Green Party of Allegheny County (GPOAC)

The Green Party of Allegheny County (GPOAC) is a progressive political party that promotes grassroots democracy, social justice, ecology, and peace.

Members of the Green Party can be found at fracking protests, rallies to save public transit, Healthcare for All meetings, pride marches, at the occupy movement – we’re all over the place working for progressive values.

Check out our News page for announcements and press releases.

Read about our Platform to learn more about us and our values. Please join us by registering as a Green voter and consider running for office yourself!

We meet regularly to discuss events and strategy for future elections, we hope to see you at the next meeting!

About

The Green Party of Allegheny County (GPOAC) is the local affiliate for Allegheny County (including Pittsburgh) of the Green Party of Pennsylvania, which is in turn the state chapter of the Green Party US.

We are a grassroots activist organization and political party dedicated to our four pillars of participatory democracy, social justice, ecology, and peace. We believe the current two party system in American politics is inadequate to truly represent the interests of the people at this important time in history when major issues are facing our region, state, and country. We face growing poverty and unending war and are on the brink of ecological disaster due to global climate change, and yet the two major parties almost never speak of these issues.

We invite you to join us to work for the greater good and change our political and economic system for the better.

Our candidates for office are required to sign a pledge that they will not take corporate or super PAC donations and will uphold the Green Party’s 10 Key Values both during the campaign and when elected to office.

The links below provide more information on our chapter, including our bylaws and meeting minutes. We do all of our party business publicly in the spirit of transparency and openness, key factors in grassroots democracy that we wish to bring to government when elected.

News

PRESS RELEASE – Green Party Holds Peduto, Fitzgerald, and Toomey Responsible at Zero Hour
posted Jul 21, 2018, 11:50 AM by Green Party of Allegheny County [ updated Jul 21, 2018, 11:57 AM ]
Green Party Holds Peduto, Fitzgerald, and Toomey Responsible at Zero Hour

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

July 21, 2018

Pittsburgh, PA

Contact: Tim Jones, Chair, info@alleghenycountygreens.org

Today, the Green Party of Allegheny County (GPOAC) stood alongside a cross-section of Pittsburghers and in solidarity with diverse youth and other citizens across the country in demanding action on Climate Change at the “This is Zero Hour” march held outside of the Grant Street entrance to the Grant Building in down town Pittsburgh.

Marchers and GPOAC called upon our elected officials at every level of government to protect and further implement strong climate policies. The marchers specifically stopped outside the offices of U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, Mayor Bill Peduto, and County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, three politicians whose current stances are considered to be harmful to the health and future of Pittsburghers.

The Green Party (GPOAC) appealed to Mayor Peduto to publicly oppose the Shell Ethane Cracker Plant and the use of scarificateur pour gazon. It was pointed out that Mayor Peduto’s silence on the proposed Shell Ethane Cracker Plant in Beaver County directly contradicts his declaration that Pittsburgh stands with the Paris Climate Accords. Jay Walker, Green Party candidate for Pennsylvania House of Representatives said that pollution of this magnitude would contaminate our air and water at even greater levels than now, a silence that would echo across the region as our children’s health declines and their future livelihoods diminish.

County Executive Fitzgerald was targeted as receiving the most campaign contributions from Marcellus Shale companies. Speakers like Walker representing the Green Party demanded that CE Fitzgerald end his solicitation of shale gas money and instead prioritize the region’s health and well-being by forming a committee to seek clean industries and renewable energy alternatives.

As the marchers progressed past Sen. Toomey’s office, his record of voting consistently against the health and constitutional rights of Pennsylvanians was pointed out. As a Senator whose time in the Senate is not running out anytime soon, members of the Green Party stated resolutely the need to pressure Senator Toomey to support science now, especially concerning climate change, while demanding that he be held accountable to the constitution of Pennsylvania and vote to support the original work of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and rigorously performed federal climate research and results.

As Green Party candidate for State Representative district 23, Jay Walker said during his address at the march, “Please Mayor Peduto, listen to the youth of Pittsburgh when we ask you to proudly and publicly speak out against the Shell Ethane Cracker plant in Beaver County.”

The message throughout the gathering was that an unpolluted environment is critical to the health of all Pittsburghers, Pennsylvanians, and Americans, especially young people, and GPOAC will continue to fight for that future with urgency in the present. The many young people at the march clearly supported these ends to defend Pennsylvanians’ constitutional rights to clean air and water, redress pollution by industry and individuals, and build a sustainable future with renewable energy and energy efficiency.



Pictured: Green Party candidate Jay Walker for State Representative speaking at Zero Hour calling for Mayor Peduto to speak out about fracking and climate change.

