Organizing Take 2

At their annual Congress the SJVGs determined that the upcoming presidential election cycle would be a good time to reach out to the northern half of the state to foster new Green locals. Members of the SJVGs began to solicit speaking engagements in the northern tier counties.

Ballot Access Drive for Nader 2000

Ben Manski of the Wisconsin Greens and Progressive Dade was hired by the Nader 2000 national campaign committee to organize the ballot access drive in Indiana. Ben met delegates from the SJVGs in Feb. and was invited to speak at the next chapter meeting. The local voted to participate in the ballot access campaign and help Ben organize.

Ben traveled the northern 2/3 of the state from Feb. to July and nearly wore out his aging Volkswagon Rabbit. But in the end Greens and supporters turned in 32,000 signatures to put Ralph Nader and Winona LaDuke on the ballot in our state. Half the signatures were rejected by the Secretary of State, not unusual figure in Indiana which is tough on third parties.

The petition drive and the outreach efforts of the SJVG’s sparked interest in the Greens all over the state. In July two dozen petition drive organizers met in Indianapolis to plan the next step in the Nader/LaDuke campaign. The overwhelming choice was to support the two candidates through the election, establish a state Green organization and foster new locals.

From a Coffeeshop in Indy

The IGP is still meeting monthly and conducts an active organizing list service on Yahoo Groups. The number of active supporters declined after the election hoopla and energy subsided. This happens to every political party post-election.

Even so, the Greens have made substantial progress in just one year.

Over 200 activists are subscribed to the Ingreens yahoo list for organizers.
Indiana now has three Green locals: Huntington Co., Monroe Co. and St. Joseph Co.
A half dozen Indiana cities have strong potential for establishing local chapters.
Three Campus Greens chapters formed: IU Bloomington, DePauw U. and IU South Bend.

Minutes of the Coordinating Committee meetings:

April 2001 Coordinating Committee Meeting

May 2001 Coordinating Committee Meeting

June 2001 Coordinating Committee Meeting

July 2001 Coordinating Committee Meeting

September 2001 Coordinating Committee Meeting

October 2001 Coordinating Committee Meeting

November 2001 Coordinating Committee Meeting

December 2001 Coordinating Committee Meeting

First Annual Congress of the Indiana Green Party

The first annual Congress of the Indiana Green Party was held on Friday and Saturday, Aug 3-4, at the Old Centrum Auditorium in Indianapolis, IN. The Congress elected new coordinators, secretary and treasurer. The officers, along with delegates from locals and working group reps, are the new IGP Coordinating Committee.

Minutes of the INGP Congress 2001

Indiana Green Party releases statement on 9/11

The Indiana Green Party (by a vote of the coordinating council) issued a statement on the events of September 11, 2001. 

Indiana Green Party Officially Forms

The CFA-3 form was completed and submitted to the Indiana Elections Division. The Indiana Green Party had designated Tracy Carson (Indianapolis) as the Chair with Heather Drake (Bloomington) serving as Treasurer.

Indiana Greens Gather for Second Congress

The Indiana Green Party met at the Glendale Branch Library in Indianapolis for its Second Annual Congress. Read minutes

Chris Stafford (Monroe County) and Pam Raider (Brown County) elected as co-chairs

Maureen Barlock (Marion County) was elected as Treasurer

Minutes of the Coordinating Committee Meetings

January 2002 Coordinating Committee Meeting

February 2002 Coordinating Committee Meeting

March 2002 Coordinating Committee Meeting

April 2002 Coordinating Committee Meeting

June 2002 Coordinating Committee Meeting

September 2002 Coordinating Committee Meeting

October 2002 Coordinating Committee Meeting

December 2002 Coordinating Committee Meeting

Third Annual Congress of the Indiana Green Party

The Indiana Green Party met in Brown County for their third Congress. Click to read the minutes

William Stant (Brown County) and Pam Raider (Brown County) elected as co-chairs

Maureen Barlock (Marion County) reelected as Treasurer

Minutes of the Coordinating Committee Meetings

January 2003 Coordinating Committee Meeting

March 2003 Coordinating Committee Meeting

April 2003 Coordinating Committee Meeting

May 2003 Coordinating Committee Meeting

June 2003 Coordinating Committee Meeting

July 2003 Coordinating Committee Meeting

August 2003 Coordinating Committee Meeting

October 2003 Coordinating Committee Meeting

November 2003 Coordinating Committee Meeting

David Cobb, Green Party US Presidential Candidate visits Indiana

David Cobb the 2004 Green Party presidential candidate visited Purdue University on Friday afternoon and then South Bend on Friday evening. David gave talks sponsored by the Campus Greens, St. Joe Valley Greens and IUSB’s Political Science Club.

