Green Party of the United States - National Committee Voting

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Ranked Choice Vote Details

Ranked Choice Vote ID	1144
Ranked Choice Vote	2023 Election - Steering Committee Co-chairs
Type	Secret Ballot Revealed at Close of Polls
Number of Seats	4
Ranked Choice Vote Administrator	Holly Hart
Phase	Closed - 4 Elected
Discussion	04-25-2023 - 04-30-2023
Voting	05-01-2023 - 05-14-2023
Presens Quorum	Two Thirds of Active Accredited States/Caucuses
Candidates	Alfred Molison, TX Charles Ostdiek, NE Craig Cayetano, NJ Darryl Moch, DC Hunter Crow, TX Joseph Naham, NY Josh Scheunemann, MN Justin Sindall, MD Robin Laurain, MI

Background

This ranked choice vote is to elect 4 Co-chairs to the Steering Committee. No write-ins are allowed.

Candidate bios and information are available below candidates' entries, and at
https://www.gp.org/2023_sc_elections. More information may be posted to the national committee business ("votes") email list.

CANDIDATES
Alfred Molison, TX
Joseph Nahum, NY
Hunter Crow, TX
Joshua Sheunemann, MN
Charles Ostdiek, NE
Robin Laurain, MI
Craig Cayetano, NJ
Darryl! Moch, DC
Justin Sindall, MD

About Steering Committee Elections:
http://gpus.org/bylaws/#06

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE STEERING COMMITTEE
GPUS Bylaws, Article IV. The Steering Committee:
http://gpus.org/bylaws/#04

GPUS Rules & Procedures, Article II, Steering Committee Duties and Responsibilities:
http://gpus.org/rules-procedures/#02

Candidate Information

Alfred Molison, TX
I recently became active again as a National Delegate from Texas.

In November 2022 I ran for Commissioner of the General Land Office for
Texas garnering 1.63%, or 132,637, of the vote statewide.

I'm a former Co-chair for the Green Party of Texas. I'm currently a member
of the Steering Committee for the Houston Peace and Justice Center.

I worked as a Contact Service Representative for 23 years at the 1-800
Number for the Social Security Administration. I'm currently on the
Steering Committee for the Green Party of Texas.

I'd be grateful for your vote.

Charles Ostdiek, NE
Green Party political offices held:
Steering Committee CoChair of the Green Party of the United States, '12-'14, '14-'16
GPUS Finance Committee, '13-'20, '21-'24 (current member - term ends in '24), (Observer '20-'21)
Nebraska Green Party CoChair, '10-'12, '14-present
NGP Secretary, '12-'14
NGP Delegate to GPUS National Committee, '08-present
NGP State Council Representative, '00-'10

GPUS Committee work:
Steering Committee CoChair (2 terms: 4 yrs.), Finance (10 yrs.), Fundraising (2 yrs.), BRPP (6 yrs., including a term as CoChair)
SC Liaison work with Finance, International, Eco-Action, BRPP, Outreach, and Dispute Resolution Committees
SC Liaison to Counsel for Legal Matters, '15-'21 (2 lawsuits, GPUS, et al. v. the Commission on Presidential Debates)

NGP Committee work:
Founding member, '00
Executive Committee work listed above
Legislative Issues (CoChair), Materials and Publications (CoChair), "Green Focus" Newsletter (Editorial Review Board), "The Green Tea Party" Public Access Show (Co-Executive Producer)
Liaison to GPUS Platform Committee

Work on Campaigns for Public Office:
Campaign volunteer for virtually all Nebraska Green Party electoral races, '00-present -- https://www.gpelections.org/states/ne
Campaign volunteer in Nebraska for all GPUS candidates for U.S. President, David Cobb '04, Cynthia McKinney '08, Jill Stein '12 & '16, Howie Hawkins '20
Campaign Manager, Tonya Ward for Douglas County Board of Commissioners, '20
Campaign volunteer, Tonya Ward for Learning Community Board of Directors, '18
Campaign Manager, LaVerne Thraen for Omaha Public Power District Board of Directors, '14
Campaign volunteer, Krystle Craig for OPPD Board, '14
Campaign volunteer, Collin Smith for OPPD Board, '14
Media Director, LaVerne Thraen for OPPD Board, '12
Campaign volunteer, LaVerne Thraen for OPPD Board, '08, '10
Campaign volunteer, Tom Foster and Frances Mendenhall for OPPD Board, '02
Campaign volunteer, Ralph Nader for U.S. President, '00

Craig Cayetano, NJ
Hi everyone,

My name is Craig Cayetano. I am currently a co-chair of the Green Party of New Jersey and I am seeking your vote for national co-chair of the Green Party of the United States.

