Joe Szwaja

Infobox Politician


imagesize = 150px
name = Joe Szwaja
width = 100px
height = 184px
caption =
small_| office = Madison, WI City Council
term_start = 1986
term_end = 1993
predecessor =
successor =
constituency =
majority =
birth_date = birth date and age|1956|10|10
birth_place = Oberlin, Ohio, United States
death_date =
death_place =
party = Green
Wisconsin Labor Farm
relations =
spouse = Debra Morrison
civil partner =
children = Engel (son), Sam, Leaf, Reed (stepsons)
residence = Seattle, WA (since 1993)
occupation = Public high school teacher and political activist
religion =


website = http://www.joeforcouncil.org
footnotes =

Joseph Brian "Joe" Szwaja (born October 10, 1956) is a Seattle public school teacher and political activist. Formerly a Madison, Wisconsin City Council member, he unsuccessfully ran in 2000 for a seat in the United States Congress in ushr|Washington|7| as a Green Party candidate and again in 2007 ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Seattle City Council against incumbent Jean Godden .

In November 1999, Szwaja received a local United Nations Association of Seattle's Human Rights Award for his work helping war victims in East Timor.Manny Frishberg, Seattle Weekly, [http://www.seattleweekly.com/2000-07-26/news/it-s-not-easy-being-green.php "It's not easy being Green"] , July 26, 2000. Retrieved October 11, 2007.] During the 2000 United States Congressional elections, Szwaja captured nearly 20% of the vote, which at the time set a new record for a Green in a Congressional election.King County, Washington State, [http://www.metrokc.gov/elections/2000nov/resPage3.htm "King County Election Results"] , 2000 General election. Retrieved October 11, 2007.] [George Washington University, [http://www.gwu.edu/~action/states/wadet.htm "2000 Washington State Election reports"] . Retrieved October 11, 2007.] Bob Young, Seattle Times, [http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=seattlecouncilone13m&date=20070813&source=st "Godden faces 3 challengers"] , August 13, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2007.]

Early life and time in Wisconsin

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Szwaja graduated from Kenyon College in 1978, earning bachelor of arts degrees in History and Spanish Literature. In 1984 Szwaja earned a Master's degree in Latin American History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and, in 1992, he obtained a teaching certificate from the same institution. Szwaja speaksSpanish language and has been an educator at both Madison Area Technical College and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. [Our Campaigns; Szwaja, Joseph, [http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=1904 "Joseph Szwaja"] , June 7, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2007.] [joeforcouncil.com, [http://www.joeforcouncil.com/about/index.shtml "Joe Szwaja for Seattle City Council, About page"] , verified September 17, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2007.]

While living in Madison, Wisconsin, Szwaja served four consecutive terms on the City Council from 1986 to 1993 and acted as chair of the Labor Farm Party for Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district for three years. [Neil Modie, Seattle PI, [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/328576_councilprimary22.html "Incumbents Clark, Godden win big; Velazquez, Harrell to face off"] , August 21, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2007.]

In 1988 Szwaja was arrested for failing to repay $2,584 in state payments of medical bills for the birth of his son.Jim Pugh, The Capital Times, [http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/tct/1990/06/06/9006060572.php "Alderman Accused Of Violence"] , June 6, 1990. Retrieved October 11, 2007.] Szwaja was arrested in 1990 for domestic battery charges that were subsequently switched to disorderly conduct after throwing a plate against a wall, which cut his then-girlfriend's face, after she allegedly threw a beer bottle on Szwaja's dinner plate.Angela Galloway and Neil Modie, Seattle PI, [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/318815_candidate07.html "Council candidate recounts 'tough times' with law"] , June 7, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2007.] The criminal complaint claims that Szwaja told the police the woman threw the bottle at his head and "he was emotionally hurt and that he threw the plate at her." He was required to take classes in anger management before the disorderly conduct charge was settled.Jim Pugh.] On several occasions, Szwaja was reported to have had issues related to driving in Wisconsin. In 1989 he was found guilty of driving without a license and failed to appear at a related hearing; in 1991 he was charged with allegedly driving with a revoked driver's license.Angela Galloway and Neil Modie.] In a separate matter, a Wisconsin court issued a judgment in 1994 that Szwaja pay more than $5,100 and garnished his wages, according to Courtlink. Szwaja stated that $5,100 judgment stemmed from a child-custody and placement dispute, and it was paid off by January 2000.Angela Galloway and Neil Modie.]

