Patrick Star

 

Patrick Star, May 1, 1999 (Burbank, Calif.) -

VP candidate for Independent (2016)
VP candidate for Green Party (2020)

Running mate with nominee (2016, 2020): Spongebob Squarepants (b. 1997)
Popular vote (2016, 2020): ? (0.00%)
Electoral vote (2016, 2020): 0/538

The campaign (2016):

You just knew this was coming. The popular animated character Spongebob Squarepants, originally unleashed upon the world via the Nickelodeon Animation Studio, has been mentioned as a Presidential candidate ever since 2000, mostly through the efforts of a dedicated fan base. In 2012 a Spongebob for President book was published. By the 2016 election he had gained a running-mate in the form of his dimwitted sidekick and neighbor, Patrick Star.

Star himself was also a Presidential candidate in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020. During the 2007 television season, Patrick ran for President against Larry the Lobster.

While campaigning for Clinton at a rally in Michigan, President Obama revealed he was a Spongebob fan.

Some of the practical obstacles faced by the Squarepants/Star ticket in the event of their victory would have included their ages, citizenship,  residency, and fictitious status.

The campaign (2020):

In 2020 an interesting Squarepants/Star campaign website surfaced, claiming the duo were running under the banner of the Green Party, which is perhaps different than the official Green Party of the United States. The contact was M.G. Najera with an email connected to Chicago Public Schools. The product could possibly have been a school project.

The website had a serious platform--

Poverty

Everybody has a right to basic needs, medical care, education and jobs with good wages. If he takes part of the military budget he will be certain of putting it into family support, and jobs that train you. This will increase the employment rate. Spongebob will create a federally funded program to help children, families, the unemployed, elders, and disabled.  

Education

Everybody has a right to education. He believes to give college tuition to those who qualify.He will increase college financial aid. Spongebob will abolish junk food and create healthier menus for our students. expand more programs such as PE, Art, Music, Science, and language programs,. Students will have a place where they can learn and expand their knowledge and also be creative. Also expanding programs like Bilingual Education. And teaching students to be active citizens

Immigration

Migration is a human right.  Spongebob will strive to grant permanent border passes to all Mexican citizens, but he will also attempt to give undocumented immigrants in America a chance to become an American citizen. Spongebob will also advocate for better treatment towards children regarding family separation because no one should be separated from their loved ones.  

Crime

Spongebob will increase the resources provided to improve train stations, staff utilities, schools, public parks, and any other public place. he’ll improve street lights, erase all graffiti, and reduce any suspicious drug related crime. Spongebob will also make high quality youth facilities accessible to everyone.  Spongebob believes that we need to be more focused on crime prevention and not harsh punishments that's why he is advocating to abolish the death penalty, and the “3 Strikes You’re Out” Law

Violence

Spongebob will eliminate deadly lethal weapons. He will advocate peace with all people will help prevent violence because it can resolve the terrorism issues in a peaceful way. He will also remove the nuclear bomb testing since it can negatively impact our health such as people getting cancer.

Diversity

Respecting people’s traditions is important because every culture has their own way to express it. Respecting peoples religion is important and also respecting race and valuing the citizens opinions. They will defend the rights for all people for basic rights to survive. Respecting their culture background and language without any discrimination.

LGBTQ Rights

Spongebob firmly believes in LGBT rights. He will try to reduce hate crimes against the LGBT community. He promises that as president he will tackle the issue of bullying against the LGBT youth. Spongebob also ensures that he will fight for transgender rights. Spongebob will fight for an explicit ban on the discrimination against people over their sexuality or gender identity at federal level.

Environmentalism

Spongebob and Star will make sure toxins and pollution do not harm the poor or people of color. Spongebob will devote greater efforts to full enforcement and prosecution of environmental crimes. He will also redirect funds away from animal experiments and towards biomedical research. He will push for agricultural practices that replenish the soil instead of potentially harming it. He will advocate for environmental taxes, so that industrial pollution can be taxed.  