PRESS RELEASE – Green Party demands PWSA remains public and accountable to voters
posted Jul 18, 2018, 2:19 PM by Green Party of Allegheny County
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 18, 2018
Pittsburgh, PA
Contact: Tim Jones, Chair, info@alleghenycountygreens.org

The Green Party of Allegheny County (GPOAC) strongly opposed proposals for privatization, including so-called “public-private partnerships,” at a Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) public hearing held today. GPOAC members warned that any privately-owned, for-profit business runs antithetical to our human right to water as guaranteed by the Pennsylvania constitution Article I Section 27.

GPOAC members additionally rejected Mayor Bill Peduto’s “blue ribbon” panel recommendation for a restructured, “self-perpetuating” board. A “politically independent” PWSA as suggested by the panel is one further removed from public accountability and oversight. PWSA board members should, like other public positions, be directly accountable to the voters they serve.

GPOAC members demanded that PWSA remain a public utility accountable to the residents of the city. A publicly-owned, democratically-run PWSA with proper funding and support from city council is necessary to address issues and rebuild community trust. The PWSA decision-making process should be opened up to include more members of the community in important water decisions that affect their lives, in keeping with the Green Party value of grassroots democracy. Both privatization and the “blue ribbon” panel proposals cut out democracy and public accountability and increase the odds of corruption.

Jay Walker, Green Party candidate for state representative for the 23rd district, spoke from prepared remarks at the hearing. “PWSA must remain publicly owned, publicly managed, and directly accountable to voters by means of city council as it is now,” Walker said.

Mayor Peduto had originally called for the “blue ribbon” panel in 2017 to investigate ways of reorganizing the PWSA amid concerns of growing debt and several public relations incidents. Peoples’ Gas, a San Francisco-based private company, has since started a marketing campaign in favor of a private takeover of PWSA. As shown in many examples nationwide, including Pittsburgh’s own history with the French company Veolia, water privatization leads to higher costs, inaccurate billing, and unsafe water, and most fundamentally, violates public ownership and right to water for life.

PRESS RELEASE – Green Party of Allegheny County demands Pittsburgh City Council require more community investment from UPMC
posted Jul 17, 2018, 4:46 PM by Green Party of Allegheny County
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 17, 2018
Pittsburgh, PA
Contact: Tim Jones, Chair, info@alleghenycountygreens.org

UPMC has avoided paying it’s fair share of taxes for years and it is time for the residents of Pittsburgh and the Allegheny County region to require a community benefits agreement from UPMC, the Green Party of Allegheny County (GPOAC) demanded today at a Pittsburgh City Council public hearing regarding UPMC’s plans to expand its footprint in the region.

Members of the GPOAC joined One Pennsylvania, Hospital Workers Rising, Pittsburgh United, PIIN, Thomas Merton Center, and Sierra Club in demanding UPMC do more for our community. City Council members were urged to require a strong community benefits agreement with UPMC before considering UPMC’s expansion plans in the region.

Allegheny County today has some of the highest asthma and lung disease rates in the nation, and was recently given an “F” rating by the American Lung Association for poor air quality [1]. UPMC should take its healthcare role seriously by committing significant resources to end air pollution in the region. UPMC must support local wind farm projects and switch all of its facilities to renewable energy sources, which would clean our air, improve our health, and bring local, green jobs to the region.

Additionally, as the largest employer in the state [2], UPMC must take responsibility in fighting poverty. UPMC must commit to paying a living wage of at least $15 per hour to all workers, starting immediately, and financially support affordable housing initiatives for residents affected by expansion of UPMC facilities. UPMC must also recognize workers’ rights and end any and all resistance to unionization efforts.

GPOAC recognizes healthcare as a human right and supports the establishment of a comprehensive, guaranteed, single-payer healthcare system in Pennsylvania to protect that right. We expect UPMC to provide comprehensive healthcare for all residents, including by expanding addiction treatment and mental health services at Mercy Hospital and throughout the region, and ensuring all residents regardless of insurance provider can receive affordable treatment at any UPMC facility.

As a non-profit, UPMC receives large tax breaks despite increasingly operating like a for-profit insurance giant. In 2011-2012, UPMC made nearly $1 billion in profits, which prompted past Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl to sue UPMC for its non-profit status [3]. The lawsuit was dropped in 2014 under current Mayor Bill Peduto’s administration with the explanation that it would help negotiations between UPMC and the city for voluntary payments from non-profits [4]. Since then, UPMC has continued to grow its profitable business as the city budget struggles with infrastructure problems, poverty, and school funding.

