U.S. Marijuana Party

U.S. Marijuana Party
Chairwoman	Sheree Krider (Kentucky)
Founded	2002 (2002)
Ideology	Cannabis legalisation Civil libertarianism
National affiliation	Legal Marijuana Now
Colors	Red, white, blue, green
Website
usmjparty.com
Politics of United States Political parties Elections

The U.S. Marijuana Party is a cannabis political party in the United States founded in 2002 by Loretta Nall specifically to end the war on drugs and to legalize cannabis. Their policies also include other socially libertarian positions. U.S. Marijuana Party candidates in Vermont have run campaigns as recently as 2016. The party has had local chapters in several other states, and has been affiliated with international cannabis political parties.

History

Main article: Legal Marijuana Now Party § History

2012 presidential election

On September 18, 2012, the U.S. Marijuana Party endorsed Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson in the 2012 presidential election.^[1]

State activity

Colorado

Wayward Bill Chengelis (1951-2021)

In Colorado, Wayward Bill Chengelis was U.S. Marijuana Party chairman for many years, until Chengelis' death in 2021.^[2][3]

Illinois

In 2004, Illinois Marijuana Party leader Richard Rawlings ran for U.S. Congress in Illinois' 18th Congressional District as a write-in candidate. Brian Meyer ran as a write-in candidate in the 12th Congressional District in 2004. Rawlings ran again as a Marijuana Party write-in candidate for Congress in 2010.^[4][5]

Massachusetts

The U.S. Marijuana Party was started in 2002 by Loretta Nall from Massachusetts following her misdemeanor arrest for marijuana possession.^[6][7][8] Nall was the chairwomen of the party until she resigned in 2004 to pursue the Libertarian Party of Alabama's nomination for governor.^[9]

Nebraska

In 2015–2016, Zach Boiko, Mark Elworth Jr., and Krystal Gabel collected signatures for Marijuana Party of Nebraska to be officially recognized. In order to make the ballot, petitioners needed 5,397 signatures statewide. The party also must have a certain number of signatures from each of the state's three congressional districts.^[10][11]

In July, 2016, volunteers turned in 9,000 signatures to the Nebraska Secretary of State. However, the Secretary of State said that half of the signatures were invalid, falling short of the 5,397 needed. In 2016, the group changed its name to Nebraska Legal Marijuana NOW Party, and organizers began petitioning for 2018 ballot access.^[12][13]

New Jersey

Rastafari cannabis rights activist and businessman Edward Forchion, who founded the Legalize Marijuana Party in 1998 in New Jersey, ran for U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 3rd congressional district in 2004 as a U.S. Marijuana Party candidate. Forchion got 4,914 votes.^[14][15]

Results in federal elections

Year	Office	Candidate	Popular Votes	Percentage
2004	US Representative 3	Edward Forchion	4,914	1.6%[15]

Vermont

Cris Ericson, U.S. Marijuana Party 2010, 2012, and 2016 Governor of Vermont, and United States Senator nominee

Independent candidate Cris Ericson ran for Governor of Vermont in 2002 as a Make Marijuana Legal candidate. In 2004, Ericson ran for Vermont governor and U.S. senator as a Marijuana Party candidate. She went on to compete in 2006, 2008, 2014 and 2016 in Republican Party and Democratic Party primaries, and for multiple state and federal offices as an Independent candidate. Ericson was a U.S. Marijuana Party candidate for U.S. Senator and Governor of Vermont in 2010, 2012, and 2016. Cris Ericson left the marijuana party in January 2018.^[16][17]

Results in gubernatorial elections

Year	Candidate	Popular Votes	Percentage
2004	Cris Ericson	4,221	1.4%[18]
2010	Cris Ericson	1,819	0.8%[19]
2012	Cris Ericson	5,580	1.9%[20]

Results in Vermont state elections

Year	Office	Candidate	Popular Votes	Percentage
2016	VT Senator (Caledonia County)	Galen Dively, III	2,443	9.5%[21]

Results in federal elections

Year	Office	Candidate	Popular Votes	Percentage
2004	US Senator	Cris Ericson	6,486	2.1%[18]
2010	US Senator	Cris Ericson	2,731	1.2%[19]
2012	US Senator	Cris Ericson	5,919	2.0%[20]
2016	US Senator	Cris Ericson	9,156	2.9%[21]

Washington

In the Washington State House of Representatives District 2b election, in 2014, retired union official Rick Payne was on the August primary ballot as a Marijuana Party candidate. In Washington the top two vote-getters in the primary advance to the general election. Payne received 1,644 votes (9.3%). Defeated by the incumbent, a Republican, and a Libertarian candidate, Payne did not make it into the November general election.^[22]

See also

• Cannabis political parties of the United States
• List of political parties in the United States

References

1. "US Marijuana Party Endorsement For The Office Of The President of the United States plus Party Expansion". United States Marijuana Party. September 18, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
2. "Remembering the Life and Times of Wayward Bill: 1951-2021". High Times. August 11, 2021.
3. "Colorado Cannabis Activist 'Wayward Bill' Passes at 70". CelebStoner. August 8, 2021.
4. Chang, Andrea (November 12, 2003). "Pot-friendly politics". The Daily Northwestern.
5. Crapanzano, Christina (March 29, 2010). "Top 10 Alternative Political Movements: U.S. Marijuana Party". Time.
6. "Calling All Mrs. Robinsons". Fox News Channel. October 24, 2006. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
7. "How to attract voters' attention? Cleavage". NBC News. October 25, 2006. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
8. United States Marijuana Party (USMJParty) Explains On Marijuana Benefits
9. Jones, Adam (October 28, 2006). "Candidate talks issues, not good looks". The Tuscaloosa News. The New York Times Company. Retrieved August 29, 2009.
10. "Activists petition for Marijuana Party of Nebraska". Kearney Hub. July 13, 2015.
11. Stoddard, Martha (July 23, 2016). "Marijuana party seeks spot on ballot for presidential race". Omaha World-Herald.
12. "Marijuana Party petition drive fails to result in ballot placement". Lincoln Journal Star. Associated Press. August 5, 2016.
13. Pluhacek, Zach (September 14, 2016). "Marijuana groups already petitioning for 2018 ballot". Lincoln Journal Star.
14. Shea, Kevin (April 30, 2016). "NJ Weedman's long, strange trip as marijuana advocate". NJ.com.
15. "Official List Candidate Returns for House of Representatives For November 2004 General Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. November 30, 2004.
16. Secretary of State of Vermont (2002). "Election Results Archive: 2002 Governor General Election". Vermont Elections Database.
17. Nicks, Denver (October 15, 2014). "America Needs More Crazy Debates Like In Vermont". Time.
18. Secretary of State of Vermont (2004). "Election Results Archive: 2004 General Election". Vermont Elections Database.
19. Secretary of State of Vermont (2010). "Election Results Archive: 2010 General Election". Vermont Elections Database.
20. Secretary of State of Vermont (2012). "Election Results Archive: 2012 General Election". Vermont Elections Database.
21. Secretary of State of Vermont (2016). "Election Results Archive: 2016 General Election". Vermont Elections Database.
22. Santos, Melissa (July 4, 2014). "2nd Legislative District incumbent faces two primary challengers". The Olympian.

External links

• Official website

State chapters

• COLORADO William A. Chengelis
• PENNSYLVANIA Tom Johnson
• KENTUCKY Sheree Krider
• ILLINOIS Richard J. Rawlings
• MARYLAND Chris Hirsh