Career in Seattle

Today, Szwaja resides in a North Seattle neighborhood with his wife, Debra Morrison. In 1993 Swaja became a member of the East Timor Action Network of Seattle (ETAN), as both a Project and Volunteer coordinator, playing roles in lobbying and fund raising. In November 1999, Szwaja received a local United Nations Association of Seattle's Human Rights Award for his work helping war victims in East Timor.Manny Frishberg.] Politically, Szwaja has played local roles in Seattle against both the World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund, and has advocated for fair working conditions.Manny Frishberg.]

Szwaja has assisted a host of community groups including the Seattle International Human Rights Coalition, as their founder, as well as Common Ground Seattle,Adam Hyla, Real Change News, [http://www.realchangenews.org/2007/2007_05_30/justheard.html "Just say Szwaja"] , May 30-June 7, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2007.] Szwaja says that that he has labored on Initiative 937 to promote renewable energy in Washington state, and that he has worked with Jobs With Justice, Community Alliance for Global Justice and the Seattle Rainforest Action Network.The Municipal League of King County, Joe Szwaja questionnaire for 2007, [http://www.munileague.org/CEC/2007/report/questionnaires/Szwaja2007.htm "2007 CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE"] . Retrieved October 11, 2007.]

Szwaja received the Human Rights Award from the United Nations Association of Seattle for his work to provide humanitarian aid and protect human rights around the world.Scott Sunde, Seattle PI, [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/derm16.shtml "A tough task: 2 take aim at McDermott"] , October 16, 2000. Retrieved October 11, 2007.] Szwaja also sits on the board of Instant Runoff Voting Washington, a multi-partisan organization that is trying to implement the system in Washington state. [http://www.irvwa.org/ Instant Run Off Voting Washington] , website. Retrieved October 11, 2007.] Seattle Times, Joe Szwaja, [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002146615_szwaja10.html "Avoid messy deadlocks with instant runoff voting"] , January 10, 2005. Retrieved October 11, 2007.]

Currently, Szwaja teaches at The Nova Project in Seattle, a public high school in the city's Central District.The Nova Project, [http://www.novaproj.org/staff/ staff page] . Retrieved October 11, 2007.] He is a teacher of American Government and Economics, World History and Weightlifting.Bob Young.]

Political career

2000 United States Congress race

In 2000, in the aftermath of the Seattle WTO protests, Szwaja challenged Seattle U.S. Congressman Jim McDermott for his seat. He was defeated by a significant margin in the general election, by more than three to one against his candadicy.

Election results for his 2000 Congressional bid:

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Jim McDermott (incumbent)
votes = 193,470
percentage = 72.79%
change = --Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party (US)
candidate = Joe Szwaja
votes = 52,142
percentage = 19.62%
change = --Election box candidate with party link
party = Libertarian Party (US)
candidate = Joel Grus
votes = 20,197
percentage = 7.60%
change = --

:"From King County Elections."King County, Washington State.]

2007 Seattle City Council election

On June 4, 2007, Szwaja challenged incumbent Jean Godden for a seat on the Seattle City Council. He was defeated by a significant margin in the general election.

Election results for his 2007 Seatte City Council bid::"Note: This municipal election is non-partisan; hence no party is listed here."Election box candidate
party =
candidate = Jean Godden (incumbent)
votes = 96,530
percentage = 71.21%
change = Election box candidate
party =
candidate = Joe Szwaja
votes = 38,479
percentage = 28.39%
change =

:"From King County Elections."King County, Washington State, [http://www.metrokc.gov/elections/200711/resPage17.htm] , 2007 General. Retrieved May 1, 2008.]

References

External links

* [http://www2.ci.seattle.wa.us/ethics/votersguide.asp?e=20070821&p=02_04 Candidate statement for 2007 Seattle City Council election]
* [http://www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/voterguides/2000/vote.wa.gov/2000/vote2000/guide/federalaa07.html?race=2007&district=7#t3 Candidate statement for 2000 U.S. Congressional election]
* [http://www.irvwa.org Instant Runoff Voting Washington (IRVWA)]
* [http://www.kuow.org/defaultProgram.asp?ID=13041 Radio debate for Seattle City Council Pos. 1, KUOW 94.9 FM Seattle, July 5, 2007]
* [http://eatthestate.org/05-00/JoeSzwajafor.htm "Joe Szwaja for Congress!" - Eat the State!, November 5, 2000]
* [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002146615_szwaja10.html "Avoid messy deadlocks with instant runoff voting" - Seattle Times, January 10, 2005]
* [http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/04/07/0414220 High School Students at Anti-WTO Protests Give Media a Quiz On WTO - Democracy Now!, December 8th, 1999]