I have been a registered Green since 2016 and politically active most of my life. Growing up watching debates and staying up to date on social issues was integral in my upbringing. I broadened my knowledge in high school by joining the debate team and began studying philosophy and political science. I not only became focused on social justice but also environmental and animal activism. I was a Nader supporter in 2000 but then in 2012 I was inspired by Jill Stein's presidential campaign and not only voted Green that year and in 2016 but realized the Green Party was my party."

In 2017 I volunteered on the Kaper-Dale for NJ Governor campaign and then became a member of my state party. In 2018 I increased my participation by serving as a national delegate from GPNJ and also joined the national and my state LatinX Caucuses. I then decided to step up and run for one of our state party co-chair positions.

During the times I served as a state party co-chair, I worked on formalizing a state YES caucus.I also instituted the use of RCV for our 2020 presidential nominating convention.

I have also served as GPNJ Communications Chair since technology, social media and strategy are my strengths. I have utilized them to help on the Diane Moxley for CD-7 in 2018, Hoffman for US Senate 2018, 2020 and Governor 2021 and the Faison for LD11 in 2021 campaigns here in NJ. Those campaigns were successful in ensuring the Green Party of NJ finished as the third party ahead of the Libertarians and also knocking out one of the incumbent Democrats in the LD11 race.

I have been a Green Party candidate for Hawthorne Town Council Ward 3 and At-Large in 2019, 2020, 2021 and will be declaring my candidacy 2023. I’ve been a local Hawthorne Environmental Commission/Green Team member since 2018, a Passaic County SPCA member/board member since 2019 and started Mutual Passaic County during the pandemic where we provided support and assistance to those in need. I am a co-founding member of Voter Choice NJ along with other Green Party of New Jersey members. VCNJ is a non-partisan group working to help pass RCV trigger ordinances throughout the state of New Jersey.

I am pro-labor and anti all wars. I have recently joined the Merchandise Committee and the Presidential Campaign Support Committee. While I personally align as an EcoSocialist I’ve learned by running locally that you have to connect the issues to the individual. When I run for office I knock on all doors and am always inspired by people who are open to our ideals that normally might align and still reside in the two corporate parties. I believe for us to grow we need to put aside petty differences since some of us may not align as EcoSocialists but Social Libertarians. The phrase the “left is eating itself” has really been unfolding the last few years. I Now is the time for new leadership, vision and direction while maintaining structure, decorum and mutual respect. I work in sales which focuses on customer relations, negotiating and problem solving. I know I have the tenacity needed and can help the party while serving on the Steering Committee. I want a Green Party that can continue to build coalitions, community outreach and lead in actions on social issues across the country. This upcoming Presidential Election cycle is an opportunity to prove our place as a viable alternative party. If elected, I am committed to making sure the Green Party candidate is on as many ballot lines as possible while fighting back against the underhanded attempts to steal our ballot lines and disqualify our candidates. We’ve lost a lot of allies to MPP, Forward, LP or becoming unaffiliated/independent in recent years. I believe we need to rally and promote our ideals while calling out these other organizations and pseudo-parties. We need to right the ship and take an upfront approach to this while organizing. The struggle and fight never ends for us Greens.

I kindly ask you to rank me as your first choice for national co-chair and look forward to serving everyone and helping us expand the party nationally.

Craig Cayetano
GPNJ State Co-Chair
Hawthorne Town Council
Ward 3 Candidate 2023

Darryl Moch, DC
Darryl! L.C. Moch currently serves as Chair of the DC Statehood Green Party in Washington, DC and co-chair of the GPUS National Back Caucus. He is a former National Co-chair of the USGP and has served on the Finance, Platform, DRC, Media, Diversity, CCC and other committee. A few election cycles ago, Darryl! served in an interim capacity managing the party accounts and funds and transacting financial affairs. He ran in November 2022 Chair of the DC City Council, and for the DC City Council in the 2010 primary. He has served as an adviser to campaigns and candidates in various parts of the country, locally, regionally, and nationally. He is currently on the board of Green Horizons. He is also the director of the Charm City Labor Chorus.

Darryl! also provides consulting services to communities and non-profit organizations. He is the President/CEO of a local nonprofit and has served as Chief Financial Officer and managing board member for several organizations with duties including fiscal oversight and management, organizational leadership, development, fundraising, donor relations, program development and training a community-based organization.

Darryl! has developed and trained leaders as well as partnered and worked with community leaders on local, regional, national, and international levels. A native of Los Angeles, California who proudly makes his home in Washington, DC, Darryl! serves as a consultant, activist, advocate, performance artist, psychotherapist/life coach, and minister. His current work includes arts and culture of the progressive community; creating opportunities that will empower, expose, and enlighten individuals and our collective communities. His art, activism and advocacy work is rooted in social justice, equality, and quality of life issues and addressing Poverty on all levels. He focuses on work with African-American/ BIPOC and minority communities, children, youth, families, LGBTQ constituencies, people living with mental, SUD, developmental and physical challenges, the homeless, other issues facing communities most disenfranchised by local, regional, and national political policies and laws. His work centers on social change, social justice, and equality for all people without distinction in order to ensure a good quality of life for all people.