Feminism and Gender

Spongebob believes in equal rights for both men and women. Women should be allowed to be paid the same as a men who do the same job. Spongebob will create equal opportunity based on gender. Spongebob believes that no matter what your gender is you, should have the ability to get the same job for the same price.

Interest Groups

These interest groups can help Spongebob get elected by endorsing him and the issues he stands on. They can also conduct grassroots activities like a get-out-the-vote drive. Finally, all these interest groups may form Political Action Committees (PACs) to raise campaign contributions for endorsed candidates

Environmental Defence Fund
National Hispanic Leadership Agenda
Gay and Lesbian Advocates & Defenders
CASA In Action
National Education Association

Election history:
2008 - US President (Independent) - defeated
2012 - US President (Independent) - defeated
2016 - US President (Independent) - defeated
2020 - US President (Independent) - defeated

Other occupations: fictitious character

Notes:
Early in his career, Sam Henderson and I corresponded and were active in the Newave Comix movement of the 1980s. Later he went on to be one of the writers for Spongebob Squarepants. Is that neato or what?

Islara Boixados Souto

Islara Boixados Souto, December 2, 1952 -

VP candidate for Green Party (1996)

Running mate with nominee: Ralph Nader (b. 1934)
Popular vote: 4,101 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

Using the term "Green Party" as a national political entity applied to the situation in 1996 is a bit misleading. Rather than a centralized and unified juggernaut, Ralph Nader's Presidential run in this year was not really nationally managed or coordinated in the traditional way. The Green Party of this era consisted of a confederation of local groups, some of them actually in serious conflict with each other including two groups that were in contention for the actual "Green Party" mantle.

Drafted by a confederation of groups, Ralph Nader did not swear to fight for the platform of any specific group and declared himself an independent. But he still showed up on most ballots next to a party name, usually with the word "Green" in it.

He told a Green convention that endorsed him in California in Aug. 1996:

Many Americans who call themselves liberals have so lowered their expectations about what politics can mean to this nation's future that they are settling for diminishing returns. Politics has been corrupted not just by money but by being trivialized out of addressing the great, enduring issues of who controls, who decides, who owns, who pays, who has a voice and access, and why solutions available on the shelf are not applied to the existing and looming crises of our society, both local and global.

One thing politicians do understand is rejection. When voters are deciding how they wish to use their vote, they should ask themselves how best to send a clear message. The Greens and other progressives are in the early building stages of a people-first, democratic political movement for future years. They deserve our attention because they are centering on the basic issues of representative government, one of whose purposes is to strengthen the usable tools of democracy, the other, in Thomas Jefferson's prophetic words, is "to curb the excesses of the monied interests."

Although not quite as confusing as attempting to identify Eugene McCarthy's running-mates in 1976, nailing down Nader's VP in 1996 isn't easy. His own selection was Winona LaDuke and she is generally recognized as the official person in that role. But there were stand-ins as well, such as Anne E.R. Goeke on the ballot in Iowa and Vermont, Madelyn R. Hoffman in New Jersey, and Muriel Tillinghast in New York. In Florida, where Nader was a write-in, Islara Boixados Souto was considered the running-mate.

Richard Walton (1984 Citizens Party VP) was a stand-in in Rhode Island until replaced by LaDuke. Some sources claim other stand-ins were Krista Paradise in Colorado, Bill Boteler in DC, and Deborah Howes in Oregon but I have not found any primary documents confirming those names as VPs. In a few other states Nader did not have a running-mate.

In Florida the Nader backers failed to acquire the required number of signatures to obtain a place on the ballot but they did earn a certified write-in candidate status with Islara Souto, Tallahassee coordinator for the Green Party, as the running-mate.

In terms of election results, Ross Perot's entry in the contest muddies the waters a bit, but Nader still had an impressive 4th place finish with 685,435 popular votes (0.71%). He cracked over 1% in 16 states + DC. The Nader/Souto ticket won 0.08% of the popular vote in Florida. Four years later Nader's results in Florida would become a controversy that is still debated to this day.

