The American Vegetarian Party was formed in the mid-twentieth century as a political party in the United States. The date July 28, 1947, is generally given as the date the American Vegetarian Party was launched. The Vegetarian Party held conventions and nominated candidates for President and Vice-President in several national elections, although the party never seriously pursued ballot access or official recognition as a political party by election officials. Ballot access rules regulate the conditions under which a candidate or political party is entitled to appear on voters ballots. ...

Some vegetarians have not been keen on establishing a political party to promote a vegetarian agenda, but some other vegetarians are convinced that an important educational purpose can be served by vegetarian involvement in the political arena.

The phrase "Vegetarian Party" has sometimes been used as a term of humorous derision, with the implication that a tiny party holding unusual views must necessarily fall laughably short of achieving political power. Yet the history of the United States shows that small political organizations that have never achieved great electoral success are not necessarily laughable or "frivolous," because the ideas and platforms small parties advance have often succeeded in shaping the country's political agenda and influencing public policy. An example of this phenomenon can be seen in the Socialist Party's platform from the early 1900's, which included such then-radical "fringe" ideas as the right of labor to organize, fair labor standards including a shortened work-week, an end to racial discrimination, equal rights for men and women, and other planks that were eventually adopted as public policy. The Socialist Party of America is a socialist political party in the United States. ...

Historical Vegetarian Party Presidential Tickets

1948

• John Maxwell (Vegetarian Party presidential nominee)
• Daniel J. Murphy (1948 Vegetarian Party vice-presidential nominee)

1952

• Daniel J. Murphy (Vegetarian Party presidential nominee)
• Symon Gould (1952 Vegetarian Party vice-presidential nominee)

1956

• Herbert M. Shelton (Vegetarian Party presidential nominee)
• Symon Gould (1956 Vegetarian Party vice-presidential nominee)

Herbert M. Shelton (1895-1985) was a prominent American health educator, vegetarian, and advocate of the raw food diet. ...

1960

• Symon Gould (1960 Vegetarian Party presidential nominee)
• Chistopher Gian-Cursio (1960 Vegetarian Party vice-presidential nominee)

1964

• Symon Gould (nominated as 1964 Vegetarian Party candidate for presidential; however, Mr. Gould died in 1963)
• Abram Wolfson (1964 Vegetarian Party vice-presidential nominee)

Twenty-First Century Efforts to Revitalize Vegetarian Party

At an event known as Vegetarian Summerfest 2004 (the 30th annual conference of the North American Vegetarian Society) in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, held July 21-24, 2004, longtime peace activist Bob Auerbach initiated efforts to organize a new national political party under the name "Vegetarian Party." Unlike the American Vegetarian Party in the 1960's, which tended to be supportive of United States military action, the organizers of the new Vegetarian Party strongly oppose war and strongly support nonviolence.

Lead organizer Bob Auerbach, who is a member of the Green Party and ran as the Green congressional nominee from Maryland's 5th district both in 2002 and 2004, has explained that the Vegetarian Party does not intend to be a rival or competitor of the Green Party. It seems likely that, for the near future, the new Vegetarian Party will adopt a strategy of seeking to work as part of a coalition with the Green Party, and possibly also with other third parties, for purposes of supporting candidates in local and state elections. In American politics, the Green Party is a third party which has been active in some areas since the 1980s, but first gained widespread public attention for Ralph Naders presidential runs in 1996 and 2000. ...

Political parties in the United States are formally organized under state election laws, so it is not clear how active electorally the new Vegetarian Party will be. Nevertheless, there has been some discussion among vegetarians of running a presidential ticket again, possibly as soon as 2008.