Illinois Green Party

Illinois Green Party
AbbreviationILGP
House LeaderNone
Senate LeaderNone
Headquarters213 S. Wheaton Ave, Wheaton, Illinois, 60189
Student wingYoung Greens
IdeologyGreen politics
Political positionLeft-wing
National affiliationGreen Party of the United States
Colors  Green
Illinois Senate
Illinois House of Representatives
Statewide Officers
Local offices2 (March 2026)[1]
Website
www.ilgp.org

The Illinois Green Party is a statewide political party in Illinois. The party is state affiliate of the Green Party of the United States.[2]

The party ran its first statewide candidates in 2006, led by Rich Whitney, candidate for Illinois Governor, who received 361,336 votes, 10% of the total vote,[3] making the Green Party one of only three legally established, statewide political parties in Illinois (in addition to the Democratic and Republican parties) until it lost that status in 2010,[4] having not met the 5% statewide vote threshold.[5]

As of March 2026, there are currently 8 local chapters affiliated with the party,[6] and 2 members holding elected positions in local government in the state.[1]

Political positions

Like the national party, the Illinois Green Party promotes the "Ten Key Values" of the Green Party platform: ecological wisdom; social justice and equal opportunity; grassroots democracy; non-violence; decentralization, community-based economics, feminism and gender equality, respect for diversity, personal and global responsibility, and future focus and sustainability.[7]

History

2006–2010

At the 2007 Green National Meeting the Illinois Green Party submitted a proposal to host the 2008 Green Party National Convention in Chicago, which was chosen by the party's national committee over submissions from four other cities.[8]

As an established party it was entitled to a presidential primary, if at least two candidates qualify for that primary. In 2007, Illinois law required all candidates in the presidential primary to submit 3,000 signatures by November.[9] On November 5, 2007 the deadline for candidate petitions to run in the Green presidential primary, four candidates filed: Cynthia McKinney, Kent Mesplay, Jared Ball and Howie Hawkins.[10][11] Illinois was one of at least 4 state affiliates of the Green Party to hold presidential primaries in 2008.[12]

In 2010, Rich Whitney again ran for Governor of Illinois. LeAlan Jones, a journalist and activist from Chicago's South Side, ran for Senate. Both were uncontested in the June primary. Both Whitney and Jones were excluded from televised debates, despite the Green Party's 'Major Party' status. Whitney and Jones filed a lawsuit against Public Broadcasting Station member WTTW for excluding them.[13] A private vendor of ballots misspelled Rich Whitney's name as Rich 'Whitey' in 23 Chicago wards, about half of which were in predominantly African-American neighborhoods. There is no evidence this was intentional.[14][15]

Jones was polling as high as 14% in a June 2010 poll, but ended up with 3.18% of the vote. In August 2010, Whitney polled 11% in a Public Policy Polling survey,[16] but finally received just 2.70% of the vote. As neither candidate received over 5% of the vote statewide, the Illinois Green Party lost its 'Major Party' status.[5]

2011–Present

In 2011, Scott Summers ran for governor and Sheldon Schafer ran for secretary of state as write-in candidates after being knocked off the statewide slate.[17]

During the 2016 Senate elections, the Green Party ran Scott Summers securing only 2% of the voter share. Additionally, Tim Curtin ran during the Illinois Comptroller Special Election.[18] Jill Stein was the party's nominee for President.[19][20]

In 2020, Howie Hawkins won the nomination over Dario Hunter.[21] In the general election, Howie Hawkins received less than 1% of the total vote share.[22]

In 2024, Jill Stein once again won the ILGP presidential vote with 84 % of the vote, securing 16 of the state’s 19 delegates to the Green Party National Convention.[23]

As of February 2026, the ILGP will seek to place its statewide slate on the 2026 ballot.[24]