Election history: none

Other occupations: medical writer, actress, literary and business translator, wellness coach, public health advocate, consultant

Notes:
Parents were from Spain
Also known as Islara Souto Linn
Raised in Tennessee.

Muriel K. Tillinghast

Muriel K. Tillinghast, January 21, 1943 (Washington, DC) -

VP candidate for Green Party (1996)

Running mate with nominee: Ralph Nader (b. 1934)
Popular vote: 75,956 (0.08%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

Using the term "Green Party" as a national political entity applied to the situation in 1996 is a bit misleading. Rather than a centralized and unified juggernaut, Ralph Nader's Presidential run in this year was not really nationally managed or coordinated in the traditional way. The Green Party of this era consisted of a confederation of local groups, some of them actually in serious conflict with each other including two groups that were in contention for the actual "Green Party" mantle.

Drafted by a confederation of groups, Ralph Nader did not swear to fight for the platform of any specific group and declared himself an independent. But he still showed up on most ballots next to a party name, usually with the word "Green" in it.

He told a Green convention that endorsed him in California in Aug. 1996:

Many Americans who call themselves liberals have so lowered their expectations about what politics can mean to this nation's future that they are settling for diminishing returns. Politics has been corrupted not just by money but by being trivialized out of addressing the great, enduring issues of who controls, who decides, who owns, who pays, who has a voice and access, and why solutions available on the shelf are not applied to the existing and looming crises of our society, both local and global.

One thing politicians do understand is rejection. When voters are deciding how they wish to use their vote, they should ask themselves how best to send a clear message. The Greens and other progressives are in the early building stages of a people-first, democratic political movement for future years. They deserve our attention because they are centering on the basic issues of representative government, one of whose purposes is to strengthen the usable tools of democracy, the other, in Thomas Jefferson's prophetic words, is "to curb the excesses of the monied interests."

Although not quite as confusing as attempting to identify Eugene McCarthy's running-mates in 1976, nailing down Nader's VP in 1996 isn't easy. His own selection was Winona LaDuke and she is generally recognized as the official person in that role. But there were stand-ins as well, such as Anne E.R. Goeke on the ballot in Iowa and Vermont, Madelyn R. Hoffman in New Jersey, and Muriel Tillinghast in New York. In Florida, where Nader was a write-in, Islara Boixados Souto was considered the running-mate.

Richard Walton (1984 Citizens Party VP) was a stand-in in Rhode Island until replaced by LaDuke. Some sources claim other stand-ins were Krista Paradise in Colorado, Bill Boteler in DC, and Deborah Howes in Oregon but I have not found any primary documents confirming those names as VPs. In a few other states Nader did not have a running-mate.

Muriel Tillinghast, Nader's VP in New York where she lived, had joined the Greens early in 1996. She had a long history as a civil rights activist dating back to the early 1960s including with SNCC operations in Mississippi. In her career she also worked with prisoners, AIDS victims, and tenants rights.

Late in the campaign she had applied for the position of Superintendent of the Syracuse, NY school system. Apparently the hiring authorities were unaware she was a VP with Nader until right before the interview (she didn't get the job).

In terms of election results, Ross Perot's entry in the contest muddies the waters a bit, but Nader still had an impressive 4th place finish with 685,435 popular votes (0.71%). He cracked over 1% in 16 states + DC. The Nader/Tillinghast ticket won 1.20% of the popular vote in the Empire State.

Election history: none

Other occupations: social activist, operations manager with Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

Notes:
Lutheran
Supported Obama in 2008 and Sanders in 2016.