He was also part of the Center for New Community program Which Way Forward, confronting anti-immigration wedge issues targeted to the African American community. He was the founding Secretary of the former International Federation of Black Prides, worked with Pride organizations and other leasing community empowerment organizations across the country and abroad. He has also created programs that bridge the relationship between the religious, social, and cultural arenas. He is a former editor, copy editor, program director, and features writer local and national magazines.

He is completing his Doctorate in Organizational Leadership concentration in Transformational Leadership with research on Othering.

Hunter Crow, TX
Hunter is a resident of Arlington Texas. He is currently a student at Tarrant County College Trinity River Campus where he is enrolled in the AAS Library Technician Program. Hunter became a member of the Green Party of the United States towards the end of 2015. He is currently the Co-Chair of the Green Party of Texas and has been a local organizer and volunteer for the Tarrant County Green Party and the Green Party of Texas since 2017. Previously Hunter was the Education Chair for the GPUS Youth Caucus. His work also includes working on the Tarrant County College Student Government Association as the Senate Chair where he has raised awareness on social justice issues. Hunter is also a Co-Chair of the GPUS Bylaws, Rules, Policies and Procedures Committee. He is currently commissioned by the State of Texas as a Notary Public and serves his community in that capacity.

Joseph Naham, NY
I have been a Green Party Member since my 18th birthday in 2001. I align with all four pillars and ten key values. Locally I am the chairperson of the Green Party of Nassau County (five years). I am Co-Chair of the City of Long Beach's Environmental Advisory Board at the behest of the City Manager. I chair the Long Island Activists' Environmental Board. I am a member of several grassroots local campaigns: Reimagine LIPA, Long Island Peaceful Protests, and Beach To Bay Outfall Recyclers.

I have been a Green Party of New York State delegate for a little less than a decade. I have served on the National Committee (for five years). As an NC delegate alternate for one term, and I'm currently on my second term as an NC delegate. I will hold all positions if elected to the steering committee.

I am a supporter of GPUS Young EcoSocialists/ Youth Caucus, GPNY, and local County GP.

What is your vision of the future of GPUS and what special skills do you bring to the table? I value egalitarianism.

My vision is for people to be empowered to organize and encourage strength through participatory dynamics.

My collegiate background is in Horticulture (Associate's degree), and Sustainable Business Management (bachelor's degree). I managed and sat on the board of several farmers' markets. One market is in its 16th year. The trick is discipline and standards.

I managed multiple crews of Solar Panel installation auditors and worked on over 2000 solar roof-power plants.

I was laid off when Trump threatened tariffs on Mexico where our manufacturer, SunPower, had just opened its manufacturing facility.

I have a lot of knowledge of renewable energy, community grids, sewage treatment plants, decentralized proof of staking blockchains that are designed as secure, smart contract capable, consensus mechanisms, and the triple bottom line.

With many organizers, I campaigned for a ban on single-use-plastic bags in our city and won. (See attached photo of me). I ran for office four times. Long Beach City Council twice, New York State Assembly, and to represent my congressional district in the last election that the GPNY had a ballot line in New York.

I am a US Coast Guard Licensed Captain.

I am a stay-at-home-father for my five-year-old child. 32 years ago I was honored to be selected to learn conflict mediation in a two-week-long workshop when I was 8 years old. The lesson of treating everyone as if you would accept to be treated yourself is something I hold very close to my heart.

This year I began taking classes to learn computer coding, specifically JavaScript, Haskell, and Plutus to develop secure decentralized ecosystems for organizations (from individuals, to businesses, and even municipalities) to be able to transfer smart contracts and, most importantly, democratize organizational management through grassroots consensus.

For the Green Party of The US, It's my vision for us to project ourselves as the party for true security and American Family's future. So many families across gender and racial cultures, live in inequality, and inequity, living paycheck to paycheck, and are genuinely lost.

I intend to be active in all GPUS committees working to keep our efforts and messaging on point to drive up recruitment into local and national membership.

Thank you for your consideration.

Josh Scheunemann, MN
TBA - https://www.gp.org/2023_sc_elections

Justin Sindall, MD
TBA - https://www.gp.org/2023_sc_elections

Robin Laurain, MI
My name is Robin Lea Laurain and I was born in Dearborn, Michigan in 1959. In 1966, my mother and I moved to a small town in Manistee after our front porch had a small explosion from a home made batch of explosive materials. The person put it into our mail chute which landed in our sun porch. I was playing in the area at the time and to this day have scars on my hands, legs, and arms from the debris.