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[1] https://www.ehn.org/pittsburgh-air-quality-is-getting-worse-2561249417.html

[2] http://www.upmc.com/about/facts/pages/default.aspx

[3] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nonprofit-hospital-makes-billions-should-it-get-a-tax-break/

[4] https://triblive.com/news/allegheny/6524239-74/upmc-nonprofits-peduto

PRESS RELEASE – Green Party of Allegheny County joins push for Clean Air at Courthouse rally
posted Jul 13, 2018, 10:50 AM by Garret Wassermann [ updated Jul 13, 2018, 11:48 AM ]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 13, 2018
Pittsburgh, PA
Contact: Tim Jones, info@alleghenycountygreens.org

Today, members of the Green Party of Allegheny County (GPOAC) joined PennEnvironment, GASP, the Breathe Project, and other members of the Breathe Collaborative at a downtown Pittsburgh rally called Fridays with Fitzgerald. The intent of these gatherings in the courtyard of Allegheny County Courthouse is to gain the attention of County Executive Rich Fitzgerald about the very poor quality of our air and its detrimental impact on the health of our residents and our region.

With the recent statistics that Allegheny County now ranks in the top 2 per cent of counties in the U.S. for cancer risk from air pollution, GPOAC wants to encourage leaders such as Mr. Fitzgerald, who supports the air and water polluting industry of fracking, to reverse course and act now to protect our rights to clean air and pure water guaranteed under PA Constitution Article 1 Section 27.

GPOAC calls for the County Executive to crack down on local polluters and end his support for the cracker plant in nearby Beaver County and the Falcon pipeline that will feed it. The Green Party emphasis will be to present facts on how local government decisions directly contribute to either improving or detracting from the health of our region.

Jay Walker, a Green County candidate for District 23 for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, explains his sense of urgency, “Climate change is real and anything short of confronting it directly is foolish. We need to rapidly shift our economy from being powered by fossil fuels to alternative energy while also massively reducing our energy use.”

Garret Wassermann, Green Party Candidate for District 45 and vice-chair of GPOAC, expressed support for a recent Clean Air Council and Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) lawsuit against the Allegheny County Health Department for diverting Clean Air Funds meant for enforcement into building renovation projects. “Our real need is to crack down on fossil fuel polluters such as the Clairton Coke works who repeatedly get cited by the Allegheny Health Department for their infractions, yet fail to remedy their polluting business practices.” he said. “The Allegheny County Board of Health is appointed by the County Executive, so I expect Mr. Fitzgerald to speak out against this misuse of funds and call for greater clean air enforcement from the board he has appointed.”

Candidates Wassermann and Walker hope that the Fridays with Fitzgerald rallies will impress upon our government officials how unacceptable the decline in air quality and the alarming increase of pollution generated illnesses is for our city life. As representative of the GPOAC at the rallies, Wassermann and Walker both hope to make clear that Allegheny County’s successful future - that government officials profess to aspire to - will be undermined by these growing concerns if not addressed.


Above: Petitioners unwrap a printed list of over 11,000 complaints about air pollution to the Allegheny County Health Department as they demand County Executive Fitzgerald to take action to protect our air. The petition was long enough to encircle the courtyard twice.

PRESS RELEASE - City & County Single Payer Resolutions
posted Jun 20, 2018, 9:11 AM by Green Party of Allegheny County

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 19th, 2018
Contact: Tim Jones, Chair, info@alleghenycountygreens.org

Green Party of Allegheny County (GPOAC) calls for immediate action and legislative votes for single payer healthcare at both the state and federal levels, after the city of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County both pass resolutions in favor of a single payer healthcare system and recognizing healthcare as a human right.

On June 19th, 2018, thanks to the efforts of Corey O’Connor in the Pittsburgh city council and Anita Prizio in the Allegheny County council, both city and county councils have passed resolutions in support of a single payer, “Medicare for All” healthcare system. The county council adopted the measure by a vote of 10-4 [1], while the city council adopted the measure unanimously with a vote of 9-0 [2]. GPOAC applauds both resolutions and calls for state and federal elected officials to take the resolutions seriously as evidence that Pennsylvanians are ready for a single payer healthcare system that guarantees comprehensive healthcare to all.

Jay Walker, GPOAC candidate for state representative in the 23rd district, was present at the county council meeting, attending in favor of the resolution along with several other GPOAC members. “I am very happy to see these resolutions in support of common sense health care policy. Our legislators in Harrisburg and Washington should listen to our local elected officials by working to move these bills forward.” Walker said.

