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The August 2nd-3rd State Convention

In 2008, California's Presidential Preference Primary was separated from the June 3rd direct primary election (in which parties choose candidates for Congress and the state legislature) and held four months earlier. The presidential preference vote in the February 5th primary was only advisory. The actual decision on the Peace and Freedom Party's presidential nomination was made at the party's August 2008 state convention, by the Central Committees members elected in the June 3rd primary.

On Friday evening, August 1st, before the official start of the convention, the four candidates for the party's presidential nomination, Gloria La Riva, Cynthia McKinney, Brian Moore and Ralph Nader, held a debate at the convention hotel for a packed house of delegates and visitors.

The convention had several important items on its agenda, but the one of greatest interest was the choice of the party's presidential ticket. The rules required that a nomination be made by a majority of those voting, so with four candidates participating, many anticipated several rounds of voting. However, only one round was necessary. Late Saturday afternoon, Ralph Nader was chosen in the first round by a vote of 46 for Nader, 27 for La Riva, 10 for Moore and 6 for McKinney. After Nader was nominated for President, the nomination of Matt Gonzalez for Vice President was approved by acclamation.

The convention also took positions on the statewide ballot measures that would be before California voters in November. Early Saturday afternoon, before the decision on the presidential ticket, delegates unanimously decided to support Propositions 2 and 5 and to oppose Propositions 4, 6, 8 and 9. The propositions that required discussion were considered on Sunday morning. By a close vote, the party decided to remain neutral on Proposition 1 (which was replaced by 1A after the convention). By overwhelming votes, the party decided to oppose Propositions 3, 7, 10 and 11, and to remain neutral on Proposition 12.

Also on Sunday, the convention chose the statewide officers of the State Central Committee for the 2008-2010 period. For the named positions of Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, the elections were conducted by show of voting cards. Kevin Akin (of Riverside) and Marsha Feinland (of Berkeley) were unopposed for State Chair and Treasurer, respectively, and Georgia Williams (of Fresno) defeated John Reiger (of Sacramento) for Secretary. The other seven state officers at-large positions were filled by an election using the "single transferable vote" or "choice voting" method of proportional representation. Eighteen candidates ran, and the seven elected were Cindy Varela Henderson (of Los Angeles), Ron Holladay (of San Francisco), Nathalie Hrizi (of San Francisco), Junue Millan (of Los Angeles), Debra Reiger (of Sacramento), Gerald Sanders (of Oakland) and C.T. Weber (of Sacramento). These included two strong backers of Gloria La Riva's presidential candidacy, one strong backer of Ralph Nader's presidential candidacy, and four long-time party activists not strongly associated with any presidential campaign.

 

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