On December 4, 2020, the New York State Board of Elections issued the following:
Election Law § 1-104 provides: “The term ‘party’ means any political organization which, excluding blank and void ballots, at the last preceding election for governor received, at least two percent of the total votes cast for its candidate for governor, or one hundred thirty thousand votes, whichever is greater, in the year in which a governor is elected and at least two percent of the total votes cast for its candidate for president, or one hundred thirty thousand votes, whichever is greater, in a year when a president is elected” (emphasis added). Please note that this is a change from prior years, where the status of a party was only determined during gubernatorial elections. Now, party status is determined during gubernatorial elections and presidential elections.
The recognized political parties appear here, in order: Democratic (DEM); Republican (REP); Conservative (CON), and Working Family (WOR).
Additionally, based upon prior court orders, all county boards are obligated to maintain enrollment lists for certain independent bodies/former parties.
The following former parties meet this criteria: Green (OTH-GRE); Libertarian (OTH-LBT); Independence (OTH-IND); SAM (OTH-SAM); Women’s Equality (OTH-WEP), and Reform (OTH-REF). Note: Any of these independent bodies that do not place a gubernatorial candidate at the next gubernatorial election (or become a party at that election) will come off this list.
These entities are to be tracked as though they are recognized parties, for enrollment report purposes only.