Madelyn R. Hoffman

Madelyn R. Hoffman, November 8, 1956 (Englewood, NJ) -

VP candidate for Independent (aka Green Party) (1996)

Running mate with nominee: Ralph Nader (b. 1934)
Popular vote: 32,465 (0.03%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

Using the term "Green Party" as a national political entity applied to the situation in 1996 is a bit misleading. Rather than a centralized and unified juggernaut, Ralph Nader's Presidential run in this year was not really nationally managed or coordinated in the traditional way. The Green Party of this era consisted of a confederation of local groups, some of them actually in serious conflict with each other including two groups that were in contention for the actual "Green Party" mantle.

Drafted by a confederation of groups, Ralph Nader did not swear to fight for the platform of any specific group and declared himself an independent. But he still showed up on most ballots next to a party name, usually with the word "Green" in it.

He told a Green convention that endorsed him in California in Aug. 1996:

Many Americans who call themselves liberals have so lowered their expectations about what politics can mean to this nation's future that they are settling for diminishing returns. Politics has been corrupted not just by money but by being trivialized out of addressing the great, enduring issues of who controls, who decides, who owns, who pays, who has a voice and access, and why solutions available on the shelf are not applied to the existing and looming crises of our society, both local and global.

One thing politicians do understand is rejection. When voters are deciding how they wish to use their vote, they should ask themselves how best to send a clear message. The Greens and other progressives are in the early building stages of a people-first, democratic political movement for future years. They deserve our attention because they are centering on the basic issues of representative government, one of whose purposes is to strengthen the usable tools of democracy, the other, in Thomas Jefferson's prophetic words, is "to curb the excesses of the monied interests."

Although not quite as confusing as attempting to identify Eugene McCarthy's running-mates in 1976, nailing down Nader's VP in 1996 isn't easy. His own selection was Winona LaDuke and she is generally recognized as the official person in that role. But there were stand-ins as well, such as Anne E.R. Goeke on the ballot in Iowa and Vermont, Madelyn R. Hoffman in New Jersey, and Muriel Tillinghast in New York. In Florida, where Nader was a write-in, Islara Boixados Souto was considered the running-mate.

Richard Walton (1984 Citizens Party VP) was a stand-in in Rhode Island until replaced by LaDuke. Some sources claim other stand-ins were Krista Paradise in Colorado, Bill Boteler in DC, and Deborah Howes in Oregon but I have not found any primary documents confirming those names as VPs. In a few other states Nader did not have a running-mate.

Madelyn Hoffman, Nader's running-mate in New Jersey, had worked as an environmentalist activist for almost two decades before being drafted as the VP. It appears she was not involved with the Green Party prior to 1996 but subsequently remained connected for the rest of her political career.

In terms of election results, Ross Perot's entry in the contest muddies the waters a bit, but Nader still had an impressive 4th place finish with 685,435 popular votes (0.71%). He cracked over 1% in 16 states + DC. The Nader/Hoffman ticket earned 1.06% of the popular vote in the Garden State.

Election history:
1997 - Governor of New Jersey (Green Party) - defeated
1998 - US House of Representatives (NJ) (Green Party) - defeated
2018 - US Senate (NJ) (Green Party of the United States) - defeated
2020 - US Senate (NJ) (Green Party of the United States) - pending

Other occupations: teacher, Director - Grass Roots Environmental Organization, Executive Director - New Jersey Peace Action

Notes:
Opponents in 1997 included Christine Todd Whitman (winner) and James E. McGreevey.

Anne E.R. Goeke

Anne E.R. Goeke, January 26, 1955 (Paris, France) -

VP candidate for Green Party (aka Green Coalition) (1996)

Running mate with nominee: Ralph Nader (b. 1934)
Popular vote: 12,135 (0.01%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

Using the term "Green Party" as a national political entity applied to the situation in 1996 is a bit misleading. Rather than a centralized and unified juggernaut, Ralph Nader's Presidential run in this year was not really nationally managed or coordinated in the traditional way. The Green Party of this era consisted of a confederation of local groups, some of them actually in serious conflict with each other including two groups that were in contention for the actual "Green Party" mantle.

