This extensive Politico story gathers the evidence that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is trying to weaken or destroy the Working Families Party, even though he denies this. The article does not mention that there is reason to believe that the Governor will propose a bill next year to make the definition of “party” much more restrictive. The proposed bill is rumored to change the definition of a party from a group that polled 50,000 votes for Governor in the last election, to a group that polled 300,000 votes for Governor. That would leave New York with only two qualified parties, Republican and Democratic.
What ??? — not higher ??? —
to have ONLY the RED Donkey party — to END ALL *con-fusion*.
Also – just following COMMAND ORDERS from DNC HQ in Devil City ???
IE – NO repeat of 2016 Prez math at any cost.
I don’t understand why the only way for a political party to gain automatic ballot access in NY is to get 50,000 votes in a gubernatorial election rather than allowing multiple ways for it such as voter registration or receiving a number of votes in other elections. Giving organizations only one way to become qualified allows stuff like this that will allow the two major parties to target actual third parties.
Compared to Illinois’ ballot access system, 10,000 signatures for statewide ballot access and 50,000 votes (roughly 1% of the vote) to keep it, New York’s system is a walk in the park. Illinois requires 25,000 signatures for ballot access and 5% of the vote to keep it, for instance. The NY Greens have had ballot access since 2010 because of the relative ease of NY’s system, without relying on fusion voting.
Sub-factions are bothersome to top STATIST CONTROL FREAK monarchs/oligarchs —
to be purged — end all con-fusion.
“Compared to Illinois’ ballot access system, 10,000 signatures for statewide ballot access and 50,000 votes (roughly 1% of the vote) to keep it, New York’s system is a walk in the park. Illinois requires 25,000 signatures for ballot access and 5% of the vote to keep it, for instance.”
There are however some advantages on the other side. Illinois requires 5% for any statewide office, whereas the NY test is only for governor. It’s much easier to get votes for lower offices. NY is 15k, not 10k sig, and there is also a distribution requirement. Additionally, the signatures have to be gathered in six weeks, less than half the 90 days allowed in Illinois. The layout design of the NY ballot has also been an ongoing problem; I don’t remember off hand whether this has been an issue in Illinois.
In in his obsession to destroy the Working Families Party, the Governor chooses effectively to ban all third parties and outlaw fusion. Not a very enlightened approach. More creative solutions, such as allowing ranked choice, or approval voting would resolve this problem in a less restrictive fashion.
New York ballot access laws are already faulty. This year the legislature moved the petition deadline from August to May, which violates Anderson v Celebrezze. There are court precedents from six states that even June is too early, at least for president. Furthermore New York is one of only eleven states that has no method for a group to transform itself into a qualified party in advance of any particular election (Illinois has this flaw also). Furthermore New York is one of only two states in which it is impossible for a group to become a qualified party in a presidential election year (the other is Indiana).
Illinois does not have bad ballot design, whereas New York does, along with New Jersey.
NY also uses two different voting systems which creates two different ballot designs. Albany, Erie, Nassau, New York City, Rockland, and Schenectady, us ES&E’s DS200. The rest of the State uses Dominion’s ImageCast.
How many States have ONE ballot format ???
How many States have office bloc ballots ???
How many zillion variables NOW in ALL election systems in the USA ???
Richard, how would the courts rule if a major party changed their rules and punished a candidate who put their name on another minor party ballot line? Would it depend on the type of punishment?
Richard may have missed a zero in reporting the rumors on Andrew Cuomo’s bill. 3,000,000 votes for Governor will be the new standard. The Democrats will be the only qualified party. It isn’t the Democrat’s fault if no other party can muster the votes required to qualify.
Michael, if a party that nominates by convention had a bylaw that said no one is eligible for the party’s nomination unless that person pledge to be the nominee of only that party, that would be constitutional. But if a party nominates by primary, it wouldn’t be constitutional, in my opinion.
I thought that fusion was something that major party’s liked. It encourages a coalition, but lets the third party have a voice.
m.b. — ultra-leftwing parties are now a threat to standard RED Donkeys in NY City.
See Rep. AOC.
@mike bauler: It’s the “lets the third party have a voice” part that Cuomo reportedly has trouble with. Based on the article, it seems that he doesn’t want to have to cater to the Working Families Party in order to get their ballot line or risk having them run a candidate against him.
WFP wants to influence the Democratic party nominations. If sincere supporters of WFP would join the WFP, then they could not vote in the Democratic primary.
New York should institute office block ballots, and use a blanket primary, where a party could designate which other-party voters could vote for their nominees or seek the nomination. Ballots would be pre-marked with the voter’s affiliation. OTB would be automatic.
Qualification for the general election would include not only require winning a party primary, but getting a certain percentage of the vote (1% or 2%). Independents would also run in the blanket primary.
Party qualification would be based on registration only, say 0.1% of voters statewide, or 0.1% countywide or townwide for districts entirely in a county or town/city. Primary designations would be by petition only.
Withdrawal and replacement should only be for death or severe incapacity. Withdrawal would otherwise be illegal. Primary would be moved back to September.
A majority would be required for the general election. If no candidate had a majority of a primary vote, multiple candidates could qualify if they had substantial support (say 10% of total vote).
If it passes only the Conservative Party has a chance. The others would have to go via the petition route.
NOOOO primaries, caucuses and conventions.
Ballot access only via EQUAL Nom pets / filing fees for ALL INDIVIDUAL csndidates.
PR and AppV and TOTSOP