The New York State Green and Libertarian Parties applaud the State Supreme Court ruling that stopped the Democratic Party's attempt to assassinate smaller political parties. Justice Ralph Boniello Thursday tossed out the law establishing a commission purportedly set up to create a system of publicly financed campaigns, but instead deviated into attacks on third party and independent candidates. The Judge ruled that the measure creating the panel was "an improper and unconstitutional delegation of legislative authority." Continue reading

Green Party officials said Gov. Cuomo had proposed an austerity budget and that his refusal to adopt truly progressive policies meant working class New Yorkers would continue to suffer. Green officers said now was the time for single-payer, universal health care (New York Health Act) to be passed as it would cover all New Yorkers besides reducing state and local budget expenses, and help permanently close the Medicaid budget gap. Continue reading

December 19, 2019 - Albany - The Green Party of New York announced its four top state legislative priorities for 2019: enact Single-Payer Universal Healthcare through passage of the NY Health Act; move towards a Green New Deal with an initial $10 billion annual investment, a halt to new fossil fuel infrastructure including in homes and buildings, and a declaration of a climate emergency; Marijuana Legalization and Criminal Justice Reform and Electoral Reform, starting with overturning the Public Campaign Finance Reform Commission's ballot access thresholds, reform of the campaign finance system they constructed, alongside ranked-choice voting and proportional representation to ensure democratic elections in New York State.  Listen to the Green's December 19, 2019 press conference (Thanks to The Sanctuary for Independent Media). Continue reading

(Albany NY) Green and Libertarian Party officials announced they will pursue litigation against the anti-democratic changes in ballot access recommended by the Public Campaign Finance Reform Commission. Continue reading

12/3/19 - Green Party officers today said they will have no choice but to pursue litigation against the draconian ballot access thresholds threatened by the Public Campaign Finance Reform Commission if the Legislature fails to remove them.  Continue reading

Albany, NY November 26, 2019 - Green Party leaders said Gov. Cuomo's comments at a press conference today, in which he stated third parties needed to prove their viability before receiving public funding, are not just wrongheaded, but dangerously undemocratic. Officers said that the exact opposite should be true: public campaign financing should aid third parties and candidates in becoming viable. By placing nearly insurmountable barriers to entry to the ballot and public campaign financing Cuomo and the Commissioners expect third parties to run a marathon with a weight attached to their legs, while Democrats and Republicans are driven to the finish line in limos. Continue reading

State Legislators Need to Come to Albany in December to Clean Up Elections Green officials said today the Public Campaign Finance Commission's decision to raise ballot access thresholds to 2% of the vote or 130,000 votes (whichever is greater) for presidential and gubernatorial elections was an anti-democratic decision that would limit voter choice in New York. Continue reading

ALBANY, 11/20/2019 — Green Party of New York (GPNY) officers said today the Public Campaign Finance Commission is making a mockery of democracy, and it appears their secret plan all along has been a bipartisan effort to eliminate third parties and real competition from New York State politics. Continue reading

Green Party officers called the public campaign finance plan taking shape from the Commission a cartel agreement between Democrats and Republicans to protect incumbents and the two-party duopoly. Absurdly high contribution limits, initial matching funds thresholds, the ability to carry over campaign funds from previous cycles, and the specter that third parties will be frozen out make it impossible to imagine this is about increasing competition or grassroots democracy. The Greens called on the Legislature to return in December and alter the Commission's recommendations to create truly democratic campaign finance reform. Continue reading

Albany, October 29, 2019 — Green Party officers said that the plan floated by Campaign Finance Commission co-chair Jay Jacobs to raise the minimum vote total for ballot access to roughly 250,000 votes was an unacceptable attack on real third parties in New York. Party officers said the Commission should instead ban fusion and make ballot access for third parties easier, including allowing any statewide office vote totals to qualify a party. (See NY Times article.) Continue reading