Green Party of Michigan Monthly Membership Meeting Announcement
This is a reminder to please attend our Green Party of Michigan working group meeting Dec. 14 at 11 a.m. Find the link to register below. We'll be discussing the latest GPMI activities around the state and petitions as organizing tools. Feel free to add to or comment on the draft agenda.
Green Party members and candidates gathered in Dearborn Nov. 5 for an election watch party with Dr. Jill Stein, GPUS's POTUS candidate. Stein won 22% of the vote in the city.
"We live to fight another day and we come out stronger than ever," said Stein. "We need to hit the ground running coming out of this election."
GPMI candidates Clyde Shabazz and Dr. Sami Makhoul were invited to address the crowd and the sizable audience tuned in to internet broadcasts of the event.
"We're about to grow this party," said Shabazz. "We're counting on you in this room and others who are in this state to help us do that."
Shabazz received almost 8,000 votes in the race for U.S. House 6th District and beat the Libertarian Party candidate in the race by over half a point. The 6th District includes Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County, southern and western Wayne County, a piece of southwestern Oakland County and the city of Milan in Monroe County.
"We are the people of Dearborn; we are the people of Detroit; we are the people of Michigan," said Makhoul.
Makhoul received over 80,000 votes in the race for Wayne State University Board of Governors.
Wissam Charafeddine, a Green Party member organizing in Dearborn and the greater Wayne County area, also attended the event and spoke with Shabazz on In the Green TV. Charafeddine described becoming politically involved as an American citizen by studying history and learning how rights and freedoms were won.
"Now it's our turn," said Charafeddine. "It is our patriotic duty; it is our American duty. I see it as what I owe the Constitution."
Dearborn Greens have begun forming a caucus in Michigan for Arab and Muslim Americans. Similar organizing is happening in Minnesota.
"Establishing a caucus within the Green Party dedicated to representing the Arab and Muslim American communities will provide a platform for advocacy on issues specific to these communities, including civil rights, anti-discrimination efforts, fair immigration policies, and peace-oriented foreign policy," says Dearborn Greens' caucus proposal. "Creating this caucus will further enrich the Green Party’s diversity and bring critical perspectives to the forefront of discussions, ensuring that the needs and voices of Arab and Muslim Americans are better represented in party platforms and actions."
Charafeddine introduced the proposal at the Green Party of Michigan's state membership meeting following the election, held Saturday, Nov. 9. GPMI members gathered in person in Grand Rapids and Midland to participate in a video conference call that included dozens more members from different parts of the state.
Six local chapter chairs gave reports on local organizing around southern Michigan and several candidates reflected on their campaigns and election results. Robert Dorgan called in from the western Upper Peninsula, where he had initially led a race for township supervisor, until a dark horse Republican write-in candidate narrowly took the win.
Jim Bronke shared some of his experiences with county fairs and connecting with voters on alternative healthcare practices. Bronke was GPMI's U.S. House 5th District candidate in 2024 and received 1.56% of the vote. The 5th District includes all of Branch, Cass, Hillsdale, Jackson, Lenawee, Monroe (except for the city of Milan) and St. Joseph counties, southern Berrien County, most of Calhoun County and far southern Kalamazoo County.
Douglas P. Marsh presented election results data as a tool for targeted outreach. Marsh was GPMI's U.S. Senate candidate in 2024 and received just under 54,000 votes.
GPMI candidate Jim Casha received over 1,600 votes in Michigan's 8th Congressional District, which includes all of Bay and Saginaw counties, nearly all of Genesee County and parts of Midland and Tuscola counties.
John Anthony La Pietra, GPMI's candidate for Michigan State University Board of Trustees, received 100,669 votes.
GPMI candidates in the 11th and 12th U.S. House districts, in Oakland and Wayne counties, had some of the highest percentage results. Douglas Campbell received 2.17% of the vote in the 11th and Brenda K. Sanders received 2.27% in the 12th.
Christina Marudas, GPMI's candidate for the State House 23rd District, covering parts of Washtenaw, Wayne and Livingston counties, received 2.54% and Ryan Sample received 3.36% in the 32nd, which is in Washtenaw County.
Aaron Wright received over 1,000 votes in the 47th District, which is in Washtenaw and Jackson counties and Eric Borregard received 863 votes in the 48th, which covers parts of Washtenaw, Livingston and Jackson counties.
Dearborn Greens held a meeting Nov. 17 to reflect on election results and discuss future plans.
"We are a movement for the creation of a new party, an alternative to the two-party system that—like Jill says—just stands for Wall Street and war," said Linda Wan, a Stein campaign volunteer and activist based in Washtenaw County. "These are the people that I want to be organizing with."
Remember to register in advance for our upcoming meeting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14 . Please share this press release with nonmembers.
The Green Party of Michigan is constantly searching for new and innovative ways to continue serving Michiganders, keeping candidates on the ballot, and to move our party forward without corporate money which invites corruption.
We need the support of the people like you. Consider making a donation today (or become a monthly donor in the amount of your choice!) to help sustain our fight for Green politics and against our broken two-party system.
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