Meet Andy
My Name is Andy Ellis, I live in Northeast Baltimore City with my wife Dana, our four cats, and our flock of backyard chickens. I went to high school in Frederick, attended college at Towson and St. Mary’s, and have lived in Baltimore City since 2005. While a student at Towson, I was on the debate team and then went on to coach college debate for a decade, including coaching Towson to their first-ever college debate national championship in 2008. I have had many jobs, but I currently work for a media ratings company, where I have worked for 13 years- as a business intelligence lead. My job is to identify problems, understand data, and offer transformative solutions.
I have a history of advocacy and activism. I have long been a part of coalitions that have worked for economic, racial, and environmental justice. In the last decade, I have worked with the Green Party to build a new multiparty grassroots political system. I currently serve as an appointed member of the Baltimore City Charter Review Commission. This 23-member commission is charged with reviewing the Baltimore City Charter and providing the Mayor and the City Council with recommendations for changes. I am a big Orioles and Ravens fan, grew up cheering for the team now known as the Commanders, and am excited to come back!
Why the Green Party
I have supported the Green Party in many elections, but I became actively involved in 2015. Since then I have been a candidate for state delegate, a Co-chair of the Maryland Green Party and the Baltimore City Green Party. I have worked on several Green Party campaigns, served on national committees, and traveled around the state and region to help support local independent political organizing.
The Green Party has values I agree with and solutions that address problems at their roots. Our movement has decades of experience at the national, state and local level doing the hard work of building healthy political parties independent of the two party system.
I believe the Green Party has an important role to play in Maryland. We have solutions to confront the climate crisis , ideas to expand democracy beyond the polarized two party system, policies that can end wealth inequality, and an enduring commitment to make repair for previous and ongoing injustices.
We need a political system with multiple healthy parties and the Green Party should be one of those parties.
why I am Running for governor
I believe a candidate for Governor is a representative of their party to all the voters in Maryland. The candidate must connect with people and organizations all over the state. They must listen to the hopes and concerns of the people they meet and then they must offer a vision for the future that is based on the party’s value and responsive to the people’s needs.
I think a campaign for governor must be organized enough to connect with voters in all 24 counties, to work with movements with different goals, and to support candidates up and down the ballot. A good campaign will live on beyond the election and plant the seeds for political action all over the state.
I think I can be a great Green Party candidate and run a great Green Party campaign. If I can I will have an opportunity to share a vision of Green Party ideas, values, and solutions with all the voters in Maryland.
From there it is up to the voters, but I know one thing for sure, I can’t wait to make the case!