Covered by Purdue news

Greens Running for Office

David Cobb, US President (write-in candidate)

Bethany Hayes, Indiana House of Representative, District 10 (write-in candidate)

Maureen Barlock, Marion County Center Township Board Member, 2nd District (write-in candidate)

Indiana Green Party Congress 2005

Marian Williams and Michael Berndt (Bloomington) were elected as Co-Coordinators
Steps to Freedom (Monroe County) elected as Secretary
Jim Coplen (La Porte County) and Jeff Sutter (St. Joseph County) were elected as GPUS National delegates with Steps to Freedom (Monroe County) as alternate
Pam Raider (Brown County) elected as Treasurer

Read the minutes

Walk Across Indiana for Ballot Access

On Saturday, April 28, IGP member, Jim Coplen (LaPorte County) began his walk over the length of Indiana, to ask for petition signatures, and inform Hoosier voters about the ballot access requirements for third parties in the state.
Jim will begin his walk at 9:00 am from the Lincoln Memorial, across from Lincoln State Park, in the southern end of the state. His walk is estimated to take 3-4 weeks, with his first scheduled stop at Terre Haute to talk to Vigo County Greens about what it takes to create a real democracy, and how they can help.

Jim Coplen Elected as Green Party US Co-Chair

Jim Coplen (LaPorte County) was elected at the 2006 Green Party National Meeting held in Tucson, AZ for a two-year term as Green Party US Co-Chair.

Annual Indiana Green Party Congress

The 2006 Annual Congress of the Indiana Green Party was held in the historic Old Centrum in Indianapolis.

Katthleen Petit-jean (St. Joseph County) and Bill Stant (Brown County) were elected as party Co-Chairs.

Steps to Freedom (Monroe County) reelected as Secretary and Lee Rezabek (Monroe County) was elected as Treasurer. Jeff Sutter (St. Joseph County) and Sarah Dillon (Vigo County) were elected as our National Committee delegates.

Indiana Green Party Platform 2006

Read the Minutes

Annual Indiana Green Party Congress

Held in Terra Haute

Greens Running for Office

Thomas Eugene Brown, Mayor of South Bend (write-in candidate)

watch the South Bend Mayoral Debate on Youtube

Kathleen Petitjean, South Bend Common Council, 1st District

Karl Hardy, South Bend Common Council, At-Large

David Vollrath, Mishawaka Common Council, At-Large

Indiana Green Party Delegation at the Green Party National Convention

Indiana Green Send Delegation to National Convention

Held in Chicago, IL

Indiana Green Party Annual Congress 2007

The Indiana Green Party gathered at the Fountain Square Public Library in Indianapolis in the morning for its annual Congress followed by an afternoon at Garfield Park.

Bethany Hayes (Marion County) and Jay Parks were elected as Co-Chairs. Michael Berndt ( ) was elected as Secretary and George Smolka as Treasurer. The delegates to the Green Party US National Committee were Jay Parks and Sarah Dillon (Vigo County), with Jeff Sutter (St. Joseph County) elected as alternate.

Greens Running for Office

Bethany Hayes, Indiana House of Representatives, District 99 (on ballot)

Greens Running for Office

Jill Stein, US President (write-in candidate)

Indiana Greens Running for Office

Mike Smith, Indianapolis – Marion County City-County Council, District 16 (on ballot)

Sarah E. Dillon, Terra Haute City Common Council, District 2 (on ballot)

Monica James, Muncie City Common Council, District 4 (on ballot)

Michael C. Cooper, Portage City Common Council, District 2 (on ballot)

Susan Brown, Valparaiso City Common Council, District 1 (on ballot)

Joesph Conn, Hobart City Council, At Large (on ballot)

Indiana Green Party Sues Indiana

The Indiana Green Party filed a civil rights lawsuit in the United States District Court Southern District of Indiana against the ballot access requirements. In Indiana Green Party vs. Indiana Secretary of State the Indiana Green Party argued that many requirements placed on minor party candidates for ballot access created a serve and unequal burdern. The case was dismissed in the lower court ruling on August 14, 2023 and the Indiana Green Party appealed to the US Court of Appeals Seventh Circuit. The case was argued on April 10, 2024 in Chicago, IL (listen to the audio). The three-judge panel decided on August 19, 2024 in favor of the lower court’s dismissal. When the Supreme Court of the United States did not take up the appeal on March 24, 2025, the lawsuit was over.

Greens Running for Office

David Wetterer, Indiana Secretary of State (write-in candidate)

Jacob Bailey, US House of Representatives, 9th District (write-in candidate)

Alan McPherson, Kewanna Town Council Member, Fulton County (on ballot)