Governor Cuomo’s attempt to get rid of the Working Families Party has failed. The WFP needed 130,000 votes on the presidential line to maintain its ballot status. It garnered 284,515.
Other third parties were not so fortunate. Neither the Green, Independence or Libertarian party captured over 50,000 votes and will no longer have ballot access.
Saratoga Springs Politics 
The 50,000 vote threshold was the old threshold when the only determinant was the election for Governor every 4 years. The new requirements use both the Presidential election and Governor election (in effect a test every 2 years) and as you noted for the WFP party the number for this election was 130,000. That was the same number required of the other 3rd parties, and the Conservative Party was the only other one to reach that threshold along with the WFP party. In any event you’re correct that the WFP party remains.
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The law increasing threshold was needed and worked as designed. It had not changed in years. The WFP got support and showed it should be a party. While I disagree with the Conservative party the same can be said for them. The Independence Party which stands for nothing and does not even follow its own ideals deserved to go. In our county when you hold a fundraiser on the eve of endorsements and stress to party leaders if you want their endorsement you better send in money is horrid and unAmerican. So in the end justice was served.
For transparency – I am the Chair of the Saratoga County Democratic Committee. My position is my own, but is shared by most of our committee.
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Come on ,Todd, really? It is embarrassing to pretend that there was any rational reason for making it more difficult for third parties to appear on the ballot in NY State. This was nothing more than a naked power move by Cuomo to eliminate the Working Families Party which had given voters a progressive alternative to candidates like himself. Pretending otherwise is to compromise your own credibility. This attempt to put forth any kind of alternative narrative seems suspiciously more about ingratiating yourself with the powers that be within the state Democratic Party hierarchy than with principle.
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It would be nice if people identified themselves. I am sure you have a vested interest too. I testified on this matter and gave the same example if unethical and corrupt practices of the Independence party. If the Governor wanted to get rid of WFP he would have put anti-fusion laws in the budget. FYI, most states don’t allow fusion voting so this position is very common.
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