Drafted by a confederation of groups, Ralph Nader did not swear to fight for the platform of any specific group and declared himself an independent. But he still showed up on most ballots next to a party name, usually with the word "Green" in it.

He told a Green convention that endorsed him in California in Aug. 1996:

Many Americans who call themselves liberals have so lowered their expectations about what politics can mean to this nation's future that they are settling for diminishing returns. Politics has been corrupted not just by money but by being trivialized out of addressing the great, enduring issues of who controls, who decides, who owns, who pays, who has a voice and access, and why solutions available on the shelf are not applied to the existing and looming crises of our society, both local and global.

One thing politicians do understand is rejection. When voters are deciding how they wish to use their vote, they should ask themselves how best to send a clear message. The Greens and other progressives are in the early building stages of a people-first, democratic political movement for future years. They deserve our attention because they are centering on the basic issues of representative government, one of whose purposes is to strengthen the usable tools of democracy, the other, in Thomas Jefferson's prophetic words, is "to curb the excesses of the monied interests."

Although not quite as confusing as attempting to identify Eugene McCarthy's running-mates in 1976, nailing down Nader's VP in 1996 isn't easy. His own selection was Winona LaDuke and she is generally recognized as the official person in that role. But there were stand-ins as well, such as Anne E.R. Goeke on the ballot in Iowa and Vermont, Madelyn R. Hoffman in New Jersey, and Muriel Tillinghast in New York. In Florida, where Nader was a write-in, Islara Boixados Souto was considered the running-mate.

Richard Walton (1984 Citizens Party VP) was a stand-in in Rhode Island until replaced by LaDuke. Some sources claim other stand-ins were Krista Paradise in Colorado, Bill Boteler in DC, and Deborah Howes in Oregon but I have not found any primary documents confirming those names as VPs. In a few other states Nader did not have a running-mate.

Goeke's father was French, but mother was American. Although born in Paris, she was an American citizen and still would have been eligible to hold office in the event of a Nader/Goeke victory although no doubt there would have been a Constitutional challenge from opponents. At the time of the 1996 election, she was a Green activist in Pennsylvania. Early in the campaign season she was sometimes mentioned as the "official" running-mate.

In terms of election results, Ross Perot's entry in the contest muddies the waters a bit, but Nader still had an impressive 4th place finish with 685,435 popular votes (0.71%). He cracked over 1% in 16 states + DC. The Nader/Goeke ticket earned 2.16% of the popular vote in Vermont, and 0.53% in Iowa.

Election history:
2000 - Pennsylvania Auditor General (Green Party) - defeated

Other occupations: cofounder Women in Black (Lancaster, Penn.), cofounder Earth Rights Institute, poet, artist, activist

Notes:
She was born Anne de la Bouillerie.
Niece of actor Walter Matthau.

Winona LaDuke

Winona LaDuke, August 18, 1959 (Los Angeles, Calif.) - 

VP candidate for Green Party (aka Liberty Ecology Community Party aka Pacific Party aka Independent) (1996)
VP candidate for Green Party (aka DC Statehood Green Party aka Pacific Green Party aka United Citizens Party aka Progressive/Green Party aka Independent aka Association of State Green Parties) (2000)

Running mate with nominee (1996, 2000): Ralph Nader (b. 1934)
Popular vote (1996): 555,604 (0.58%)
Popular vote (2000): 2,883,443 (2.74%)
Electoral vote (1996, 2000): 0/538

The campaign (1996):

Using the term "Green Party" as a national political entity applied to the situation in 1996 is a bit misleading. Rather than a centralized and unified juggernaut, Ralph Nader's Presidential run in this year was not really nationally managed or coordinated in the traditional way. The Green Party of this era consisted of a confederation of local groups, some of them actually in serious conflict with each other including two groups that were in contention for the official "Green Party" mantle.

Drafted by several groups, Ralph Nader did not swear to fight for the platform of any specific party and declared himself an independent. But he still showed up on most ballots next to a party name, usually with the word "Green" in it.

