LOCAL GREEN PARTY ENDORSES CHAMPAIGN AND URBANA REFERENDUMS
CONTACT:
Joe Futrelle
328-7853
futrelle@prairiegreens.org
Tom Abram
(847) 814-6947
tom.abram@ilgp.org
URBANA, IL - The Prairie Green Party endorsed the five referendums that will appear on the primary ballots of voters in Champaign and Urbana this Tuesday. The endorsed referendums include the Urbana Park District property tax rate increase, Champaign Township General Assistance, Cunningham Township Prevent War with Iran, Call Upon Congress To Repeal Or Amend The Military Commissions Act, and Call Upon Congress to Limit Military Funding in Iraq. The latter two referendums will appear on both City of Champaign and Cunningham Township ballots.
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GREEN PARTY CALLS FOR CLEANUP OF CHAMPAIGN TOXIC SITE
CONTACT:
Joe Futrelle
328-7853
futrelle@prairiegreens.org
Tom Abram
(847) 814-6947
tom.abram@ilgp.org
URBANA, IL - The Prairie Green Party called on local officials, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and AmerenIP to take action to protect Champaign residents from the dangerous chemical waste site at 5th and Hill streets in Champaign. The abandoned former site of a coal gasification plant is contaminated with benzene and other carcinogenic compounds associated with coal tar, and a number of residents living in close proximity to the site are suffering from rare cancers linked to the contaminants.
"The city of Champaign, Champaign County, IEPA, and AmerenIP have known about this dangerous site for years and have failed to inform residents or begin the necessary job of cleaning up the site," said Walter Pituc, a Green Party candidate for Champaign County Board in District 7. Claudia Lenhoff of the Champaign County Health Care Consumers and co-organizer of the 5th and Hill Neighborhood Rights Campaign told concerned citizens at a meeting on January 19th that residents were not provided with documentation describing the contamination at the site and the risks of exposure until the group began asking questions this fall. AmerenIP, which owns the site, is responsible for cleaning it up under state and federal policy.
ILLINOIS VOTERS TO TAKE PART IN FIRST EVER GREEN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
CONTACT:
Joe Futrelle
328-7853
futrelle@prairiegreens.org
Tom Abram
(847) 814-6947
tabram@gmail.com
On February 5th, Illinois voters will have the opportunity to vote in the state's first ever Green Party Presidential primary. Illinois will be among the first states to have a Green primary, making it an early predictor of the Green presidential nomination, much like Iowa is for the Democrats and Republicans. Four Green Party candidates for President will be on the ballot: Cynthia McKinney, a former Congresswoman from Georgia; Kent Mesplay, a substitute teacher and Air Quality Inspector from San Diego; Howie Hawkins, a long time Green activist running as a placeholder for Ralph Nader, who has not yet decided whether he will run; and Jared Ball, a professor at Morgan State University in Maryland. Since filing to run, Ball has decided to drop out of the race and urges his supporters to vote for Cynthia McKinney.
LOCAL GREEN PARTY CRITICIZES EFFORTS TO REMOVE IRV REFERENDUM FROM THE BALLOT
Contact:
Joe Futrelle, 217-390-2971, futrelle@prairiegreens.org
Tom Abram, 847-814-6947, tabram@ilgp.org
Urbana, IL - The local Green Party spoke out against the efforts of a Democratic official to remove a citizen initiated referendum on instant runoff voting from the ballot. The group Citizens for Instant Runoff Voting, which includes several Greens, collected over 1,000 signatures to get a binding referendum on instant runoff voting for Urbana municipal elections on the February 2008 primary ballot. Al Klein, First Vice Chair of the Champaign County Democrats, filed an objection to the petitions. The objection was heard by an electoral board composed of Democratic Mayor Laurel Prussing, Democratic City Clerk Phyllis Clark, and Democratic City Council Alderman Dennis Roberts.
Green Party Wins Established Status in Illinois, Makes Historic Impact on Local Elections
Contact:Susan Rodgers, Volunteer Coordinator, 619-985-3553, susanraerodgers@gmail.com
Tom Abram, Candidate for 103rd State Representative, 217-417-7118, tom@tomabram.org
Kostas Yfantis, Candidate for County Board District 7, 217-840-6780, kostasyfantis@gmail.com
Joe Futrelle, Candidate for County Board District 8, 217-328-7853, futrelle@shout.net
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY - The Green Party achieved a historic victory yesterday when Illinois gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney won over 5% of the vote, establishing the Green Party in every district in Illinois and lowering ballot access requirements for the Green Party throughout the state. Local Green Party candidates Tom Abram, Joe Futrelle, Kostas Yfantis, and Nick Mann received a total of 5,996 votes in four closely contested races, making an unprecedented showing in the race for state representative in district 103 and coming within 8 points of winning a seat on the Champaign county board in district 8.
