Media Advisory

23626 109348612427206 6913239 n

Our legal name as a qualified party in Maine is Green Independent Party. We are an affiliate of the Green Party of the United States.

Each of our nominees in the State of Maine appear on the ballot as a Green Independent, except for our presidential nominee, who typically appears as simply, Green.

As the Green Independent Party, our members are officially referred to as Green Independents.

We ask for consistency with references to our party and members, using the same standards as applied to other political parties.

After referencing Maine's Democratic Party, Libertarian Party or Republican Party, members are not referenced in media as "Democratic Party members," "Libertarian Party members" or "Republican Party members." We frequently see an unnecessary identification of our members as "Green Independent Party members" or "Green Party members."

Where "Democrats," "Libertarians" and "Republicans" suffice to identify members of those respective parties, so should "Green Independents" suffice to identify our members, especially when our party name, "Green Independent Party" has already been referenced in the article, clearly indicating the name of a political party.

Journalists do not reference "Democratic Party members," "Republican party members" or "Libertarian Party members" because the use of these extra words are unnecessary when "Democrats," "Republicans" and "Libertarians" suffice enough.

Identifying enrolled Green Independents with attributions inconsistent with how other parties' enrollees are identified, unfairly stigmatizes Green Independents as partisan followers, while Democrats, Libertarians and Republicans are portrayed as personal identifiers spared the stigmatization of "party members."

Why the extra unnecessary words?

We ask the press to substitute our party with the words "Democrat," "Republican" or "Libertarian" in their drafts and reflect whether they would use the same language references if we were another party. We request to be identified in the same manner, consistent with how other parties and their members would be.

Whereas the extra effort to say "Democratic Party member" when "Democrat" suffices, is unnecessary; likewise, "Green Independent" should suffice instead of "member of the Green Independent Party."

Please do NOT incorrectly identify us as the "Independent Green Party." This is not the name of our party. We frequently notice this error reversing two words of our party's name.

"Independent" is an integral part of our party identity. We view our party as being independent of the corporate influence that other parties are dependent on. We allow unenrolled voters (commonly referred to as "Independents") to influence our party by voting in our party primary -- something that no other political party in Maine has yet allowed.

Our name, Green Independent Party accurately reflects our independence from the type of politics that govern other parties, and the open door we hold for independent voters to participate in our primaries.

In all cases when the state party, its members or candidates (except for our presidential nominee) are being referenced, the entire legal state party name should be used: "Green Independent Party" to identify the party, "Green Independent" or "Green Independents" to identify a member or members. 

"Green Independent Party" is the legal name of our party according to the secretary of state. Enrollees are officially documented as "Green Independents" on the voter rolls. We ask journalists to report accurately and factually by referring to us by our legally correct designations.

The use of the term "Green" or "Greens" to identify our members is acceptable but not preferred, and should only be used after having first referenced members as "Green Independents."


CORRECT USES:

Green Independent Party

Green Independent

Green Independents

Green, Greens (not preferred, but accepted if the correct "Green Independent" has already been used on first reference)

 

INCORRECT USES:

Maine Green Party

Green Party of Maine

Green Party member

Independent Green Party

Independent Green Party members.

Independent Maine Green Party

Green Independent Party member

The only acceptable time to use the term "Green Party" absent the word "Independent," is when the reference directly relates to the national party --"Green Party of the United States" -- and its presidential nominee, former presidential nominees or candidates seeking to be the presidential nominee.

We appreciate the media's observance of our preference to be attributed by our legal party name and legal enrollment identification as recognized by the State of Maine.