Delegates from state Green Parties and caucuses in the party's National Committee completed their vote Tuesday, August 28th, with Chicago taking the lead over Detroit, Minneapolis, and Oakland. Chicago's proposal can be read at http://www.greenconvention2008.com. The convention will take place July 10 to 13, 2008.

The Blackstone Hotel in Chicago has a storied political convention tradition. It's where many a political campaign set up headquarters during convention week. It was in "smoke-filled room" at the Blackstone where a deal was cut to end a deadlock that made Warren Harding the 1920 Republican nominee. And Eisenhower watched the 1952 Republican convention from his room at the Blackstone (the first time the networks covered a convention gavel-to-gavel). Over the years, it has hosted at least 12 presidents on their visits to Chicago.

Just as Greens are working to rehabilitate that old style of politics, the Blackstone Hotel is also undergoing a process of top-to-bottom renewal. When it reopens later this fall, the Blackstone will be the most green-friendly hotel in the city, complete with a green roof. And when it opens this Fall the Blackstone will be non-smoking and a union shop.

One of the city's recognizable landmarks located in the heart of Chicago, the Chicago Theatre would be a spectacular setting for the convention. It would allow us to put the "Green Party" name on one of the most eye-catching, most photographed marquees in the city, and it's sure to be noticed by the thousands of residents and tourists alike. The Chicago Theatre is located directly on transit lines, close to everything, and is one of the larger venues which we could pack with up to 3,600 enthusiastic delegates, observers and media. The Chicago Theatre is also a union shop.

The combination of the world-class Blackstone Hotel and the historic Chicago Theatre will help the Green Party to attract celebrity guest speakers?not to mention the media?for our events and fundraisers.

In 2006, the Illinois Green Party did what many pundits said was impossible. Greens got on the ballot in one of the worst states for ballot access. Green candidates broke through to the media to receive more coverage than ever, even earning the endorsements of several major newspapers throughout the state. And the Green candidate for governor, Rich Whitney, was the choice of more than 350,000 voters, 10% statewide, twice the percentage needed to establish the party for the next four years!
We Will Run
Green National Committee Proposal 305 the "We Will Run Resolution" passed with 113 yes votes, 10 no votes and 3 abstentions.

The resolution states in part that the Green Party will be conducting a contested presidential nomination process and that we will be nominating a presidential ticket at our 2008 convention. It also resolves to strengthen our eventual ticket by generating and applying resources to ensure, among other things, that we will maximize the number of ballot lines on which our nominees will appear.