GPOAC previously endorsed HR 676 as the blueprint for a national single payer system. The bill would guarantee Medicare coverage to all Americans, and expand Medicare to include additional services such as dental, vision, and cheaper prescription drugs. A similar bill, HB 1688, has been introduced in the Pennsylvania general assembly that would create a statewide single payer system with similar expanded services. Both bills represent clear alternatives to the for-profit health insurance model that has proved to be a disaster. A 2013 economic policy memo by Dr. Gerald Friedman of the University of Massachusetts Department of Economics concluded that a Pennsylvania single payer system would result in drastic administrative cost decreases that would fully offset the increased costs of covering more people, while lowering the individual costs to most residents and businesses by utilizing a progressive income tax. [3] A large list of economic studies in favor of single payer healthcare, both at the state and federal level, is provided at [4]. The Green Party of Pennsylvania and the Green Party of the United States have both supported a single payer healthcare system as part of the party platform since 2000. [5]

“The rest of the world has some form of single payer system, it is time we joined them by guaranteeing comprehensive healthcare as a human right” said Garret Wassermann, GPOAC vice-chair and candidate for state representative in the 45th district. “It is not a lack of financial resources that prevents single payer healthcare from happening, it is a lack of political will. We spend hundreds of billions of dollars every year on corporate tax breaks and war, it is time that we shift our priorities.”

Both Green candidates, Walker and Wassermann, have pledged to sponsor and support single payer legislation if elected. Neither of their Democratic opponents in the general election, Dan Frankel and Anita Astorino Kulik, respectively, have to-date sponsored HB 1688 according to general assembly records. [6] [7] Statewide, Green Party of Pennsylvania candidates Paul Glover for governor and Neal Gale for US senator also have both declared support for single payer healthcare.

GPOAC calls on all elected officials, regardless of political party, to work quickly to provide guaranteed, comprehensive healthcare to all Pennsylvanians. GPOAC calls for all single payer supporters to call, email, and write letters to elected officials demanding a single payer healthcare system that works for us instead of insurance companies.

[1] https://alleghenycounty.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3531312&GUID=02733517-F1D5-4015-9303-EDA6D8EA3E70&Options=&Search=
[2] https://pittsburgh.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3533493&GUID=BEFEFF4B-4B43-4617-9A1D-221D47DEE19B&Options=&Search=
[3] https://www.healthcare-now.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Pennsylvania-Friedman-2013.pdf
[4] https://www.healthcare-now.org/single-payer-studies/listing-of-single-payer-studies/
[5] http://www.gp.org/single_payer
[6] http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDocs/Legis/BS/bs_action.cfm?SessId=20170&Sponsors=H|23|0|Dan%20Frankel
[7] http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDocs/Legis/BS/bs_action.cfm?SessId=20170&Sponsors=H|45|0|Anita%20Astorino%20Kulik
GPofPA Announces 2018 Candidates
posted Mar 29, 2018, 4:16 PM by Green Party of Allegheny County
The Green Party of Pennsylvania recently held its spring convention and nominated 6 candidates for office statewide, including 2 in Allegheny County: Jay Walker (state representative, 23rd district) and Garret Wassermann (state representative, 45th district).

See the state party’s press release at: https://www.gpofpa.org/green_party_of_pennsylvania_announces_six_candidates_for_2018_state_and_national_election

GPOAC will be meeting for its next monthly general assembly meeting on Tuesday April 3rd at 7pm at the Panera Bread on Blvd of the Allies in Pittsburgh and kicking-off the campaigns for Garret and Jay. Both will need volunteers to help collect signatures to get on this ballot this November! If interested in volunteering, we hope to see you at the next general assembly, or if you can’t make it, please Contact Us.
RSVP for GPofPA March Convention Mar 17-18th
posted Feb 18, 2018, 4:40 PM by Green Party of Allegheny County
Mark you calendars for the next Green Party of Pennsylvania statewide convention, on the weekend of Mar 17-18th in Scranton, PA.

The event consists of organizing events on Saturday and party business (including nominations of statewide candidates) on Sunday. The Saturday events are expected to focus on discussions and activities on how to run a successful campaign for political office, so if you’ve been thinking of running for office this year or next, this is a great chance to learn more and get advice from our past Green candidates.

