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For some, the party is over
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First published: Monday, November
18, 2002
More
than 165,000 New Yorkers are about to become voters without a
party.
To keep a line on the ballot, political parties had to
receive at least 50,000 votes for their gubernatorial
candidate. Three parties failed Nov. 5 to make the cut: Green
received 40,533, Liberal got 16,415 and Right to Life took
42,943.
If the counts stand, the parties will cease to exist in New
York, and their members -- about 49,500 registered Right to
Lifers, 29,500 Greens and 86,000 Liberals -- will get a letter
around January informing them they are still voters, but
non-enrolled. Voter registration forms in New York will no
longer carry the parties' names, even if they exist in other
states.
The Green Party is particularly unhappy. Although state
Chairman Mark Dunlea voiced hope the party would hit the
50,000 mark through paper ballots and a re-canvass of
machines, he said the Greens are prepared to wage a legal
battle over the state law if the shortage stands.
"We're not the Democrats," Dunlea said. "We are not going
to roll like the Dems did in Florida and not insist that every
vote be counted."
Dunlea noted the Greens' votes for comptroller and attorney
general were higher -- about 46,000 and 48,850, respectively
-- and could even more likely pass 50,000 in the official
count. By that measure, things must really smart for the Right
to Life party -- the unofficial count already puts it at
nearly 59,300 on the comptroller's line and more than 75,000
for attorney general. Trouble is, only the governor's line
counts.
Parties that don't have an automatic ballot slot face the
cumbersome task of circulating nominating petitions for
candidates.
Encouraged by B. Thomas Golisano's support on the
Independence line -- more than 600,000 votes, the highest
after Republican and Democrat, and more than Ross Perot drew
for president in New York in 1996 -- Independence Party
Chairman Frank MacKay is looking to keep the momentum going.
One proposal he plans to offer: allow voters who aren't
enrolled in a party to vote in Independence primaries for
statewide posts.
MacKay's idea is a major departure in New York, where
political parties by law don't let outsiders help select
candidates. But MacKay pointed out that primaries have been
opened to unaffiliated voters, also known as "blanks," in
other states. And, he suggests, it would help the party appeal
more to unaffiliated voters.
"Our party has worked hard to represent not just our
members but all independent-minded voters," he wrote in an
e-mail distributed to party leaders. "It is imperative that we
continue to do so if we wish to distinguish ourselves from the
major parties. "
That's a lot of potential supporters to attract -- more
than 2 million in the state.
MacKay said he plans to put it up for a vote by the party's
state committee in February. If it passes, the party would ask
the state Board of Elections, and, if necessary, the courts,
for the go-ahead.
Compiled by Jay Jochnowitz (454-5424,
jjochnowitz@timesunion.com), James M. Odato (454-5083,
jodato@timesunion.com.) and Elizabeth Benjamin (454-5081,
ebenjamin@timesunion.com)
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