Green Party Heads into Historic Election in Champaign County
Contact:Susan Rodgers, Volunteer Coordinator, 619-985-3553, susanraerodgers@gmail.com
Tom Abram, Candidate for 103rd State Representative, 217-417-7118, tom@tomabram.org
Kostas Yfantis, Candidate for County Board District 7, 217-840-6780, kostasyfantis@gmail.com
Joe Futrelle, Candidate for County Board District 8, 217-328-7853, futrelle@shout.net
URBANA, IL - Local Green Party candidates are heading into the final week of an unprecedented campaign to bring new voices to local and state government. With the help of dozens of volunteers, Tom Abram, Joe Futrelle, and Kostas Yfantis have been knocking on doors in their district, talking to voters, appearing at local events, debating their opponents, and having a real impact on their races.
Green Party Gubernatorial Candidate Rich Whitney Speaks in Urbana
Contact:Kostas Yfantis, Candidate for County Board District 7, 217-840-6780, kostasyfantis@gmail.com
Joe Futrelle, Candidate for County Board District 8, 217-328-7853, futrelle@shout.net
Tom Abram, Candidate for 103rd State Representative, 217-417-7118, tom@tomabram.org
Eric Uskali, UIUC Campus Greens President, euskali2@uiuc.edu
Dave Sacks, Whitney for Governor, 773-557-9411, dsacks83@gmail.com
URBANA, IL -- Rich Whitney, the Illinois Green Party's candidate for governor, appeared at several events in Urbana Monday. Along with local Green Party candidates for the Illinois State House and Champaign County Board, Whitney spoke to local citizens and reporters about the need for political and economic reform.
Prairie Green Party Launches Local, State Campaigns
Contact:Kostas Yfantis, Candidate for County Board District 7, kostasyfantis@gmail.com , 217-840-6780
Joe Futrelle, Candidate for County Board District 8, 217-328-7853, futrelle@shout.net
Nick Mann, Candidate for County Board District 9, rapzor@gmail.com
Tom Abram, Candidate for 103rd State Representative, 217-417-7118, tom@tomabram.org
Susan Rodgers, UIUC Campus Greens President, 619-985-355, susanraerodgers@gmail.com
URBANA, IL - Tuesday, March 28, 2006, was the first day the Prairie Green Party could legally circulate nominating petitions for the 2006 elections, but by the end of the day UIUC Campus Green Susan Rodgers had collected over 300 signatures for local Green Party state representative candidate Tom Abram and the Illinois State Green Party's slate of statewide candidates, including Rich Whitney, the Illinois State Green Party candidate for governor.
Prairie Green Party Launching Campaigns for County Board, State Representative and Governor
Contact:Kostas Yfantis, Candidate for County Board District 7, 217-840-6780, kostasyfantis@gmail.com
Joe Futrelle, Candidate for County Board District 8, 217-328-7853, futrelle@shout.net
Nick Mann, Candidate for County Board District 9, 217-649-8659, rapzor@gmail.com
Tom Abram, Candidate for 103rd State Representative, 217-417-7118, tom@tomabram.org
Susan Rodgers, UIUC Campus Greens President, 619-985-355, susanraerodgers@gmail.com
CHAMPAIGN, IL - The Prairie Green Party will host a rally on Tuesday, March 28th at 6pm at the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center to launch campaigns for Champaign County Board, State Representative, and Governor. March 28th is the first day Greens can collect signatures for several nominating petition campaigns, including UIUC graduate Tom Abram for State Representative, 103rd district and Carbondale lawyer Rich Whitney for Governor. The rally will give the public a chance to meet local candidates, discuss issues, and hear about our grassroots campaigns.
Voters in Champaign County Able to Choose Green Primary Ballot
Contact:Kostas Yfantis, Candidate for County Board District 7, kostasyfantis@gmail.com , 217-840-6780
Joe Futrelle, Candidate for County Board District 8, 217-328-7853, futrelle@shout.net
Nick Mann, Candidate for County Board District 9, rapzor@gmail.com
Tom Abram, Candidate for 103rd State Representative, 217-417-7118, tom@tomabram.org
CHAMPAIGN, IL - Voter in Champaign County Board Districts 7, 8, and 9 will have the unprecedented opportunity to choose a Green county board ballot for the first time in the Spring primary elections. The Prairie Greens of East Central Illinois won ballot status when candidates in the 2004 general election received greater than 5% of the vote in their County Board Districts. Primary elections will be held on March 21. Voters will have opportunity to vote early between February 27 and March 16.