Election Results

President
Year Candidate Votes %
2000 Ralph Nader 103,759 2.2%
2004 David Cobb (activist) Not on ballot
2008 Cynthia McKinney 11,838 0.21%
2012 Jill Stein 30,222 0.58%
2016 Jill Stein 76,802 1.29%
2020 Howie Hawkins 30,494 0.51%
2024 Jill Stein (write in) 31,023 0.55%

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Greens holding elected office (158)". GPUS Elections Database. Retrieved 2026-03-03.
  2. ^ "State Parties". www.gp.org. Retrieved 2026-03-03.
  3. ^ Porter AS, Schneider BA, Brady P, Keith JR, McGuffage WM, Rednour WL, Smart JR, Walters RJ, White DW (April 17, 2006). State of Illinois Official Vote Cast at the General Election. The Illinois State Library. Illinois State Board of Elections.
  4. ^ "Illinois State Board of Elections | General Election of November 2, 2010" (PDF). www.elections.il.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-06-19. Retrieved 2026-03-03.
  5. ^ a b "House Bill 1012". Illinois General Assembly. 2009-01-07. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  6. ^ "Chapters | Illinois Green Party". Retrieved 2026-03-03.
  7. ^ "The Green Party's Ten Key Values". Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  8. ^ "2008 Annual National Meeting & Presidential Nominating Convention". www.gp.org. Retrieved 2026-03-03.
  9. ^ Winger, Richard (September 23, 2007). "Ballot Access News - Illinois Greens Determined to Have a Presidential Primary". Ballot Access News. Archived from the original on January 27, 2024. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  10. ^ Winger, Richard (November 5, 2007). "Illinois Democratic, Green Presidential Primary Filing Deadline is Today". Ballot Access News. Archived from the original on January 27, 2024. Retrieved 2026-03-03.
  11. ^ Porter AS, Schneider BA, Brady P, Keith JR, McGuffage WM, Rednour WL, Smart JR, Walters RJ, White DW (May 13, 2008). State of Illinois Official Vote Cast at the Primary Election. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  12. ^ Winger, Richard (2008-02-06). "Green Party Presidential Primaries". Ballot Access News. Archived from the original on 2024-01-27. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  13. ^ "Rich Whitney, Lealan Jones, and the ILGP File Suit Against WTTW over Debate Exclusion". The Green Party of the United States. 2010-10-31. Archived from the original on 2 November 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  14. ^ Good, Chris (October 15, 2010). "A Vote for 'Rich Whitey'". The Atlantic. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  15. ^ Lach, Eric. "Illinois Candidate's Name Misspelled As 'Rich Whitey' On Electronic-Voting Machines". Talking Points Memo. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  16. ^ "Brady Expands Lead over Quinn" (PDF). Public Policy Polling. August 18, 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  17. ^ "2 Green Party candidates to run as write-ins". Chicago. 2 September 2014. Archived from the original on 24 February 2015.
  18. ^ "It's Official We WILL be Able to Vote for the Greater Good in Illinois". Archived from the original on 2017-08-16. Retrieved 2016-08-12.
  19. ^ "Stein easily wins Illinois Green Party presidential preference vote". Green Party Watch. 21 February 2016. Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  20. ^ Brown, Mark (25 October 2016). "Brown: Greens say GOP ploy adds 'insult' but no injury". Chicago: Chicago Sun Times. Archived from the original on 5 January 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  21. ^ "Howie Hawkins Wins Illinois Green Party Presidential Selection Vote". Illinois Green Party. Archived from the original on 2020-03-17. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  22. ^ Sandvoss, Steve, ed. (December 4, 2020). Official Canvass of the 2020 Illinois General Election. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  23. ^ "Jill Stein Wins 2024 Illinois Green Party Presidential Selection Vote | Illinois Green Party". www.ilgp.org. Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  24. ^ Winger, Richard (2026-02-21). "Illinois Green Party Will Attempt to Place a Statewide Slate on 2026 Ballot". Ballot Access News. Archived from the original on 2026-02-23. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
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