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Initiative to Open Independence
Party Primary to State's 2.2 Million Unaffiliated Voters
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11/21/2002 |
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Sarah Lyons
Media Relations
212-962-1824 / 917-658-9885
Frank MacKay Launches
All Independents Primary:
Initiative to Open Independence Party Primary to New York’s
2.2 Million Unaffiliated Voters
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2002
CONTACT: Sarah Lyons
Ph: 212-962-1824 / 917-658-9885
New York--Fresh off an election cycle which drew record levels
of participation on the party’s Row C, Independence Party
state chairman Frank MacKay has launched an initiative to open
up its primary elections for statewide office to New York’s
2.2 million unaffiliated voters. Unaffiliated voters constitute
20% of the electorate in the state.
After a hard-fought gubernatorial primary that more than tripled
the number of Independence Party primary voters, the general
election saw more New Yorkers voting on the Independence line
than ever before. This year’s gubernatorial total (632,574)
nearly doubled the Independence 1998 statewide vote (365,056).
In addition, Independence drew 217,055 votes for Elliot Spitzer
and 169,397 for John Faso. In a memo circulated last week to the
22 member Executive Committee, MacKay stated:
"New York State now has five ballot status parties: The
Republicans and Democrats are ‘the majors,’ the
Conservatives and the Working Families historically
cross-endorse Republicans and Democrats respectively. The
Independence Party continues to chart an independent course.
This year we polled more votes on our line than any other race
in our history. With this extraordinary level of achievement, I
want to immediately go to work on elevating our role in New York
State politics and increasing the visibility and leverage of our
base - the independent voter. "
Political parties in several other states, notably the
Republican Party of Connecticut, North Carolina and Maryland and
the Democratic Party of Oregon have opened their primaries to
unaffiliated independents. The Democratic Party of Utah open its
primary to all voters even those enrolled in another party.
In 1986, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a state party
organization had the right to let independent voters participate
in its primary and that the state constitution was in violation
of First Amendment rights of free association. (Tashjian vs.
Republican Party of Connecticut, 479 U.S. 208 (1986)).
MacKay stated:
"There are more than two million registered voters in New
York State who are not enrolled in a political party. These
voters are currently left out of a critical phase in the
electoral process - the selection of general election candidates
in party primaries - a price they have been forced to pay in
order to assert their independence from the corruption of a two
party system. We can reward these voters for their independence
by empowering them to participate in our statewide public office
primaries."
The All Independents Primary would open the Independence Party
primary to unaffiliated voters for statewide office -- Governor
and Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Comptroller and U.S.
Senator.
The initiative must be approved by the party’s State Committee
which next meets on February 1, 2003.
# # #
Fact Sheet: The Independence Party and the
All Independents Primary
Independence Party State Chairman Frank MacKay is urging the
Independence Party to open up its statewide public office
primaries to include unaffiliated independents.
Over 2.2 million registered voters in New York State declare no
affiliation with a political party. They represent 20.06% -- one
fifth -- of the total number of registered voters in the state.
11,246,362 total registered voters
2,257,070 unaffiliated voters
Under the MacKay plan, unaffiliated independents would be
eligible to vote in Independence Party primaries for Governor,
Lt. Governor, Comptroller, Attorney General and U.S. Senate.
Political parties in several states, notably the Republican
Party of Connecticut, North Carolina and Maryland and the
Democratic Party of Oregon have opened their primaries to
unaffiliated independents. The Democratic Party of Utah opened
its primary to all voters even those enrolled in another party.
In 1984, the Republican Party of Connecticut changed its party
rules to allow unaffiliated voters to participate in its
primaries for state and federal offices. Challenged by the
Secretary of State, the case traveled up through the legal
system. In 1986, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a state party
organization had the right to let independent voters participate
in its primary and that the state constitution was in violation
of First Amendment rights of free association. (Tashjian vs.
Republican Party of Connecticut, 479 U.S. 208 (1986))
In 1996 California’s Proposition 198 brought into effect the
Open Primary Law, which allowed voters to cast their ballot in
primary elections for any candidate. Called a “blanket”
primary, the Supreme Court ruled in July of 2000 this election
system unconstitutionally infringed on parties’ right to
control their own destinies.
This year, Secretaries of State in West Virginia (Manchin) and
Michigan (Miller), have called for open primaries.
On December 2, 2002 a Federal District Court in Oklahoma will
hear a case wherein the Libertarian Party of Oklahoma is suing
the Secretary of State for preventing the party from opening its
primary to all registered voters.
Independence Party Vote Totals at a Glance
Year Governor
Attorney General
Comptroller
2002 632,574
217,055
169,397
1998 365,050
681,439
168,263 |
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