U.S. Marijuana Party

The United States Marijuana Party (officially the U.S. Marijuana Party) is a cannabis political party in the United States founded in 2002 by Loretta Nall specifically to end the war on drugs and to legalize cannabis. Their policies also include other socially libertarian positions. U.S. Marijuana Party candidates in Vermont have run campaigns as recently as 2016. The party has had local chapters in several other states, and has been affiliated with international cannabis political parties.

United States Marijuana Party
ChairwomenSheree Krider (Kentucky)
Founded2002 (2002)
IdeologyCannabis legalisation
Civil libertarianism
National affiliationLegal Marijuana Now
ColorsRed, white, blue, green
Website
usmjparty.com

2012 presidential election

On September 18, 2012, the U.S. Marijuana Party endorsed Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson in the 2012 presidential election.[1]

History
Main article: Legal Marijuana Now Party § History

The United States Marijuana Party was started in 2002 by Loretta Nall from Massachusetts following her misdemeanor arrest for marijuana possession.[2][3][4] Nall was the chairwomen of the party until she resigned in 2004 to pursue the Libertarian Party of Alabama's nomination for governor.[5]

Colorado
Wayward Bill Chengelis (1951-2021)

In Colorado, Wayward Bill Chengelis was U.S. Marijuana Party chairman for many years, until Chengelis' death in 2021.[6][7]

Illinois

In 2004, Illinois Marijuana Party leader Richard Rawlings ran for U.S. Congress in Illinois' 18th Congressional District as a write-in candidate. Brian Meyer ran as a write-in candidate in the 12th Congressional District in 2004. Rawlings ran again as a Marijuana Party write-in candidate for Congress in 2010.[8][9]

Nebraska

In 2015–2016, Zach Boiko, Mark Elworth Jr., and Krystal Gabel collected signatures for Marijuana Party of Nebraska to be officially recognized. In order to make the ballot, petitioners needed 5,397 signatures statewide. The party also must have a certain number of signatures from each of the state's three congressional districts.[10][11]

In July, 2016, volunteers turned in 9,000 signatures to the Nebraska Secretary of State. However, the Secretary of State said that half of the signatures were invalid, falling short of the 5,397 needed. In 2016, the group changed its name to Nebraska Legal Marijuana NOW Party, and organizers began petitioning for 2018 ballot access.[12][13]

New Jersey

Rastafari cannabis rights activist and businessman Edward Forchion, who founded the Legalize Marijuana Party in 1998 in New Jersey, ran for U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 3rd congressional district in 2004 as a U.S. Marijuana Party candidate. Forchion got 4,914 votes.[14][15]

Results in federal elections
Year Office Candidate Popular Votes Percentage
2004US Representative 3Edward Forchion4,9141.6%[15]

Vermont
Cris Ericson

Independent candidate Cris Ericson ran for Governor of Vermont in 2002 as a Make Marijuana Legal candidate. In 2004, Ericson ran for Vermont governor and U.S. senator as a Marijuana Party candidate. She went on to compete in 2006, 2008, 2014 and 2016 in Republican Party and Democratic Party primaries, and for multiple state and federal offices as an Independent candidate. Ericson was a U.S. Marijuana Party candidate for U.S. Senator and Governor of Vermont in 2010, 2012, and 2016. Cris Ericson left the marijuana party in January 2018.[16][17]

Results in gubernatorial elections
Year Candidate Popular Votes Percentage
2004Cris Ericson4,2211.4%[18]
2010Cris Ericson1,8190.8%[19]
2012Cris Ericson5,5801.9%[20]

Results in Vermont state elections
Year Office Candidate Popular Votes Percentage
2016VT Senator (Caledonia County)Galen Dively, III2,4439.5%[21]

Results in federal elections
Year Office Candidate Popular Votes Percentage
2004US SenatorCris Ericson6,4862.1%[18]
2010US SenatorCris Ericson2,7311.2%[19]
2012US SenatorCris Ericson5,9192.0%[20]
2016US SenatorCris Ericson9,1562.9%[21]

Washington

In the Washington State House of Representatives District 2b election, in 2014, retired union official Rick Payne was on the August primary ballot as a Marijuana Party candidate. In Washington the top two vote-getters in the primary advance to the general election. Payne received 1,644 votes (9.3%). Defeated by the incumbent, a Republican, and a Libertarian candidate, Payne did not make it into the November general election.[22]

See also

References
  1. "US Marijuana Party Endorsement For The Office Of The President of the United States plus Party Expansion". United States Marijuana Party. September 18, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  2. "Calling All Mrs. Robinsons". Fox News Channel. October 24, 2006. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
  3. "How to attract voters' attention? Cleavage". NBC News. October 25, 2006. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
  4. United States Marijuana Party (USMJParty) Explains On Marijuana Benefits
  5. Jones, Adam (October 28, 2006). "Candidate talks issues, not good looks". The Tuscaloosa News. The New York Times Company. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
  6. "Remembering the Life and Times of Wayward Bill: 1951-2021". High Times. August 11, 2021.
  7. "Colorado Cannabis Activist 'Wayward Bill' Passes at 70". CelebStoner. August 8, 2021.
  8. Chang, Andrea (November 12, 2003). "Pot-friendly politics". The Daily Northwestern.
  9. Crapanzano, Christina (March 29, 2010). "Top 10 Alternative Political Movements: U.S. Marijuana Party". Time.
  10. "Activists petition for Marijuana Party of Nebraska". Kearney Hub. July 13, 2015.
  11. Stoddard, Martha (July 23, 2016). "Marijuana party seeks spot on ballot for presidential race". Omaha World-Herald.
  12. "Marijuana Party petition drive fails to result in ballot placement". Lincoln Journal Star. Associated Press. August 5, 2016.
  13. Pluhacek, Zach (September 14, 2016). "Marijuana groups already petitioning for 2018 ballot". Lincoln Journal Star.
  14. Shea, Kevin (April 30, 2016). "NJ Weedman's long, strange trip as marijuana advocate". NJ.com.
  15. "Official List Candidate Returns for House of Representatives For November 2004 General Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. November 30, 2004.
  16. Secretary of State of Vermont (2002). "Election Results Archive: 2002 Governor General Election". Vermont Elections Database.
  17. Nicks, Denver (October 15, 2014). "America Needs More Crazy Debates Like In Vermont". Time.
  18. Secretary of State of Vermont (2004). "Election Results Archive: 2004 General Election". Vermont Elections Database.
  19. Secretary of State of Vermont (2010). "Election Results Archive: 2010 General Election". Vermont Elections Database.
  20. Secretary of State of Vermont (2012). "Election Results Archive: 2012 General Election". Vermont Elections Database.
  21. Secretary of State of Vermont (2016). "Election Results Archive: 2016 General Election". Vermont Elections Database.
  22. Santos, Melissa (July 4, 2014). "2nd Legislative District incumbent faces two primary challengers". The Olympian.

State chapters
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