Green Party of Ohio

The Green Party of Ohio is the state party organization for Ohio of the Green Party of the United States. The Green Party of Ohio had its beginnings in the Green Party of Northeast Ohio in the early 1990's. The Green Party of Northeast Ohio was a recognized local of the GPUSA, the only national Green organization at the time.

In the mid-1990's, and leading up to the 1996 election and Ralph Nader's minimalist candidacy, the Greens in Ohio were caught up in the strategic debate that found its expression at the National level in the competing GPUSA/ASGP tendencies. A significant portion of the Ohio Greens were decidedly non-electoral and they did not support the ASGP effort for a Nader candidacy. The Green Party of Ohio's effort to put Ralph Nader on the ballot in 1996 fell several hundred signatures short.

In January, 2000, Paul Dumouchelle convened a meeting of 11 prominent Greens and formed the committee that successfully got Nader on the ballot in Ohio that year. Ohio sent four delegates to the Denver Convention that nominated Nader. Ohio had an active statewide Nader campaign and electoral results were similar to the national level. Logan Martinez ran for a State Representative seat in Dayton that year, as well. 

In 2006 the party ran its first statewide candidates when Bob Fitrakis and Anita Rios ran for Governor/Lt. Governor. State party Secretary Tim Kettler also ran for Secretary of State along. Donald Lesiak was endorsed for Auditor at the state party convention but was unable to collect the 5,000 valid signatures that were needed in order to get on the Ohio ballot for the November general election.

Ohio locals have run candidates in various regions of the state every year since 2000. The party has held state conventions in 2002, 2004, and 2006.

Elected Officials

 * Dennis Spisak, Board of Education, At-Large, Struthers (Mahoning County)

2008 Candidates

 * Dennis Spisak, for Ohio House of Representatives District 60
 * Tim Kettler, for Ohio State Senate District 20