Stacy Smith

There are now five candidates confirmed to be in the running for the 2022 Green Party of England and Wales Executive (GPEx) elections. Stacy Smith has confirmed she will be standing for the management coordinator position. The management coordinator is responsible for overseeing the party’s HR policies and acts as the party’s safeguarding lead.

Smith is the second candidate to announce they’re standing for the role. Current Green Party trade union liaison officer Kefentse Dennis announced his candidacy on June 16.

Smith currently works as chief executive officer of a women’s charity, and has worked in management roles for 33 years. She has also been a board member of two different women’s charities over a ten year period.

Smith has been a member of the Green Party for over five years, and was a Green candidate in the 2022 Greenwich Borough Council elections, where she fell short of becoming the first Green Councillor in the borough by just 68 votes.

Speaking on her candidacy for management coordinator, Smith told Bright Green, 

I am keen to work with the GPex to provide support to the staff team and the strategic overview on key issues. I have worked with management boards for over 40 years, either as a member or as a staff who is answerable to a board throughout my career. I have managed staff for 33 years and have worked with people with support needs so have experience both of HR and of safeguarding. I hope to be a positive influence on the executive and use my skills to help keep us focused on our key aims.

Aside from Smith and Dennis, three other candidates have announced they are standing in this year’s GPEx elections. Matthew Hull is standing for trade union liaison officer, Melanie Earp and Ash Routh are standing for chair as a job share, and David Farbey is standing for internal communications coordinator.

Elections to GPEx take place every year, with half of the seats up for election.* Each elected post-holder serves for two years, and share collective responsibility for the party’s day to day management and financial health. In 2022, the positions up for election are:

  • Chair
  • Campaigns coordinator
  • Elections coordinator
  • External communications coordinator
  • Management coordinator
  • International coordinator
  • Trade union liaison officer

In addition to the roles listed above, there will be a by-election for the position of internal communications coordinator. This is being held as a result of the resignation of Zoe Hatch in February 2022.

Nominations for these positions close on June 30, with members voting throughout the summer. The elections are being held concurrently with an election for deputy leader.

*Author’s note – the exception to this is for the position of Wales Green Party leader, and Young Greens co-chair. Both of these positions have a seat on GPEx, but are elected through the rules set out in each organisation’s constitution.

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