Today is Election Day: Multiple Parties; Confused, Bothered and Bewildered?

As you vote and look at the many possible political parties and candidates for everything from Governor to local races to judgeships it can be very confusing.Very!!

These are just some of the parties which are on the ballot: Democratic, Republican, Conservative, Working Families, Women’s Equality, Independence, Green, Stop Common Core, Sapient, Libertarian, Right to Life, Rent is Too Damn High, Tax Revolt, Constitution, Life & Justice and Socialist.

Some are just for state-wide races. Some are for local races. Do we need all of these so called “political parties” cluttering, yes, cluttering our ballot as we go in to vote? Several are just there by state wide candidates to capitalize on one special interest or issue. The Women’s Equality Party and the Stop Common Core “parties” are examples of this. Should we have parties listed which are concerned with only one issue? I have my doubts. My feeling is that the two major parties and their candidates, Republican and Democratic, cover all issues or at least should cover all issues. I do not feel that we as New Yorkers should be voting just on one issue. There are many, many issues which are of major concern to each of us and to our entire borough and city. We also have political parties which are involved in more than one issue such as the Conservative and Working Families Parties. There used to be the Liberal Party. The Working Families Party has pretty much replaced it as the liberal party on the ballot.

This year, there are five gubernatorial candidates on 10 lines. The minor parties are jockeying for the 50,000 votes necessary to be permanent parties for at least the next four years. They are also jockeying to be in what they consider a better position on the ballot. The Green Party headed by Howie Hawkins is looking to get more votes then the Conservative Party and be Column C for the next four years. Column D is the Working Families Party.The Women’s Equality Party is hoping to garner 50,000 votes and become a permanent party on the New York Ballot. Then we have the Sapient Party all the way over on Column H. This party is running Steve Cohen and Bob Kalotee for Governor and Lt. Governor respectively. The main plank of this new party to New York ( It does have a national arty) is instituting a flat income tax for all of New York. Confused, Bothered and Bewildered already? I am!!

Then we have the Independence Party which is a “permanent” party in New York and elsewhere. It is easy for voters to confuse the candidates on this party which has a plaform on many issues with candidates who are truly running independently. I feel that any citizen has the right to be a candidate for any office he or she wants. I do not feel we need all of these minor or third parties cluttering the ballot. I suggest that the 50,000 vote requirement in order to be considered a permanent party be either eliminated totally or that the number of votes be much higher. If a person wants to run as an independent candidate that is fine and I encourage that. I suggest columns be on the ballot listing independent candidates as such and no listing for an Independence Party. Allow the voters to scrutinize the two major parties and the independent candidates withut the confusion of many minor parties.

Some democracies do have multiple parties. The major parties seldom if ever receive a majority. This often causes mayhem as the political parties with the most votes jockey for control by trying to convince minor and often extreme parties to join their coalition and agreeing to some very extreme and very self interest centered goals of the minor parties. We have seen this in Israel, Italy and other nations. I do not feel we need mulitiple parties here in New York or nation wide. Our system might not be perfect but it works. I look forward to input.

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