DEFECTIONS IN SEATTLE The Green Party seemed to score something of a coup earlier this year when it attained a "majority" on the officially nonpartisan Seattle City Council. It turns out that anyone can join the party and maintain another partisan affiliation, so five Democrats on the nine-member council became Greens as well, allowing them, among other things, to reap party endorsements.
Now, though, the Greens have lost their majority, after Councilwoman Judy Nicastro resigned her Green Party membership and at least one other person on the council said she had let her membership lapse. In an e-mail message to Greens, Ms. Nicastro said she was bothered by comments by Ralph Nader suggesting that there was little difference between Vice President Al Gore and Gov. George W. Bush. Ms. Nicastro has endorsed Mr. Gore.
Another council member and Green Party member, Peter Steinbrueck, angered Democrats by endorsing Mr. Nader in June, but he told The Seattle Times recently that he might vote for Mr. Gore after all, if the race in Washington State remained tight.