Howie Hawkins was designated as the Green Party's designated candidate for New York governor on Saturday at their state convention in the Capital Region.

The party also designated New York City school teacher Jia Lee for lieutenant governor. The convention was held at a church in Rennselaer.

Hawkins, a retired UPS worker from Syracuse and Green Party staple, has run for governor twice before — in 2010 and 2014. Four years ago, he finished in third place, receiving 5 percent of the vote, the largest percentage of any third party except the Conservative Party line. Hawkins' strong showing in 2014 moved the Green Party up to the fourth line among ballot-qualified parties.

Hawkins has also unsuccessfully run for other offices in the past, the most recent being Syracuse mayor in 2017.

The Green Party said it plans to campaign on single-payer health care, 100 percent clean energy by 2030, fully-funded public schools, legalization of marijuana and desegregation of schools in the state — something Hawkins has been a leading voice in for years.

"Integration has been by far the most effective education reform for closing achievement gaps and improving the education of children of all backgrounds," Hawkins said. "But testing and charters have become the bipartisan evasion of confronting segregation."

Election Day is Nov. 6.