Gateway Green Alliance/Green Party of St. Louis
Digital version of article from Sept 2000 Compost Dispatch
Nader, Greens officially certified for MO ballot
Missouri Secretary of State Bekki Cook certified the Green Party and 18 of its 20 candidates to appear on the Missouri ballot for the November 7, 2000 general election, including presidential nominee Ralph Nader. However, she also refused to certify two other Green candidates. Cook announced her actions on August 22, the last day the law allowed for her decision.
Excluded from the good news were Sister Mary Ann McGivern, Green Party candidate for Attorney General, and Frank Eller, Jr., Green Party candidate for state representative in the 87th District in St. Louis County.
Cook's office noted that 17,370 signatures of Missouri registered voters had been validated by local election authorities. Ten thousand valid signatures were required. An impressive 80% of all signatures submitted were valid.
Certified for the statewide ballot were:
- Nader, the long-time consumer and social justice advocate, and his vice-presidential running mate, Native American activist Winona LaDuke.
- Evaline Taylor, a Kansas City telemarketing entrepreneur and civil rights activist, for U.S. Senator.
- Educator Zaki Baruti of University City, president of the Universal African Peoples Organization and leader of the Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression, for Governor. Baruti will appear on the ballot as Lavoy (Zaki Baruti) Reed because he has not gone to court to seek a formal change from his birth name.
- Ben Kjelshus, veteran environmental activist, for Lieutenant Governor.
- Paula Elias, a Columbia marketing consultant, for Secretary of State.
- Ray Vanlandingham of Springfield, 22-year-old college student, for State Treasurer.
Green Party congressional candidates were certified in all six districts in which the party filed candidates. They are Brenda (Ziah) Reddick of University City, 1st Distict; Mike Odell of Ferguson, 2nd District; Mary Maroney of University City, 3rd District; Charles Reitz of Kansas City, 5th District; Tom Sager of Rolla, 8th District; and Devin Scherubel of Columbia, 9th District.
Veteran progressive activist Mary Auer was certified as the Green Party candidate for the state senate in the 3rd District in south St. Louis, Maplewood, Shrewsbury and part of Affton. She is challenging conservative Democrat incumbent John Scott and Republican Leonard Arons.
Greens are also contesting three contiguous house districts in south St. Louis. Patricia A. Turek was certified in the 66th District in a one-on-one challenge of previously unopposed Democrat incumbent Harry Kennedy. Jason Toon opposes 67th District incumbent Democrat Patrick Dougherty in the Shaw and Grand Oak Hill neighborhoods in a similar one-on-one contest. No Republicans or other party contenders filed in either district. Peter Coogan of Shrewsbury makes it a 4-way contest in the 68th District, challenging Democrat incumbent James O'Toole, Republican Joe Hodes and Libertarian Jim Craig.
In Kansas City, popular radio host Charles Winters carries the Green banner in the 39th District, challenging incumbent Democrat Marsha Campbell.
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