens build toward the 2008 elections, they will continue to work
with popular movements and with all levels of government on issues that
reflect the values of the party. Those fundamental values include
Grassroots Democracy, Social and Economic Justice, Non-Violence, and
Ecological Wisdom.

For More Information on the Green Party of Minnesota see: www.mngreens.org