New York tightens qualifications on third party’s ability to be on the ballot

[PSOL]

https://theintercept.com/2019/11/25/new-york-cuomo-working-families-party-ballot/

In doing so, state Democrats go against national party leaders, who have spoken out against attempts by the state party to end the WFP’s ballot line. Both party leaders and the WFP say the change would also build a structural advantage for Republicans in swing districts across the state by eliminating the WFP’s margins and boosting numbers for the state’s biggest minor party, the right-leaning Conservative Party.

New York Democratic Party Chair and Public Campaign Finance Commissioner Jay Jacobs’s change would increase by threefold the number of votes political organizations need to qualify as a party. Currently, a party has to petition to get on the ballot, and then receive 50,000 votes in a gubernatorial election in order to qualify as a party for the next four years, without having to go back through the arduous petition process. Jacobs’s latest proposal would raise that threshold to 2 percent of total voter turnout every two years in a gubernatorial and presidential races, or 130,000 votes, whichever is higher. In a typical gubernatorial election, that’s around 130,000 to 150,000 votes. In a presidential race, that’s around 160,000.

The new proposal would go into effect in 2020, which would keep WFP off the ballot in 2022 if they don’t reach the new threshold in 2020. Cuomo is up for reelection in 2022. In that case, the WFP says, it would continue to focus on primary challenges and organizing in the state.

According to the WFP, the move could jeopardize a handful of blue seats in Congress and the state Senate.
WFP New York state director Bill Lipton called the Monday vote a “power grab” and said that “Cuomo and Jay Jacobs were hell-bent on punishing the WFP for our independence.”

[dead0man]

horrible and stupid people are going to do horrible and stupid things

[Fuzzy Bear Loves Christian Missionaries]

horrible and stupid people are going to do horrible and stupid things

This rule needs to not be changed.

While NY has been one of the most restrictive states, politically, with laws that are designed to make it tough to allow challengers ballot access, it now has become a state where minor parties are able to get continuing access by fielding a gubenatorial candidate who can get 50K votes.

Ballot access is a key feature of democracy.  Raising the threshold is convenient for the major parties, but is markedly un-American.

[MarkD]

As usual, NY is up to regulating things too much.

[Tintrlvr]

This seems like a stupid idea that will just result in the WFP getting a few more votes and keeping ballot access, although perhaps it will permanently get rid of the corrupt joke the Independence Party has become.

[Mr. Reactionary]

But ... we were told unified Democrat control isn't about consolidating power.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

The NYDP ing sucks.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

All NY microparties are scams, but the NYDP needs to maintain its status as the biggest scam od them all.

[junior chįmp]

Hitler did this too

[Antonio the Sixth]

horrible and stupid people are going to do horrible and stupid things

[Pyro]

Cuomo's petty revenge politics is only serving to help Republicans in NY.