Marsha Feinland (born May 21, 1949) is an American activist and politician. Feinland was a third-party candidate (

Peace and Freedom Party The Peace and Freedom Party (PFP) is a socialist political party in the United States which operates mostly in California. It was formed in 1966 from anti–Vietnam War and pro–civil rights movements. PFP operates both as an organization unt ...

) for

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

in the 1996 U.S. presidential election. Her running mate was Kate McClatchy of

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

; they were only on the ballot in

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

and received 25,332 votes. The Peace and Freedom Party convention had actually voted to run a slate of candidates for the

United States Electoral College In the United States, the Electoral College is the group of presidential electors that is formed every four years for the sole purpose of voting for the President of the United States, president and Vice President of the United States, vice p ...

divided proportionally between the three top candidates for president at the convention, since none had received a majority. The California Secretary of State's office refused to place the names of electors on the ballot and demanded that the party put forward a single name (even though U.S. citizens do not vote directly for president). Feinland was selected by the officers of the party to represent it in the election and McClatchy agreed to be the vice-presidential candidate. Feinland had served as state party chair for the

from 1994–96, 1998–2000, 2002–04, and has frequently been a candidate for public office. In June 1998, she ran for governor but lost the Peace & Freedom party primary to Gloria La Riva. In September 1998, she ran for the California State Senate against Democratic candidate Don Perata in a

special election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...

. This was part of the

special election musical chairs Special or specials may refer to: Policing * Specials, Ulster Special Constabulary, the Northern Ireland police force * Specials, Special Constable, an auxiliary, volunteer, or temporary; police worker or police officer * Special police forces ...

of 1998–99. In the 2004 election, Feinland ran for the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

against

Barbara Boxer Barbara Sue Boxer (née Levy; born November 11, 1940) is a retired American politician, lobbyist, and former reporter who served in the United States Senate, representing California from 1993 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United St ...

, and received 233,000 votes. She ran again for U.S. Senator from California in

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

, receiving 117,764 votes, 1.3% of the total. Feinland was again a candidate for U.S. Senator from California in

2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...

, receiving 135,088 votes and 1.35% of the vote. She was a candidate again for U.S. Senator from California in

2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...

, receiving 54,129 votes and 1.2% of the vote. She was previously elected to Berkeley's Rent Stabilization Board, and served from 1994 to 1998. Feinland is currently a member of the Peace and Freedom Party California State Central Committee.

References

Living people Female candidates for President of the United States Peace and Freedom Party presidential nominees Candidates in the 1996 United States presidential election Women in California politics 20th-century American women politicians 21st-century American women 1949 births {{California-politician-stub