State Party

According to its official website (http://www.vagreenparty.org/), the  Green Party of Virginia is the electoral arm of the Green movement in the State. The website further states that the party comprises of affiliated locals and members, who have been accredited by the Green Party of the United States. The affiliated locals and member bodies are seen as one of the party’s structural organization that the party uses in expressing its objectives to advocate for social justices and nonviolent resisters in politics and policies.

The Structure of the Green Party of Virginia

According to the Green Party of Virginia’s website, the party has distinct organizational format based on its regional execution. As observed from the Party website, the structure of the Green Party of Virginia, like the Republican Party of Virginia, is primarily based on organizational policies. The website further notes that the Green National Committee is the highest party’s decision-making body. However, slight differences can be observed in the structures of these parties. First, the Republican Party’s organizational structure is based on decentralization and state rights, as oppose to federal government, while that of the Green Party of Virginia is based on its ten key values. Some of the values are: ecological wisdom, social justice, and grass root democracy.

Fatdumb (2008) notes that the party structure is generally different from that of the Republican Party, which is in turn run from the organizational unit known as Basic Political Organizational Unit (BPOU).  He points out that the Republican Party of Virginia structure is based on overall organization, by-laws, party officers, and precinct leaders. It is also clear from the website that the Green Party of Virginia does not contain the legal document governing the party similar to the Party Plan of the Republican Party of Virginia. As pointed out earlier, the Green Party of Virginia is an affiliate of parties, as oppose to the Republican Party of Virginia. This explains why the party has no single legal document like that of the Republican Party, but instead has different legal frame work.

How the Party Chooses its State Officers

As indicated in the Green Party structure, the party should have public officers chosen from 46 State Parties accredited by the Green Party of United State. This is what also guides the Green party of Virginia. However, the state has its underlying procedures involved in choosing a state officer. Cardinale (2012) observes that the Green Party’s state officer nomination takes place at the Green Party of United States presidential nominating convention every four years. He points out that at the nominating convention, various delegates of state’s Green Parties cast their preferences for state officer. In addition, Cardinale notes that each state party has its own process of selecting its delegates. However, most of the states adopt processes based on the party’s state law or party conventions (Cardinale, 2012). This is different from the system practiced by the Republican Party of Virginia, which holds its caucuses every two years and allows non members to attend.

How the Party is Organized Locally

Cardinale (2012) points out that the organizational structure of Green Party of Virginia is candid and has membership entitlement. He notes that because of the party’s lobby for legations that protect environment, health, and the rights of people throughout commonwealth, the party has advanced in its regional support. Cardinale further points out that the affiliated local members of the party are politically active in Virginia. These members invite people to join the Green Party of Virginia under the ideology of the need to build a new political party that promotes ecology, democracy, justice, community, and peace. The affiliated local members have, thus, been able to recruit members at the local level.

How an Interested Person Can Become a Member of the Local Party Committee

According to Green Party of Virginia official website, an individual may be elected to local party committee by the members of Green Party of Virginia, as stipulated by the party’s state by-law. The website further states that the eligibility of any members to the local party committee is not based on gender, sex, ideology, or grouping, but on the ten key values of the party, which the site identifies. In addition, it acknowledges the party’s by-law that stipulates that chairs, officers, delegates, and various representatives will be rotated regularly.

Other Information Contained in the Website

The Green Party of Virginia (GPVA) website has a number of party’s delegations. First, the website has illustrated current campaigns being carried out by the party, the platforms involved in the campaign, and various ongoing consensus processes. Secondly, the website highlighted various party committees’ involvements. These include: interim, activism, finance, structural reform, and steering committees. Finally, the GPVA’s website has listed its ten key values, which include: ecological wisdom, social justice grass root democracy, nonviolence, decentralization, and feminism, among others.

Conclusion

This write-up has given the analysis of the Green Party of Virginia’s structural component illustrating its membership entitlement and eligibility. The party’s membership is primarily based on an individual’s willingness to adhere to the ten key values. The party’s nomination process is also unique, as it is based on the presidential nomination of the Green Party of United State and is normally done by accredited states delegates. The party has also managed to advertise itself through its websites by providing additional information, such as the party’s values.