If you’d like to attend, please RSVP: http://www.gpofpa.org/gpofpa_march_2018_convention
RSVP for Organizer Conference 2/28 at 8pm!
posted Feb 18, 2018, 4:19 PM by Green Party of Allegheny County
Interested in volunteering and organizing Greens in your community? Thinking about running for office? Join the @GreenPartyofPA #GreenWave committee conference online or by phone from your own home on 2/28 at 8pm to learn more about how we can help you get more active! RSVP here: http://www.gpofpa.org/organize_201802
GPOAC Endorses SayNo2EQT
posted Feb 8, 2018, 4:36 PM by Green Party of Allegheny County
The Green Party of Allegheny County endorses the SayNo2EQT campaign. We support efforts to call out EQT the disastrous effect its activity is having on our #environment. See the flyer below for more information how to join. We encourage local Greens to look for opportunities to support future actions and events!



| Attachments:  sayno2eqt.jpg

General Assembly - 2/6/2018
posted Feb 8, 2018, 4:32 PM by Green Party of Allegheny County
We hope to see you at our next General Assembly meeting on Tuesday February 6th 2018 at 7pm at the Panera Bread on Blvd of the Allies. Members voted at the end of last year to move the date/location of meetings to the first Tuesday of each month for the rest of 2018, so mark your calendars!

We will be electing our executive committee, as well as for delegates to the state party and national party committees, and discussing further ways to grow the party.

Bylaws

We operate by chapter bylaws in keeping with the Green Party of Pennsylvania values and bylaws. The latest ratified bylaws are below. If you believe there is an error or would like to see changes, please bring it up at the next General Assembly meeting.

Minutes Archive

The below Google Drive contains an archive of meeting minutes from past GPOAC general assembly or other meetings.

Elections

Recognized as a minor political party in Pennsylvania, GPOAC runs candidates in the general election each year, as well as can nominate candidates to special elections that come up.
For more information on our local platform or to see a list of candidates in upcoming elections, please see the links below.

If you are interested in running for office yourself, please Contact Us!

Candidates

We endorse candidates for political office that stand for the Green Party’s 10 Key Values and the party platform.
The Green Party of Allegheny County is proud to endorse two candidates for state representative in the November 2018 general election!

Jay Ting Walker
State Representative, 23rd district

Follow Jay on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/JayTingWalker/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jaytingwalker
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaytingwalker/
Website: https://www.reddit.com/r/jaytingwalker/wiki/index
Garret Wassermann
State Representative, 45th district
Garret Wassermann believes we do not need to sacrifice our health and environment for jobs. Garret will invest in renewable energy jobs and ban fracking. Garret also is in favor of implementing a statewide single payer healthcare system, and protecting our public education system including expanding it to debt-free public college.

Follow Garret on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VoteGarret/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VoteGarret
Website: http://votegarret.org

The Green Party of Pennsylvania has endorsed both of our local candidates, as well as statewide candidates: Neal Gale (US Senate), Paul Glover (Governor), Jocolyn Bowser-Bostick (Lt. Governor)! To learn more about the statewide candidates, see the GPPA press release.

In order for all of these candidates to appear on the ballot in November, we must collect signatures from registered voters that want to see these candidates on the ballot and turn them into the state before August 1st. If you’d like to volunteer to get our candidates on the ballot, please Contact Us! or sign up on the GPPA website.

If you are interested in running for office and would like to appear here, please Contact Us!

Platf### orm
The platform describes what Green candidates plan to fight for once elected to office.
Compare what we stand for with other political parties.
As a local chapter, we endorse both the state Green Party of Pennsylvania platform as well as the Green Party US’s Green New Deal platform. The platform at all levels of government is based on our 10 Key Values.

Our 2018 platform, endorsed by members at our April general assembly, is given below. If you have comments or ideas for things you’d like to see in the platform for future years, please Contact Us! We are a grassroots democratic organization and rely on your comments and ideas to improve our platform.

The Ten Key Values

The Green movement is guided by the Ten Key Values, ten guiding principles.
The Ten Key Values are guiding principles that are adapted and defined to fit each state and local chapter.
There is no authoritative version of the Ten Key Values.
We, the members of the Green Party of Allegheny County, endorse the Ten Key Values of the Green Party US and adopt the following key values:

1. GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY

Every human being deserves a say in the decisions that affect their lives and not be subject to the will of another. Therefore, we will work to increase public participation at every level of government and to ensure that our public representatives are fully accountable to the people who elect them. We will also work to create new types of political organizations which expand the process of participatory democracy by directly including citizens in the decision-making process.

2. SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

All persons should have the rights and opportunity to benefit equally from the resources afforded us by society and the environment. We must consciously confront in ourselves, our organizations, and society at large, barriers such as racism and class oppression, sexism and homophobia, ageism and disability, which act to deny fair treatment and equal justice under the law.

3. ECOLOGICAL WISDOM

Human societies must operate with the understanding that we are part of nature, not separate from nature. We must maintain an ecological balance and live within the ecological and resource limits of our communities and our planet. We support a sustainable society which utilizes resources in such a way that future generations will benefit and not suffer from the practices of our generation. To this end we must practice agriculture which replenishes the soil; move to an energy efficient economy focusing on clean renewable sources of energy; and live in ways that respect the integrity of natural systems.

