Maine Greens Hold Convention; Select Presidential Nominee; Elect Party Officers

PORTLAND – The Maine Green Independent Party held its annual convention this past weekend at the Maine Historical Society in downtown Portland.  The convention selected Jill Stein of Massachusetts as its preferred Presidential candidate by a narrow margin in a vote of 17 to 14, with Roseanne Barr a close second. Maine Delegates to the Green Party’s National Convention in Baltimore in July will carry the vote proportionally.

Party members were elected to vacant offices on the state party Steering Committee.  Asher Platts and Anna Trevorrow, both of Portland, were re-elected to serve full terms on the Steering Committee.  Newly elected Steering Committee members include George Johnson Hamilton of Auburn and Randall Parr of Appleton. Standing additional members of the Steering Committee include Whitley Newman of Portland, Tom MacMillan of Portland, and party Treasurer, Anthony Zeli of Portland.

Asher Platts, who is also a candidate for State Senate district 8, was chosen from among the new Steering Committee to serve as the new Party Chair.  “We’ve done a lot of work as a steering committee in regards to strategic planning for the party, especially in regards to fundraising in light of Augusta ending tax check-off donations to political parties. We’ve begun over the past year to implement key parts of our strategy for growing the party, and  I look forward to working with fellow Greens across the state on making that vision into reality.”  Platts will be serving his second 2-year term on the state party Steering Committee.

Tom MacMillan, also a candidate for State Representative district 118 in Portland’s West End, was chosen as Party Secretary.

Convention photos and more information can be found at www.mainegreens.org.