The Green Party outstrips all the old-line parties in terms of efficiency, according to figures just released on the Ontario provincial election, held on October 10, 2007.
Taking the total central party spending of each party and dividing by the nubmer of votes won gives a cost per vote -- or the financial efficiency of each party.
The NDP in Ontario spent $6.34 to win each vote; the Progressive Conservatives $4.93; the Liberals $4.28; while for the Green Party spent only 70 cents to win each vote.
This stunning result makes the Green Party the most efficient party in the Ontario election! The Green Party was nine times more efficient than the NDP, seven times more efficient than the Conservatives and six times mroe efficient than the Liberals.
Here are the calculations (from best to worst):
GPO: 355,041 votes, $0.25 million = $0.70
Libs: 1,867,192 votes, $8 million = $4.28
PC: 1,398,857 votes, $6.9 million = $4.93
NDP: 741,043 votes, $4.7 million (est) = $6.34
What's the implication?
Every dollar a donor gives to the Green Party has nine -- yes, NINE -- times more impact than a dollar given to the NDP. Giving the Greens a dollar goes seven times further than a dollar given to the PCs in Ontario -- and each dollar given to the Greens has six times more impact than a dollar given to the Liberals.
It's especially important to let donors and potential donors know this -- given that other parties are beginnning say they are 'green' and parrot Green Party policies. With climate change, species extinction, toxic emissions into our air and water the need for action is urgent.
If voters and donors want to see real advances in the green agenda in Canada -- there is only one real Green Party -- and donations to the Green Party have a significantly greater impact than to any other party that may try to imply that they are (somewhat) 'green'.
Also, as the Green Party's financial muscle continues to strengthen, we will see our vote continue to surge.
It's important to note that the Green Party of Ontario tripled its' membership during the election -- something I am certain none of old-line, traditional parties can claim.
This tripling of the GPO membership will mean the party continues to build, grow and be far stronger in the next general provincial election -- because the party will have three times more campaign volunteers and workers!
The federal Green Party has continue to build on the incredible momentum of the GPO, which won 8% of the vote across Ontario in October 2007 -- the Green Party of Canada's support has continued to trend upwards and is now at 15% in Ontario ahead of the NDP at 10% according to the most recent Harris Decima poll (See http://www.greenparty.ca/en/node/4275)
The NDP spending was estimated via http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/CityandRegion/2008/04/11/5255421-sun.html which states that the NDP raised $800,000 and had a deficit of $3.9 million.
Special thanks to John Northey for posting this on the GPO candidates list serve and Erich Jacoby-Hawkins for alerting me.