He told a Green convention that endorsed him in California in Aug. 1996:

Many Americans who call themselves liberals have so lowered their expectations about what politics can mean to this nation's future that they are settling for diminishing returns. Politics has been corrupted not just by money but by being trivialized out of addressing the great, enduring issues of who controls, who decides, who owns, who pays, who has a voice and access, and why solutions available on the shelf are not applied to the existing and looming crises of our society, both local and global.

One thing politicians do understand is rejection. When voters are deciding how they wish to use their vote, they should ask themselves how best to send a clear message. The Greens and other progressives are in the early building stages of a people-first, democratic political movement for future years. They deserve our attention because they are centering on the basic issues of representative government, one of whose purposes is to strengthen the usable tools of democracy, the other, in Thomas Jefferson's prophetic words, is "to curb the excesses of the monied interests."

Although not quite as confusing as attempting to identify Eugene McCarthy's running-mates in 1976, nailing down Nader's VP in 1996 isn't easy. His own selection was Winona LaDuke and she is generally recognized as the official person in that role. But there were stand-ins as well, such as Anne E.R. Goeke on the ballot in Iowa and Vermont, Madelyn R. Hoffman in New Jersey, and Muriel Tillinghast in New York. In Florida, where Nader was a write-in, Islara Boixados Souto was considered the running-mate.

Richard Walton (1984 Citizens Party VP) was a stand-in in Rhode Island until replaced by LaDuke. Some sources claim other stand-ins were Krista Paradise in Colorado, Bill Boteler in DC, and Deborah Howes in Oregon but I have not found any primary documents confirming those names as VPs on the ballot. In a few other states Nader did not have a running-mate.

LaDuke, a noted environmental and indigenous activist based in Minnesota's White Earth Reservation in 1996, was on the ballot with Nader in 18 states and considered his write-in VP in a few more. Her acceptance speech after being drafted by Nader was bilingual (Ojibwe/English) and she thanked the stand-in VPs, both factoids probably being a first in the third party running-mate record books. Through her father she has some heritage from the Mississippi Band of Anishinaabe Indians.

In terms of election results, Ross Perot's entry in the contest muddies the waters a bit, but Nader still had an impressive 4th place finish with 685,435 popular votes (0.71%). He cracked over 1% in 16 states + DC. The Nader/LaDuke ticket had their top ten results were Oregon 3.59%, Alaska 3.14%, Hawaii 2.88%, Washington 2.68%, District of Columbia (where they made 3rd place) 2.57%, Maine 2.52%, New Mexico 2.38%, California 2.37%, Connecticut 1.75%, Colorado 1.66%. A bit amazing considering Nader eschewed corporate campaign donations and exhibited some slight hesitancy in his electioneering. The earlier comparison with Eugene McCarthy seems appropriate in that both candidates communicated intellect that almost totally overshadowed passion.

The campaign (2000):

Between 1996 and 2000 the Greens began to slowly build a national party under the auspices of the Association of State Green Parties. I use the term "Greens" generically since the older Greens/Green Party USA preferred to go in a different direction.

The ASGP nominated Nader and LaDuke for a second run, but this time their effort came closer to resembling a traditional campaign, posing more of a threat to the outcome of the election.

The issue that demonstrated an interesting split with the Greens concerned the Makah Indians and whaling. Located in the NW tip of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, the Makah were the only indigenous nation to be guaranteed whaling rights when they signed a treaty with the American government. That was in 1855. In the 1990s, after local whales were removed from the Endangered Species List, the Makah resumed whale hunting after a 70+ year hiatus. In the divisive animal protection vs. Native American treaty rights issue among the progressives, Nader and LaDuke sided with the latter although they generally supported a moratorium on commercial whaling in general.

The 2000 ticket also had the backing and shared the ballot with the DC Statehood Party, Pacific Party (Ore.), Vermont Progressive Party, and the United Citizens Party (SC).

