The Green Party of Pennsylvania has issued a warning to voters that an unknown group is helping candidates seek ballot access under its name this cycle without its involvement, raising questions about who is recruiting the candidates and paying people to circulate their petitions.
In a statement published July 22 in the Pike County Courier, the party said it recently learned that several candidates it had not endorsed were petitioning to appear on the general election ballot as Greens. The party said it then began looking into those candidacies, finding that some people named on the paperwork appeared to have little understanding of their involvement.
“Several of those listed as the committee to fill vacancies were unaware that their name was included on the candidate petitions,” the statement read. “Some individuals explained they received a random phone call requesting to help but could not recall from whom or for what exact purpose.”
The party said its State Committee originally voted in March to back only Tony Dastra for governor and Craig Bolton for lieutenant governor. As it attempted to learn more about the other candidates, it found that petition circulators working in the field acknowledged they were being paid but could not say by whom.
It also said the candidates had not formed campaign committees to receive or spend money and had been approached by unnamed people offering to place them on the ballot “for free.” It added that some had only recently changed their registrations to the Green Party after previously being registered with another party or as independents.
“It is apparent that an effort to achieve ballot access in an un-transparent manner is underway and that some unendorsed candidates have chosen to appear as representing the Green Party,” the statement continued. “The GPPA is warning the electorate of the commonwealth and is disclosing this information it has discovered.”
The original statement did not identify any of the candidates or provide evidence that their campaigns were part of a single coordinated effort. However, the party has since publicly disavowed the candidacy of one individual, Andrew Tupone, who filed nomination papers this week to run as a Green in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District.
Speaking to Lehigh Valley Public Media on July 31, Green Party spokesperson Chris Robinson said the organization had never heard from Tupone and had not coordinated with his campaign. He also called Tupone a “faux Green Party candidate,” though he did not accuse him of accepting dark money.
Lehigh Valley Public Media further reports that Tupone previously ran for local office as a Republican and joined the Green Party this spring after growing dissatisfied with both major parties and taking an interest in its environmental positions. He denied receiving outside financial assistance, paying petition circulators, or running to intentionally draw votes from Democrat Bob Brooks in the general election. Tupone also said he attempted to contact the state party before beginning his campaign without success.
As the Green Party of Pennsylvania lacks the number of registered members needed to nominate congressional candidates through a primary, individuals like Tupone may instead reach the general election ballot by filing nomination papers, even without its support or involvement. The state filing deadline is August 3, with objections due the following week.
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