2000: The Green Party of Texas qualified for statewide ballot status in May 2000.

In Texas, the criteria to qualify for statewide ballot status is a number of petition signers equal to 1% of the previous gubernatorial vote. The petition signatures must be gathered in 75 days after the primary election, and only from people who didn't vote in the primary.

In 2000, the total number of petition signers needed was 37,381 The Green Party of Texas gathered over 72,000 petition signatures. Enough were valid to clear the 37,381 threshold for the Green Party of Texas to qualify for statewide ballot status as of May 2000.


2000: The Green Party of Texas retained statewide ballot status in November 2000.

The criteria for retaining ballot status in Texas is to receive either 5% in any statewide race other governor, or 2% for governor.

Three candidates passed the 5% needed for the Green Party of Texas to retain its statewide ballot status: Ben Levy received 9.7% and 450,885 votes for Texas Supreme Court; Gary Dugger received 7.3% and 344,806 votes for Texas Railroad Commission; and Charles Mauch received 7.2% and 336,781 votes for Texas Railroad Commission.

For more information on the 2000 qualification effort, see the following articles from Tejas Verde, the Green Party of Texas state newsletter:

• Nearly Half a Million Texans Vote Green; Party to Stay on Ballot  for 2002; Candidate Levy Sets National Record

• Statewide Candidates Ensure Green Ballot Access for 2002


2002: The Green Party of Texas lost its statewide ballot status in November 2002.

Eleven candidates received between 0.6% and 1.8%, all below the 5% threshold necessary for the Green Party of Texas to retain its statewide ballot status.

In contrast to 2000, when Greens ran mostly in two-way and three way races without Democrats participating, in 2002 the Democrats ran for several state races for the first time since before 1986, with the intent of preventing the Greens from retaining ballot status.