The Green Party
Active: 1984-present. The Green Party of the United States focuses on environmentalism, social justice, grassroots democracy, and non-violence.
Four Pillars
Ecological Wisdom
Environmental protection, sustainability, renewable energy
Social Justice
Economic equality, racial justice, feminism, LGBTQ+ rights
Grassroots Democracy
Direct democracy, electoral reform, decentralization
Non-Violence
Peace, disarmament, conflict resolution
Key Policy Positions
Environmental
- Green New Deal
- 100% renewable energy by 2030
- Ban fracking
- Carbon tax
Economic
- Universal basic income
- Medicare for All
- Free public education
- Break up big banks
Political Reform
- Ranked choice voting
- Abolish Electoral College
- Public campaign financing
- End corporate personhood
Notable Presidential Candidates
Ralph Nader (2000)
Consumer advocate. Received 2.7% of popular vote, often discussed in context of Bush v. Gore election.
Jill Stein (2012, 2016)
Physician and activist. Received 1.1% of popular vote in 2016.
Howie Hawkins (2020)
Party co-founder and trade unionist.
Cynthia McKinney (2008)
Former Democratic Congresswoman from Georgia.
Electoral History
1984
Party founded
1996
First presidential campaign (Ralph Nader)
2000
Highest vote percentage (2.7%)
2016
Achieved ballot access in majority of states
Current Status and Impact
While the Green Party has not won major national offices, it has succeeded in local elections and has influenced national discourse on environmental issues, social justice, and electoral reform. The party has been particularly successful in pushing environmental concerns into mainstream political debate.
The party continues to advocate for radical environmental and social justice policies, often pushing the Democratic Party to take stronger positions on these issues. It maintains ballot access in many states and regularly fields candidates at all levels of government.