Full disclosure. Although I voted for Clinton/Gore in 1996 I cast my ballot for Nader/LaDuke in 2000. One of my cousins in Alaska offered to trade votes. She promised to vote for Nader in a red state if I voted for Gore in what she thought was a swing state. Those kinds of deals were apparently quite frequent in 2000. I did not take her up on the offer.

Al Gore took Washington State which was not a big surprise. A bit later I was present when the Electors cast their votes for Gore in the Legislative Building in Olympia. Not long after that an earthquake measuring almost 7.0 hit Oly and that room was wrecked when giant shards of skylight glass impaled the furniture. I like to think that is a metaphor for something, but not sure what!

The popular belief is that Nader's strong showing was a spoiler and handed the election to Bush. But several political scientists dispute that claim and the controversy continues to this day. For his part, Ralph Nader was exiled from national politics and held at arm's length by once friendly establishment progressives.

On the ballot or registered write-in in all but three states, the ticket finished just short of 3% and 3 million votes, placing third. Nader/LaDuke's top ten were: Alaska 10.07%, Vermont 6.92%, Massachusetts 6.42%, Rhode Island 6.12%, Montana 5.95%, Hawaii 5.88%, Maine 5.70%, Colorado 5.25%, District of Columbia 5.24%, and Minnesota 5.20%.

In this election Winona LaDuke received more popular votes than any other female third party VP candidate in US history.

Election history:
2016 - White Earth Tribal Chair - defeated

Other occupations: executive director of Honor the Earth, industrial hemp grower, high school principal, lecturer, author, novelist, economist

Notes:
PNW trivia alert! Raised in Ashland, Ore.
Endorsed Kerry in 2004, Obama in 2008, 2012.
Washington State trivia alert!!! Bob Satiacum, a well known figure in my neck of the woods, was a
 Democratic faithless Elector in 2016 and cast his vote for Faith Spotted Eagle with LaDuke as the
 VP. Sort of funny a Faith-less Elector voted for someone named "Faith"
More WA trivia!!! LaDuke was the speaker for the The Evergreen State College graduating class of
 2014.

Kathleen E. McClatchy

Kathleen E. McClatchy, February 20, 1961 (San Diego, Calif.) -

VP candidate for Peace and Freedom Party (1996)

Running mate with nominee: Marsha Joan Feinland (b. 1949)
Popular vote: 25,332 (0.03%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

In 1996 the Peace and Freedom Party found itself deadlocked between three Presidential contenders and attempted to submit all three names to the California Secretary of State, who would have none of that. According to Marsha Feinland of Berkeley, she volunteered to run just to keep the PFP on the ballot. Her running-mate was poet Kate McClatchy in Massachusetts. One of the three contenders in the deadlock was Monica Moorehead of the Workers World Party, who had actually won the PFP primary.

The Peace and Freedom Party 1996 Statement of Purpose:

 The Peace and Freedom Party stands for democracy, ecology, feminism and socialism. We work for a world where cooperation replaces competition; where all people are well fed, clothed and housed; where all women and men have equal status; a world of freedom and peace where every community retains its cultural integrity and lives with others in harmony. Our vision includes:

    Full employment with a shorter work week; $10 minimum wage with indexing.
    Defend affirmative action.
    Abolish NAFTA and GATT.
    Self determination for all nations and peoples.
    Conversion from a military to a peace economy.
    Social ownership and democratic management of industry and natural resources.
    End homelessness; abolish vagrancy laws; provide decent affordable housing for all.
    Quality health care, education and transportation.
    Free birth control; abortion on demand; no forced sterilization.
    Restore and protect clean air, water, land and ecosystems; develop renewable energy.
    End discrimination based on race, sex, sexual orientation, age or disability.
    Democratic elections through proportional representation.
    Defend and extend the Bill of Rights; oppose the phony drug war; legalize marijuana; decriminalize and treat drug use.
    Abolish the death penalty and laws against victimless acts.
    Tax the rich to meet human needs.

