Independence
to independents: Vote here
By Paul Brooks
Times Herald-Record
pbrooks@th-record.com
New York's independent voters may have
something new to try: voting in a primary.
How, one may ask, does a voter who
intentionally avoided joining a political party get to vote in a
primary?
By invitation.
In this case, the "invitation" will
come from the Independence Party of New York. This is the party
that fielded Tom Golisano against Gov. George Pataki last fall.
According to state Independence Party Chairman
Frank MacKay, it's all perfectly legal and permitted, though he
may yet face a court challenge.
He thinks one of the political parties may try
to stop it.
Non-enrolled voters, also often called
"blanks," will have a place to vote in statewide
primaries, beginning next year. That means these voters, for the
first time, can have a say in a primary for U.S. Senate,
governor, lieutenant governor, comptroller, attorney general.
Across the state, there are 2.5 million voters
who do not belong to any political party. In the mid-Hudson,
they number in the tens of thousands. Ulster County alone has
more than 30,000 non-enrolled voters, more than either the
county Republican or Democratic parties.
The actual vote on the proposal will take
place at the Independence Party's statewide committee meeting
Feb. 1 in Albany.
"It's long overdue and we are thrilled to
be initiating it," MacKay said.
Bill Van Allen of Kingston has been an
advocate of more rights for non-enrolled voters for 10 years.
"I am not expecting this to be
Nirvana," Van Allen said. "But I see it breaking down
the ability of insiders to pick candidates."
Jonathan Jacobson, chairman of the Orange
County Democratic Party, opposes the move. He says it opens the
door for other parties to raid the Independence Party primary by
flooding it with their own supporters.
"It makes no sense," he said.
"If they want to be a political party, then party members
should pick their nominees."
40 Mulberry Street * PO Box 2046 *
Middletown, NY 10940
Telephone 845-341-1100 or 800-295-2181 outside the Middletown,
N.Y., area.
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