4. NON-VIOLENCE

It is essential that we develop effective alternatives to society’s current patterns of violence. We will work to demilitarize, and eliminate weapons of mass destruction, without being naive about the intentions of other governments. We recognize the need for self-defense and the defense of others who are in helpless situations. We promote non-violent methods to oppose practices and policies with which we disagree, and will guide our actions toward lasting personal, community and global peace.

5. DECENTRALIZATION

Centralization of wealth and power contributes to social and economic injustice, environmental destruction, and militarization. Therefore, we support a restructuring of social, political and economic institutions away from a system which is controlled by and mostly benefits the powerful few, to a democratic, less bureaucratic system. Decision-making should, as much as possible, remain at the individual and local level, while assuring that civil rights are protected for all citizens.

6. COMMUNITY-BASED ECONOMICS AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE

We recognize it is essential to create a vibrant and sustainable economic system, one that can create jobs and provide a decent standard of living for all people while maintaining a healthy ecological balance. A successful economic system will offer meaningful work with dignity, while paying a “living wage” which reflects the real value of a person’s work.

Local communities must look to economic development that assures protection of the environment and workers’ rights; broad citizen participation in planning; and enhancement of our “quality of life.” We support independently owned and operated companies which are socially responsible, as well as co-operatives and public enterprises that distribute resources and control to more people through democratic participation.

7. FEMINISM AND GENDER EQUITY

We have inherited a social system based on male domination of politics and economics. We call for the replacement of the cultural ethics of domination and control with more cooperative ways of interacting that respect differences of opinion and gender. Human values such as equity between the sexes, interpersonal responsibility, and honesty must be developed with moral conscience. We should remember that the process that determines our decisions and actions is just as important as achieving the outcome we want.

8. RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY

We believe it is important to value cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual, religious and spiritual diversity, and to promote the development of respectful relationships across these lines.

We believe that the many diverse elements of society should be reflected in our organizations and decision-making bodies, and we support the leadership of people who have been traditionally closed out of leadership roles. We acknowledge and encourage respect for other life forms than our own and the preservation of biodiversity.

9. PERSONAL AND GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY

We encourage individuals to act to improve their personal well-being and, at the same time, to enhance ecological balance and social harmony. We seek to join with people and organizations around the world to foster peace, economic justice, and the health of the planet.

10. FUTURE FOCUS AND SUSTAINABILITY

Our actions and policies should be motivated by long-term goals. We seek to protect valuable natural resources, recycling or safely disposing of all waste we create, while developing a sustainable economics that does not depend on continual expansion for survival. We must counterbalance the drive for short-term profits by assuring that economic development, new technologies, and fiscal policies are responsible to future generations who will inherit the results of our actions.

Get Involved

We’re glad you’re interested in getting involved! There’s a lot to be done to spread the Green Party message of peace, ecology, democracy, and social justice. Check out the links below for more information on ways to get involved, or use the form below to sign up!

Join GPOAC

The Green Party of Allegheny County (GPOAC) welcomes all interested new members that wish to drive progressive change in the Pittsburgh region. Please review our Party Platform to learn more about us and decide if you would like to join.

There are no membership dues, but you must be a registered Green in order to vote in the General Assembly. Please follow the instructions below to Register to Vote as a Green.

Even if you are registered in another political party, we encourage all interested to attend meetings and events as a non-voting observer. We are looking to build a progressive coalition in the county and welcome your support and point of view on how to obtain progressive change for our region.

Register to Vote as a Green
Voters must register with Allegheny County as a member of the Green Party to be officially counted as a member of GPOAC and to have full voting privileges at General Assembly meetings.

In 2016, the Green Party of PA received enough votes to qualify as minor party status. This means that when you fill out your voter registration form, you need only check the box for Green Party! If you received an older registration form that does not list Green Party, then simply check the “Other” box and enter “GREEN” in the party name box.

Check your Registration Status on the PA website to confirm you are Green (some voters have reported issues with changing to Green in the past so double check)
Register to Vote in PA online, required to fill out even if you previously registered in order to switch to Green Party
If you fill out the online form, you can select “Green” as the answer to Question 8 on Party Affiliation, then you’re done!


The Allegheny County website provides full details of voter registration requirements.

Ballot Access

Like candidates for all other political parties, our Green Party candidates must collect signatures from voters in order to actually appear on the ballot. We must therefore collect a minimum number of signatures by July 15th in order to meet state filing deadlines, so we need volunteers to help!

