On January 10, New York Assemblymember John Salka introduced A8683. It reduces the number of signatures for statewide independent candidates, and the nominees of unqualified parties, from 45,000 to 15,000. It also cuts the number of votes for a party to be recognized from 2%, to 50,000. Thanks to Howie Hawkins for this news.
Cuomo gang plotting revenge ???
We’ll see if there’s enough democrats (lowercase ‘d’ intentional) in the NY legislature who will do the right thing and pass this bill, and whether the governor will sign it. I’m hoping that is the case, but minor parties and democracy activists should be ready and willing to protest and fill up their e-mails and social media and inboxes in the still quite possible event this bill fails.
If this passes, how many of the parties that went of the ballot in 2020 do we think will regain access for the 2022 cycle? Also, does this bill get rid of the Presidential vote test introduced in 2020?
From reading the text of the bill, it would still keep the presidential vote test, so if the bill would pass, then a party would need 50,000 votes for governor or president to gain/retain statewide ballot access for the next two years.