Media
Our legal name as a qualified party in Maine is Green Independent Party. We are an affiliate of the Green Party of the United States.
Each of our nominees in the State of Maine appear on the ballot as a Green Independent, except for our presidential nominee, who typically appears as simply, Green.
As the Green Independent Party, our members are officially referred to as Green Independents.
We ask for consistency with references to our party and members, using the same standards as applied to other political parties.
After referencing Maine's Democratic Party, Libertarian Party or Republican Party, members are not referenced in media as "Democratic Party members," "Libertarian Party members" or "Republican Party members." We frequently see an unnecessary identification of our members as "Green Independent Party members" or "Green Party members."
Where "Democrats," "Libertarians" and "Republicans" suffice to identify members of those respective parties, so should "Green Independents" suffice to identify our members, especially when our party name, "Green Independent Party" has already been referenced in the article, clearly indicating the name of a political party.
Journalists do not reference "Democratic Party members," "Republican party members" or "Libertarian Party members" because the use of these extra words are unnecessary when "Democrats," "Republicans" and "Libertarians" suffice enough.
Identifying enrolled Green Independents with attributions inconsistent with how other parties' enrollees are identified, unfairly stigmatizes Green Independents as partisan followers, while Democrats, Libertarians and Republicans are portrayed as personal identifiers spared the stigmatization of "party members."
Why the extra unnecessary words?
We ask the press to substitute our party with the words "Democrat," "Republican" or "Libertarian" in their drafts and reflect whether they would use the same language references if we were another party. We request to be identified in the same manner, consistent with how other parties and their members would be.
Whereas the extra effort to say "Democratic Party member" when "Democrat" suffices, is unnecessary; likewise, "Green Independent" should suffice instead of "member of the Green Independent Party."
Please do NOT incorrectly identify us as the "Independent Green Party." This is not the name of our party. We frequently notice this error reversing two words of our party's name.
"Independent" is an integral part of our party identity. We view our party as being independent of the corporate influence that other parties are dependent on. We allow unenrolled voters (commonly referred to as "Independents") to influence our party by voting in our party primary -- something that no other political party in Maine has yet allowed.
Our name, Green Independent Party accurately reflects our independence from the type of politics that govern other parties, and the open door we hold for independent voters to participate in our primaries.
In all cases when the state party, its members or candidates (except for our presidential nominee) are being referenced, the entire legal state party name should be used: "Green Independent Party" to identify the party, "Green Independent" or "Green Independents" to identify a member or members.
"Green Independent Party" is the legal name of our party according to the secretary of state. Enrollees are officially documented as "Green Independents" on the voter rolls. We ask journalists to report accurately and factually by referring to us by our legally correct designations.
The use of the term "Green" or "Greens" to identify our members is acceptable but not preferred, and should only be used after having first referenced members as "Green Independents."
CORRECT USES:
Green Independent Party
Green Independent
Green Independents
Green, Greens (not preferred, but accepted if the correct "Green Independent" has already been used on first reference)
INCORRECT USES:
Maine Green Party
Green Party of Maine
Green Party member
Independent Green Party
Independent Green Party members.
Independent Maine Green Party
Green Independent Party member
The only acceptable time to use the term "Green Party" absent the word "Independent," is when the reference directly relates to the national party --"Green Party of the United States" -- and its presidential nominee, former presidential nominees or candidates seeking to be the presidential nominee.
We appreciate the media's observance of our preference to be attributed by our legal party name and legal enrollment identification as recognized by the State of Maine.
'People are scared of losing their homes:' Lewiston housing crunch leaves people with nowhere to go
LEWISTON (WGME) - Lewiston’s housing crisis is leaving renters with nowhere to go.
A recent report from the Lewiston Housing Committee showed there is almost no available housing in the city. ...
The city says they’re not yet considering rent control as an option.
“I think that we need a critical mass of housing first in order for it to work. Otherwise, developers are just going to go to other municipalities that don’t have rent control,” Lewiston City Councilor Scott Harriman said. ...
FOR FULL TEXT OF ARTICLE, CLICK LINK BELOW:
https://wgme.com/news/local/maine-housing-crisis-people-are-scared-of-losing-their-homes-crunch-in-lewiston-leaves-nowhere-to-go
A bill reducing enrollment requirements for minor political parties, introduced by Sen. Eric Brakey (R-Androscoggin), was signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills (D) Monday alongside a number of other bills passed by the Legislature this session.
LD 769, “An Act to Reduce the Enrollment Requirement for Minor Political Parties That Seek Official Party Status,” lowers the enrollment required of a minor party for participation in Maine’s primary elections from 10,000 voters to 5,000 voters. ...
“A healthy political ecosystem must maintain space for third parties. They remind us there are more than two sides to any issue, putting forward perspectives that established orders would often rather ignore even to detriment of society,” Brakey said. “Over 26% of Maine voters are currently unenrolled, preferring not to sign on with either major party. Maine people want options, and yet only one third party, the Green-Independent Party, has managed to maintain the high thresholds for ballot access and party recognition in the state of Maine.” ...
FOR FULL TEXT OF ARTICLE, CLICK LINK BELOW:
https://www.themainewire.com/2023/07/bill-lowering-barriers-to-ballot-access-for-minor-party-candidates-signed-into-law/
I was a teacher and literacy coach in a rural school district for many years before retirement. I have seen the impact on children of unwanted pregnancy in terms of poverty, other poor conditions for growing up and the ability to benefit from school opportunities.
Now more than ever our young people deserve to be wanted and loved in a family with the means to support them for 18 years or more.
Please support reproductive rights for Mainers. Specifically, urge your representative and senator to vote yes on LD 1619 when it comes to the floor. I know many voters in rural Maine who feel as I do about the importance of freedom to access contraception including abortion.
Without the ability to control our own childbearing, freedom is a meaningless word.
Lisa Savage
Solon
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN BANGOR DAILY NEWS:
https://www.bangordailynews.com/2023/05/09/opinion/letters/letter-maine-reproductive-rights-support/
Candidates considering running for mayor, city council and school board in Portland this fall can declare as soon as June 1 whether they intend to run as a publicly financed candidate.
At that date, candidates can begin the process of running via clean elections, a newly adopted program approved by voters. ...
Candidates running for municipal seats via a clean elections program sign a declaration of intent anytime between June 1 and September 11, and sign an affidavit with the city clerk’s office pledging to refund the city if they drop out or fail to qualify for the ballot. Those wishing to be clean elections candidates can start collecting $5 qualifying contributions on June 1, which help them secure the full funding amounts (more on that later).
This is according to Anna Trevorrow, a city councilor who helped draft language for the program adopted in April by the City Council. ...
“It’s been challenging,” Trevorrow said. “We have a responsibility to make a program that will be attractive to candidates. The goal was to reduce private interests and allow for candidates who don’t have access to big donors.” She added that even if it was “imperfect” in its first year, it still allowed for candidates to participate.
FOR FULL ARTICLE, CLICK LINK:
https://portlandphoenix.me/portland-will-open-clean-elections-funding-in-june/
