The Vermont Green Party (VGP) or Vermont Greens formed in 2002 and was a state-level political party in Vermont.
They were formed out of organizing around Ralph Nader's presidential campaigns in 1996 and 2000. The VGP was one of two established state green parties that refused to place the 2004 national presidential nominee, David Cobb on its ballot line, endorsing Nader's independent campaign instead. The party ran statewide and local candidates from 2002 to 2010, but was split by internal tensions and both factions dissolved by 2011 and were absorbed back into the Progressive Party.
History Murray Bookchin and his friends, inspired by The Greens of West Germany, formed the Green Party in Burlington, Vermont. Rudolf Bahro, one of the founding members of The Greens, met Bookchin and the Greens in 1983. Howie Hawkins stated that Bookchin inspired him to become involved with Green politics. The Progressive Coalition accused the Greens of attempting to spoil the 1989 Burlington mayoral election and for causing Erhard Mahnke, the Progressive president of the city council, to lose reelection in 1990. Internal disagreements on how to respond to spoiler accusations resulted in the party disbanding a splinter group, Northern Vermont Greens, being formed.
Statewide candidates Election Candidate Votes Percentage 1996 President Ralph Nader 5,585 2.16% 2000 President* Ralph Nader 20,374 6.92% 2004 Senate Craig Hill 3,999 1.30% 2004 Attorney General James Marc Leas 8,769 3.00% 2006 Senate Craig Hill 1,536 0.59% 2006 US Representative Bruce Marshall 994 0.38% 2006 Governor Jim Hogue 1,936 0.74% While the national Green Party nominee in 2000, Nader ran on the Vermont Progressive Party ballot line.
The VGP endorsed the Progressive Party's Michael Badamo for Governor in 2002 and Ralph Nader's independent run in 2004. Due to the breakup of the Vermont Green Party, Green presidential nominees, Cynthia McKinney in 2008 and Jill Stein in 2012, ran as write-in candidates in Vermont.
Local candidates 2004 election Office Candidate Votes Percentage Vermont Senate Ben Clarke 9,650 3.0% Chittenden County High Bailiff Greg Delanty 17,359 28% Burlington Justice of the Peace Owen Mulligan 4,210 2.8% Burlington Justice of the Peace Jay Vos 3,923 2.5% Hinesburg Justice of the Peace Craig Chevrier 889 5.8% The Burlington Green Party also ran candidates in 2007 and 2009.
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External links Vermont Green Party website Facebook page (still active)