Be The Change You Want To See!

The Green Party of New York is Looking for Progressives to Run for Elected Office! We run candidates and elect representatives who are politically and economically independent of the big banks and corporations and their political representatives. We don’t take money from for-profit corporations. We are an independent political party and part of a global movement. Our candidates run to create public policy on important issues including climate change, police brutality, civil rights, income inequality, a living wage, affordable housing, open debates, and an end to corruption and corporate greed.

Current and former Green office holders have made an immediate impact on their communities as town council members, county commissioners, school board members, and more. They've reached out to voters of diverse backgrounds and successfully brought together coalitions of community organizations and individuals to begin to reclaim their local governments.

The growth of the Green Party of New York is supported by candidates willing to challenge the status quo and the corporate parties. Please consider becoming a candidate for elective office this year. 

We especially encourage people who are under-represented in elective office to consider running: women, African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans, gays and lesbians, people with disabilities, young people, and other minorities.

Is Running For Office Right For You?

Running for office lets you challenge elected officials directly. Even if you don't win, the exposure you get can help to change policy! Some key things you'll need:

• A network of people who are willing to support you with time and money
• A grasp of the issues that matter to you AND your local community
• The ability to connect with voters and ask for their support, both face to face and in public forums
• Time and energy for your campaign

• Be enrolled as a Green or, if not, be authorized to run in accordance with our rules on electoral fusion
• Agree to uphold key Green Party positions on issues
• Accept no financial support from for-profit businesses, trade associations, or associated political action committees
• Accept no ballot lines lines offered by the Democratic, Republican, or allied parties
• Fill out a questionnaire in order to gain endorsement from the Green Party Of New York State and be considered for GPNY candidate funds
• File designating petitions and/or be nominated or authorized to run by the Green Party of New York State or your local affiliated county organization

Important Dates

The dates of the state and federal primaries and the general election are set forth on the political calendar which appears on the New York State Board of Elections website. The dates of petitioning periods and the number of signatures required are also set forth on the political calendar.

Interested in running for office as a Green Party candidate?

View and submit the candidate application! A campaign plan and budget can be submitted in lieu of the candidate application campcomm( at )gpny.org. 

The return date for the candidate application in any election year is June 4th.

The Campaign Committee has put together a candidate toolkit with various links to information resources that may be of assistance to first time candidates. 

The Green Party also periodically holds "Campaign School" events for prospective candidates. Sign up on our website to find out more!

If you or someone you know is considering running, feel free to contact the Campaign Committee to get answers to your questions at campcomm( at )gpny.org. The candidate application form itself is a useful guide for developing a strong campaign plan. 

The Campaign Committee generally holds conference calls once a month. If you are interested in joining one of the calls, please send an e-mail to campcomm( at )gpny.org.

PLEASE NOTE: One need not be an elected member of the Campaign Committee to attend any meeting or conference call. All you need to be is a registered Green. Only elected members can vote, but all are welcome to participate. If you are interested at all in campaigning and helping to get Greens elected throughout New York State, please consider attending, as there is much to do. For more information about the committee, please send an email to campcomm( at )gpny.org.

For a complete list of current and past Green candidates in all states, visit the GPUS Election Database.