Ken Pentel
| Ken Pentel | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ecology Democracy Party candidate for Governor of Minnesota, 2010 | |
| Election date November 2, 2010 | |
| Opponent(s) | Mark Dayton (DFL) Tom Emmer (R) Tom Horner (IP) Chris Wright (GRP) Farheen Hakeem (GP) Linda Eno (RP) |
| Incumbent | Tim Pawlenty |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Political party | Ecology Democracy Party |
| Other political affiliations |
Green Party (until 2006) |
| Occupation | Activist |
| Website | http://www.kenpentel.org/ |
Ken Pentel (born c. 1961) (pronounced pen-TELL) is an American politician, and a candidate for Governor of Minnesota for the Ecology Democracy Party. Pentel was the gubernatorial candidate for the Green party three previous times, in 1998, 2002, and 2006.
Biography
Pentel grew up in Minneapolis and graduated from Hopkins High School. His father owned Pentel Pontiac and his mother was an employment counselor. After high school, Pentel studied theater at the University of Minnesota for a couple of years before moving to California, intending to go into show business. Having seen the results of pollution in California, Pentel became interested in the environmental movement. When he arrived back in the Twin Cities in 1986, Pentel joined Greenpeace, where he worked for 11 years as a field manager, volunteer organizer and lobbyist.[1]
Issues
His platform consists of:
- Stable, livable-wage jobs
- Single-payer healthcare to cover all Minnesotans
- Increased funding for education
- Affordable low-cost housing
- Clean water, air and soil
- Clean, publicly financed elections
- Instant runoff voting
- Proportional representation
- Corporate accountability
- Rewards for efficient and sustainable energy
- Tax breaks for local family farmers and organic agriculture
- An economically and ethnically diverse administration
Election results
- 2010 - Governor - 6th of 7 running: 6,180 votes, for 0.29%
- 2006 - Governor - 4th of 6 running: 10,854 votes, for 0.49%
- 2002 - Governor - 4th of 7 running: 50,589 votes, for 2.25%
- 1998 - Governor - 4th of 8 running: 6,983 votes, for 0.3%
Ecology Democracy Network
After the 2006 election, Pentel pursued the creation of a nonpartisan, political organization called the Ecology Democracy Network [2] with a primary goal to establish ecological whole-cost accounting in Minnesota. The organization later established itself as a political party.[3]
References
- ↑ McCallum, Laura (September 7, 2002). "Serious about issues: Ken Pentel profile". Minnesota Public Radio.
- ↑ Radio interview about the Ecology Democracy Network
- ↑ The Independent Campaigns are off and Running!
External links
- Official campaign website
- Ken Pentel on Facebook
- Hopfensperger, Jean (October 28, 2002). "Pentel walks the Green walk as candidate, citizen; To effect change, he says, it's necessary to agitate the system and work within it.". Star Tribune.