Green Candidate Rosenberg has strong showing in the 188th District

Voters tired of neglect support candidate for change

PHILADELPHIA, PA - Scores of volunteers and poll workers celebrated their hard work Tuesday night at Green Party of Philadelphia headquarters in West Philadelphia.  After a long campaign season, they were able to get Mike Rosenberg the most votes any Green Party State Representative candidate has ever received in Philadelphia.  Over 1800 voters or 14% chose Rosenberg for his Green campaign of "Neighborhoods First!"

Nevertheless, Election Day showed much of Philadelphia's "business-as-usual" at the polling places as most of Rosenberg's certified poll watchers were not allowed to participate with the poll watchers of other parties.  They also reported questionable practices, such as Democratic Committeepersons and others assisting voters in the voting booth without ever filling out the required voter assistance forms.  "One time I saw as many as three people in that booth at one time.  I have no idea what they were all doing in there," said one poll watcher.  He added, "Forms? What forms?  I never witnessed the Judge of Elections offer or fill out any assistance forms."

"This was a great showing for me, for the district, and the Green Party," said Rosenberg.  "However, something was very fishy up in the 60th Ward Divisions," referring to the largely African-American and registered Democrat community west of 45th Street.  "We did our hardest campaigning, knocking on over 4,000 doors there, talking with hundreds of people who declared their support.  We also had all the polls there covered with people we met from the neighborhood who asked us to get involved.  To see such a low showing for me there to me is a little suspicious.  It's not me who is cheated by any shenanigans there but all the neighbors in that ward.  All year long they have told me they have been neglected, seeing their neighborhood deteriorating, and they want a positive change.  If somehow their votes were altered or unfairly influenced in the voting booth, the incumbent will not hear their demand for support and they will only see more of the same as the last twenty years."

Many of the voters in the western divisions of the 188th District expressed frustration and dissatisfaction with their current elected officials.  "I've never seen a candidate knock on my door before, and I've been here 10 years," said one block captain to Rosenberg. "We only get Jehovah's Witnesses coming through."  The neighbors' biggest complaint was the drug violence preying on their children; a large percentage of residents have had a friend or family member murdered on their streets.  They have been demanding removal of the crack houses, getting funding for kids' community programs including more recreation centers, and more jobs and training.  Rosenberg questions whether their voices will continue to go unheard after this election.  The Green Party is poised to continue to fight for the district to stop the government's business-as-usual.

Mike Rosenberg has been active in fighting for environmental and media issues over the last six years with the Alaska Coalition of Pennsylvania, the Independent Media Center, Media Tank, and Philadelphia Transit Coalition. Joining the Green Party in 2001, he has served as Chair and as Membership Secretary of the Green Party of Philadelphia. He is currently a delegate to the Green National Committee and a Steering Committee member of the Green Party of Pennsylvania.  Rosenberg's website is www.rosenberg4rep.org.

The Green Party of Philadelphia is founded on the four pillars of grassroots democracy, social justice, ecological wisdom and nonviolence.  GPOP works through educating the public, direct action, and inclusive electoral politics.  GPOP is currently active on issues such as improving public transportation and stopping the war in Iraq.  For more information visit www.gpop.org, e-mail gpop@gpop.org or call 215-243-7103.