Nominations set for November 2010

Under federal court order, the South Carolina Election Commission will permit ballot qualified parties to place nominees from other parties on their ballot line. The South Carolina Green Party may consider adding other party nominees to our ballot line later, but for now, the following are the South Carolina Green Party's nominees for 2010!

Governor: Morgan Reeves
Attorney General: Leslie Minerd

Superintendent of Education: Doretha Bull

US Senate: Tom Clements

US House District 1 - Robert Dobbs

US House District 4 - C. Faye Walters

US House District 6 - Nammu Muhammad

SC House District 24 - D.C. Swinton

SC House District 74 - Christopher Jones

SC House District 115 - Eugene Platt

Each of these candidates needs and deserves our active support. Please write GreggJocoy@yahoo.com to volunteer or to donate to any of them.

SC Green Party Ballot Access Case before the Federal Court of Appeals

This morning in Richmond, Virginia, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), our country's preeminent institutional guardian of Constitutional rights, argued the case of South Carolina Green Party (SCGP) v. South Carolina State Election Commission (SEC) in the Federal Court of Appeals (for the Fourth Circuit). For details click on this link: http://www.aclu.org/voting-rights/aclu-tells-appellate-court-south-carolinas-ballot-access-law-unconstitutional

Although a decision by the court may be weeks or months away, the SCGP remains optimistic. Furthermore, although I would not presume to speak for the ACLU, based on its unwavering commitment to the protection of Constitutional rights, I think the ACLU would, if necessary, be prepared to argue this case in the Supreme Court of the United States.

- Thanks to Eugene Platt for the update!

Various voting rights websites have been following this case. Ballot Access News offers this summary:

On May 11, the 4th circuit heard oral arguments in South Carolina Green Party v South Carolina Election Commission, 09-1915. The issue is whether the Green Party’s convention nomination of a legislative candidate, early in the election year, can be voided if that candidate then tries and fails to get another party’s nomination. The three judges were Barbara Keenan, an Obama appointee; Sam Wilson, a visiting U.S. District Court judge from Virginia and a Bush Sr. appointee; and Clyde Hamilton, another Bush Sr. appointee. Perhaps someone who attended the hearing may help us out and describe how the hearing went, via the comments section.

We will post the text of the court's decision when it is released.

State convention a huge success...now the real work begins!

The South Carolina Green Party held our nominating convention this past Saturday, as scheduled, at the Happy China Buffet. With a full agenda we were able to stay on track, and concluded our most successful convention to date with a bang. We honored Elke Kennedy and her husband Jim Parker for their work with Sean's Last Wish Foundation, and also honored Rolf Baghdady for his service to some of South Carolina's poorer citizens, and for his service as the Green Party's attorney in our fight against Duke Energy of the Carolina's rate hike request before the Public Service Commission. We raised money for the state party and for Sean's Last Wish, and nominated our slate of candidates.

We also elected Eugene Platt, Larry Carter Center, Sue Edward and Scott West to full two year terms on the Steering Committee. Scott West and Larry Carter Center were also elected to represent the SCGP at the national convention scheduled for this summer in Detroit. The Steering Committee will elect officers and delegates to the national committee at the next committee meeting.

Each campaign needs help in the next few months. We are not a party with a lot of wealth, so each of us can make a big difference with a donation of time, skills or cash...or all three! From press officers to fund raisers to campaign managers to door knockers, our candidates need your support! To offer your help, please write GreggJocoy@yahoo.com and I'll put you in touch with someone who needs your help right away.