New York's third parties plot their future
ALBANY - Ballots in New York are getting a shakeup.
As a result of last week's elections, the state's third-party landscape is shifting, with two new parties recognized, two recent creations put on life support and ballots getting reorganized.
Libertarian Larry Sharpe's 90,816 votes for governor put him more than 3 million votes behind Democrat Andrew Cuomo, yet he easily surpassed the 50,000 vote threshold needed for his party to earn a spot on the ballot for the next four years. Also bringing home the Election Day consolation prize for the first time was Stephanie Miner, who collected 51,367 votes for the Serve America Movement Party.
They join the ranks of the Democratic, Republican, Conservative, Working Families, Green and Independence parties, as recognized political parties in New York. The designation means they can nominate candidates for statewide offices without collecting signatures from voters, and have a lower threshold for fielding legislative candidates.
Read more: https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/New-York-s-third-parties-plot-their-future-13391378.php