Our white neighbors did not like the idea that my grandmother put a black realtor's sign in front of our house. It was the 60's and the Detroit race riots were in full force.

Terrified, my mother moved our family up North to a small town named Manistee. We rented a spacious apartment above a family who belonged to the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians. My mother fell in love with one of the older sons and again we were taunted by the neighbors.

The father of the second black family that moved to Manistee came from Gary, Indiana to work at the Iron mill. The family remained in Gary while Dad slept in his car and worked to bring his family up North. My mother's love of her life came home and told her about Mr. S.
sleeping in his car. He worked at the mill as well and being the only men of color, the two men became fast friends. My mom said that she would let Mr. S sleep in our sun porch that she fixed up very nice for him rent free.

My mother taught me everything that I know about social justice. I was taunted and called names at school. My mom tried to volunteer at the Red Cross and was denied. She explained to me that these folks were ignorant and know that we were doing the right thing. Mom said Robby, don't hold on to the names they call you. I didn't even know what the names meant atvthevtime.

Eventually, the family bought a shack as no one would sell them a home. Today, the Stewart grandkids live in the beautiful home that today has a high property value due to it being close to the beach. The family turned the shack into a nice home.

I knew that I was never going to remain in a town that called me names because I played with kids that weren't white.

I left Manistee and went to nursing school in 1979. I was active in student government and knew that I enjoyed politics as much as nursing. President Nixon created a program that put poor rural kids through school and I was part of this program.

In the 80's, I went on to University and was involved in student politics where I met my husband. He was a Poly Sci and Econ major and we married. I received my Mrs. degree in the late 80's.

We were an Army family in the late eighties stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Being an inter-racial couple was a challenge in North Carolina, yet I did find enjoyment being the leader of the wife's rapid response team. When the 82nd airborne was called out, it was my responsibility to make sure the wives were prepared.

In the nineties, I was on my own a single mom of 3. I eventually moved to Lansing and became active in the Democratic Party. I worked as a nurse and went back to school.

One of the reason's I moved to Lansing was because my oldest daughter needed a heart transplant. Dione died before she could receive the transplant and I was left to take care of her baby.

My young son became so distraught over the death of his sister he had to go into a mental health facility for 8 months in Greenwood, Indiana.

My granddaughter went to stay with my brother's family, my daughter with my former husband, and I went and lived in Greenwood comuting every week between the two States to keep in contact with all the kids. I worked 3 days in Indiana and two days in Michigan. I volunteered for the Johnson County American Red Cross in Indiana and helped them write a grant for CPR equipment. They won the grant.

When in Michigan, I worked for the Dems. I was constantly busy and learned how to manage to get every minute out of my time.

I noticed my son was getting better yet the hospital would not release him. What they were doing was maxing out my former husband's insurance. My former husband was now a Deputy Warden for the Michigan Department of Corrections and had a good mental health plan in his Blue Cross insurance coverage.

I took this to arbitration and got my son released and into counseling in Michigan. Because of this very rare victory, I got the reputation of being "a junk yard dog advocate" by the Ingham County Community Mental Health Board. They recommended me to work as an advocate with the Association for Children's Mental Health.

During my time as a professional advocate, I was the first Juvenile Justice Advocate for Children experiencing a Mental Health Disorder in Michigan. I would educate the legislature in both Michigan and DC on issues pertaining to children's mental health.

Sara Way MSW and I wrote a manual that is still used by Juvenile Justice Courts around the country today about caring for children with mental health disorders who land in the Juvenile Justice System.

I have worked with the Carter Foundation and Georgetown University on matters that pertain to children's mental health. I have talked with Rosalind Carter and she is a role model to me.

Sen. Martha Scott, Detroit and Lansing Councilperson Carol Wood have presented me with proclamations for my work with children who experience a severe mental health disorder in 2000 and 2005.

I left the Democrats in 2018 after Obama started bombing Pakistan. I was involved in Occupy Lansing, Boycott the Vote, and was looking for a political home which I found in 2018 in the Green Party of Michigan.

From 2000 until now I have been involved in, "No way to Treat a Child" and BDS. I became friends with Dr. Alzin Linke who told me that I should expand my advocacy to the children who live in camps. I did and continue to do so today.

Today, I wear many hats in the Green Party. I am presently fixing up a house with my son. I am semi-retired so I have more time. There are many other experiences I have encountered that has given me the opportunity to see how much work we need to do as a party so that we can help Americans live happy and productive lives.

For fun and relaxation, I enjoy photography, travel, writing, dance, MSU sports, whale watching, antiques, laughing, working on my house, and reading.

This is a small clip of my life. Hopefully, more to come...

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