Ready to Volunteer Now?
Great! Please Contact Us and we’ll put you in touch with your coordinator that can give you further instructions.

Or if you already know what to do and are ready to get started, you can download the petition forms here!

2018 Ballot Access


District 23 form (for Jay Walker and statewide candidates)
District 45 form (for Garret Wassermann and statewide candidates)
Everywhere else (statewide candidates only)
Remember that they must be printed on LEGAL SIZE paper or the state will not accept them. If you have any questions or would prefer us to send you hardcopies, Contact Us or sign up on the state party website. Completed forms should be turned into the state Green Party of Pennsylvania first before we submit them to the state office, so contact us to learn more who to send it to.

For more instructions, see the sections below.

Find out more about current candidates on our Candidates page.

What signatures do we need? Why?
Pennsylvania requires candidates in normal elections to gather signatures in order to appear on the ballot. Republicans and Democrats need signatures to be on the ballot in the primary election in May, while Greens gather signatures for the general election in November. This means we have more time to gather signatures but also typically have to collect more. This number is significantly reduced this year compared to past years (pre 2017) due to some wins in state court by the Green Party to fight unfair election laws.

The signatures for Green Party candidates can come from any registered voter that lives in the candidate’s district (or anywhere in PA for statewide offices like governor). These voters do not have to be Green Party members to sign, they can be from any party or even independent. The signature is also not a commitment to vote for the Green Party candidate, it just tells the state that you’d like to see a Green choice on the ballot in November when you make your final decision who to vote for.

How do we collect them?
However you want! Just get voters to sign the proper paperwork.

You can ask friends and family and neighbors directly. You can bring the paper to work to ask coworkers. Bring it to a church or other organization meetup. Also look for political activism events that support Green Party values and stand with a clipboard near the entrance asking if people are voters that would like to help get a candidate on the ballot. You can even stand in a public space like a street corner or near a bus stop and ask people. Whatever you are comfortable with!

The important thing is that each voter lives in the district and fills out the form correctly. The form requires a signature and a printed name, a home address, and the date.

Letter to the Editor

One way to be involved is to write a letter to the editor in your favorite local newspaper or newsletter about the Green Party and its values and candidates. If you write one that gets published, let us know!

Possible publications you can write for:

Local Newspapers

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – letter to the editor, or submitting a guest column
Pittsburgh City Paper – submission info
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review – letter to the editor
New People Newspaper - submission info
New Pittsburgh Courier – letter to the editor
Gazette 2.0 - submission info
The Incline – submission info
State/National Newspapers and Magazines
Jacobin

Internships

The Green Party of Allegheny County works together with the Green Party of Pennsylvania’s Green Wave committee to provide student internships.

Possible publications you can write for:

Potential internship projects

Establishing or running a local Campus Greens chapter at a Pittsburgh-area college (for details on how start a Campus Greens chapter, see the Green Party of Pennsylvania’s New Affiliation Guide)
Organizing for a local or statewide Green campaign for public office
Community organizing, including representing the Greens at events
… or your own idea!
Typical requirements
You will be assigned a supervisor from the Green Party to work with one-on-one
At least 45 hours of documented activity, based on approval from your supervisor
Typically 3-5 hours per week, negotiable depending on your schedule
A short report and debriefing at the end of the experience to let us know how it went
After successfully completing the program, you will receive a letter of recommendation and certificate from the Green Party to document your experience. Not to mention pride in helping build the Green Party in our area!

We’re happy to work with your college to provide any additional documentation required to receive college credit, if allowed by your school. Please check with your school for details and be sure to provide the information to us when applying.

For more information including other requirements and how to apply, please see the Green Wave of Pennsylvania website.

Run for Office

The Green Party of Allegheny County is seeking candidates for office for all levels of government!

Some offices have modest time and financial requirements and are an easy way to get involved in government. If interested or you have any questions, please Contact Us.

Contact Green Wave to get Started!
The “Green Wave” committee is the state-wide effort by the Green Party of Pennsylvania and local Green Party chapters to build local parties and recruit and assist Green Party candidates in running for office.

The Green Wave website has further information on running for office, such as resources about which offices are up for election each year and where to go to learn more about state and federal campaign finance law. We encourage you to check it out if you have any questions about your campaign!

Why Run for Office?
While activism and direct community efforts can often effect the change we want to see, many issues require more formal backing to solve. For example, laws may need to be changed, or we may wish to fund projects through taxes.

Why run as a Green?
Running as a Green party candidate brings several benefits.

