Arlington, VA

Arlington Green candidate Audrey Clement received 7 percent of the votes cast in a midterm election for a vacanty county board seat, denying the ruling majority Democratis a majority of the votes cast, for the first time in well over a decade for any election in Arlington County.  A majority of Arlington voters voted Green or Republican against Democrat Libby Garvey in the Tuesday special election (who got 49 percent of the votes cast). This was a low turnout election,  12 percent or fewer than 15,000 votes were cast out of about 135,000 registered voters on a cool, but sunny March day.

Arlington Greens remained positive that Clement's message of supporting affordable housing, fiscal responsibility, and environmental sustainability set the dimensions of the election debates.  Arlington Green Party chair John Reeder said, "even though Ms. Clement was outspent nearly 10-1 by both the Democrats and Republicans, she got our message across to Arlington voters that there is a third way. Greens are shaping the discussions on expensive, unneeded vanity projects; the shortage of affordable housing; and a need for sustainable smart development in a community overwhelmed by overcrowded schools, streets, and Metrorail."

The signs of Audrey's efforts can be see with discussion of the need for an expensive, and ill-designed Columbia Pike Trolley, and advocates for the homeless who are scheduled to be turned onto the street by weeks' end.  With the an eye firmly set on making Arlington County a sustainable community, the Green message is to press on better environment and sustainable development, government spending, and social justice policies.  Practical, common-sense ideas and solutions are what is needed. Green candidate Clement presented good alternatives to the pro-development policies of the Arlington County Democrats.  The two opposition parties in Arlington got the majority of the vote, and sent a message of disapproval to the ruling Democrats. 

Additional information on the Green Party of the United States can be found at: http://www.gp.org
Additional information on the Virginia Green Party can be found at: http://vagreenparty.org/
GPVA Press Secretary: Miriam Gennari