Feinland's voter pamphlet statement took a more personal tone: It is time to stop blaming immigrants and people on welfare for our problems. Ordinary people need to join together. We can use the country's wealth to meet human needs and make life better for everyone. As a teacher, I help all children learn. As an elected member of a rent board, I help tenants keep rents low and housing in good repair. I do not help the rich get richer. Priorities • Provide good food, housing, health care, and schools; make sure everyone has a job, or income if they cannot work • Stop giving tax money to big companies, banks and the military • Protect nature; keep air and water clean in everybody's neighborhood.

The Feinland/McClatchy campaign was a fairly low key effort. Attempts had been made to work with the Green Party for the election season but it did not come to pass.

Only on the ballot in California, they took 0.25% of the vote in the Golden State and finished 9th nationally.

Election history:
1986 - US House of Representatives (Calif.) (Peace and Freedom Party) - defeated

Other occupations: teacher, Southern California chair of the Peace and Freedom Party, poet, writer

Notes:
Although McClatchy lived in Massachusetts, she was California born and raised.

Richard John Walton

Richard John Walton, May 24, 1928 (Saratoga Springs, NY) – December 27, 2012 (Providence, RI)

VP candidate for Citizens Party (aka Independent aka Citizens Group) (1984)

Running mate with nominee: Sonia Johnson (b. 1936)
Popular vote: 24,236 (0.03%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

In their second, and final, national election the Citizens Party selected Sonia Johnson as the standard bearer. Johnson had an inner conflict to reconcile-- she was a devout Mormon but also passionate about the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. Naturally as her ERA activism increased and she became critical of the Church she found herself excommunicated. To some she was a heretic, to others a heroine.

Barry Commoner, the 1980 Presidential nominee, endorsed Rev. Jesse Jackson in the 1984 Democratic primaries, a move that many felt took the wind out of the sails of this new third party. Another major hurdle for the 1984 campaign was that the Party was still paying off the debt from the 1980 effort.

There were three running-mates for Johnson in 1984. Richard Walton was the official VP nominee on the ballot or certified write-in in 21 states. In California Johnson had won the primary for the Peace and Freedom Party (which included defeating Dennis Serrette of the New Alliance Party and Gavrielle Holmes of the Workers World Party) and her running-mate there was Emma Wong Mar. In Pennsylvania under the banner of the Consumer Party her VP was Bill Thorn.

In addition to the Peace and Freedom Party and the Consumer Party there was another major player. The Socialist Party of the United States of America decided not run a ticket in 1984 and endorsed the Citizens Party.

Although the Citizens Party had a generally progressive platform and was comprised of the largest confederation of Leftist parties in 1984, Johnson's campaign understandably made feminist issues the central focus. Like many other third party efforts, the Johnson/Walton ticket made more news about legal challenges concerning inclusion in the debates and ballot placement than they did in promoting their issues.

The popular vote was almost evenly split three ways among the VPs. Nationally the Party grossed 72,161 votes (0.08%), a considerable decline from their 1980 performance. Interesting that 2/3 of the result came from California and Pennsylvania where they ran under the names of their host parties. The ticket with Walton did contain their highest percentage, 0.56% in Louisiana, where they actually placed third. Johnson/Walton's next highest percentages came from Utah 0.13%, North Dakota 0.12%, Arkansas and Vermont 0.11% each, and Washington 0.10%.

The Citizens Party evaporated shortly after the election. Or did it? In hindsight we see they served as a forerunner of today's Green Party, America's 4th largest political party. Walton himself become one of those who was part of forming the Green Party.

Election history: none

Other occupations: US Navy, disc jockey, journalist, author, teacher, union activist, activist for the homeless

Buried: ?

Notes:
Worked for Adlai Stevenson 1952 and 1956, and for George McGovern 1972.
Later joined the Green Party and was a 1996 Rhode Island temporary stand-in for VP nominee
 Winona LaDuke.