First, Greens all around the country run on a unified vision of the 10 Key Values. You running as a Green helps educate voters about the Green platform and solutions to the issues facing us. Your campaign can excite and energize voters and volunteers and help build the party as an alternative to the two-party system.

Second, since Greens do not hold primaries, Green candidates may focus all of the energy on the general election in November rather than the primaries in early spring. You effectively get an extra 6 months of campaigning compared to primary candidates, giving more time to reach more voters. Plus, due to Pennsylvania’s closed primary system, if you ran as a major party candidate in the primary, you would be excluding voters from the other major party and indepdent voters that would vote for you if they could. There is the potential to pick up many more votes from these independent voters in the general election.

Third, the Green Party is recognized as a “minor party” under PA state law, which entitles us to certain ballot access protections that other third party or independent candidates may not get. We can offer lower petition signature counts for most offices, and are allowed to nominate candidates for any vacancies or special elections that occur.

How do I run?
The exact details depend on the office you are seeking, but generally speaking it only takes a few forms a small fee (some local offices are free to file though!) to become an official candidate on the ballot.

To get started, consider the following:

What is the message of your campaign? Think about issues affecting the community that you would like to see addressed. What level of government is most appropriate to deal with those issues? For example, improving your local school district is most likely best handled at a local level, while pollution, fracking and climate change might be best dealt with at a state or federal level.
What’s your time and money commitment? Depending on what your message is, next consider how much time you intend to devote to the campaign. Some offices might require less time and money, but may not get as much media attention if raising awareness is a major goal of your campaign. Also consider what happens if you win election: would you have time to perform your elected duties? Most local offices only require a couple meetings per month in the evening after work, whereas state or federal representatives are expected to work full-time.
Does your message fit well with the Green Party? Take a look at our Platform and 10 Key Values to determine if you’d feel comfortable running as a Green Party candidate. We require all of our candidates to be registered with the Green Party before receiving the nomination. State law typically requires you to be registered a Green at least 30 days prior to the primary election that year, too.
Once you’ve answered these questions and determined you’d like to run as Green, the next steps are typically the following:

Contact Us, and let us know you’re interested in running of office. If you’re not sure which one, let us know you’re undecided and we’ll help talk you through the options.
Ensure you meet the requirements for the office you seek. Some offices require that you have lived in the district for so many years, or be above a certain age, for example.
Fill out our Candidate Questionnaire form and speak with Green Party representatives about details of your run. Party members will then vote on your endorsement for the Green nomination.
If approved by the local and/or state party, you must sign a Candidate Agreement agreeing to uphold the 10 Key Values during your campaing and while in office if elected, and agree to run a grassroots campaign that refuses all corporate and super PAC money. The Green Party will then provide you with a signed statement of nomination to include with your paperwork.
Petition for signatures from registered voters in the district your are running for, and file your nomination paper with the county and/or state and/or Federal Election Commission (FEC). Signatures are not needed if you are a special election candidate.
You are now an official candidate and can continue campaigning for office until November! Be aware of any campaign finance laws and if necessary regularly report your fundraising and expenditure activities to the appropriate government office.
Most local offices have low ballot access and time requirements and do not require much, if any, money to run and campaign. We encourage everyone to consider at least running for local office, especially those with no prior experience. Local office is a great way to give back to your community and advance the Green Party platform. However, there are also county, state, and federal offices, all of them doable if you are interested! Talk with us about your ideas.

Calendar

Find details below about our regular meetings and other events. If you have questions or would like to volunteer, please Contact Us.
General Assembly Meetings
In 2018, general assembly meetings will occur the first Tuesday of every month at 7pm in the community room at Panera Bread on Boulevard of the Allies (3401 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213). GPOAC members meet to discuss current events and strategy for future action and elections. All are welcome, even if you’re not a Green!

Committee Meetings

Sometimes special committees are formed for interested members to investigate specific topics. Check the calendar for committee meetings you may be interested in. All are welcome to attend.

Other Events

Watch the calendar and mailing list for other important events. We may encourage members to attend public events such as townhalls or marches, or hold our own events such as signature drives to get Greens on the ballot. All are welcome to participate.

Contact Us

Contact GPOAC


Use the form at the left, or the info below:

2018 Officers
Chair: Tim Jones
Vice-Chair: Garret Wassermann
Secretary: Mark Brown
Treasurer: Tom Fallon
Committees and Working Groups
“Green Wave” committee (for candidates for political office): greenwave@alleghenycountygreens.org
General Requests
For general requests you may write:

Email: info@alleghenycountygreens.org
Physical Mail:
Green Party of Allegheny County
P.O. Box 6934
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Mailing List and Social Media