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Working Families Party

Electoral strategy

Like other minor parties in the state, the WFP benefits from New York's electoral fusion laws that allow cross-endorsement of a single candidate by multiple parties. This allows sympathetic voters to support a minor party without feeling like they are "wasting" their vote. Usually, the WFP endorses the Democratic Party candidate, but it has occasionally endorsed Republican Party candidates in Westchester, Nassau, and Erie counties, often as a strategy for spurring bi-partisan action on its policy priorities. The party's sometime-position at the balance of electoral power and the threat of Republican endorsement has allowed it to influence the politics of local Democratic candidates and the state Democratic party. The support of the WFP is sometimes quite important in Democratic primaries, especially in areas where the WFP has a lot of volunteers, such as Binghamton.

In unusual cases, the WFP has put forward its own candidates. In the chaotic situation following the assassination of New York City councilman James E. Davis by political rival Othniel Askew, the slain councilman's brother Geoffrey Davis was chosen to succeed him in the Democratic primary. As it became clear that Geoffrey Davis lacked his late brother's political experience, fellow Democrat Letitia James decided to challenge him in the general election on the WFP ticket and won Brooklyn's 35th City Council district as the first third-party candidate elected there in 30 years. In 2003, the WFP had candidates in over 500 races throughout New York State, the majority of them cross-endorsed. As of November 1, 2005, the Working Families Party had 30, 391 enrolled members , who are eligible to vote in party primaries, 0.26% of registered voters statewide.

In 2006, the party began ballot access drives in California , Delaware, Massachusetts , Oregon, and South Carolina. South Carolina is one of the few states, aside from New York, to permit fusion and the Labor Party had also completed a recent ballot access drive there. Oregon's Working Families Party has gained ballot access with the stated goal of creating a New York-style ballot fusion system.

2006 candidates

In South Carolina, WFP cross-endorsed Democratic party congressional nominees Randy Maatta, (District 1) and Lee Ballenger, (District 3). In the SC State House elections, the WFP cross-endorsed Democratic Party candidates Anton Gunn (Kershaw, Richland), Eugene Platt (Charleston). In New York, the WFP cross-endorsed the statewide Democratic Party slate.

In Massachusetts, Rand Wilson won enough votes in the general election for State Auditor to guarantee the Working Families Party ballot access in the following election. Wilson garnered 19% of the vote in the head to head race against Democratic incumbent Joe DeNucci, allowing ballot access in 2008. However the ballot initiative, "question 2", that would allow candidates to be nominated by more than one party failed. The WFP in Massachusetts dubbed the question 2 campaign, "Spinach for Democracy."

2007 victories

The WFP elected two party members to the city council of Hartford, Connecticut.

2008 candidates

On May 10, 2008 the South Carolina Working Families Party convention endorsed five candidates for state and local office. All candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination via the June 10 primary. The convention instructed the incoming party leadership to nominate the eventual Democratic nominees for President and Vice-President. One candidate, Eugene Platt, running SC State House District 115, was also nominated by the South Carolina Green Party. The nomination of Michael Cone for the US Senate race, opposing incumbent Lindsey Graham, marked the first time the party nominated anyone for statewide office.. Cone was defeated by Horry County Republican Committee member Bob Conley in the Democratic Primary. The SCWFP failed to file paperwork with the South Carolina Election Commission confirming Cone's nomination by the September 5, 2008 deadline. Therefore Cone will not appear on the November ballot. Although WFP did not have its own presidential nominee for the 2008 presidential election, Senator Barack Obama was cross-listed on the Working Family Party's ballot line E on the New York State ballot. Oregon's Working Families Party has primarily endorsed Democratic candidates (such as Ben Westlund and Kate Brown) and liberal nonpartisan candidates Brad Avakian and Kitty Piercy, but has used its ballot line to nominate J. Ashlee Albies for Attorney General. Democratic Rep. Chris Murphy of CT-05 was also endorsed by the party, and won reelection.

2009 candidates

For the elections taking place in November, 2009, the WFP has endorsed several candidates for local offices. Among them include Bill Thompson for New York City mayor, and Corey Ellis for Albany mayor.

Platform

The WFP was launched with the agenda of well-paying jobs, affordable housing, accessible health care, better public schools and more investment in public services.

On December 6, 2004, the WFP saw the enactment of one of its highest legislative priorities, an increase in the New York State minimum wage, which it had supported since its inception. On that day, both the State Assembly and the State Senate joined to override Governor George E. Pataki veto of an original bill passed in July, 2004. On January 1, 2005, the state's minimum wage raised to $6.00 an hour from $5.15, before two additional annual steps that will reach $7.15 an hour. Katrina vanden Heuvel at The Nation points out that "For a full-time worker, that's an increase from $10, 700 per year to $14, 900." According to the Drum Major Institute, it is estimated that 500, 000 New Yorkers directly benefited from the wage increase.

Another major platform of the WFP is to defeat the "Rockefeller drug laws" in New York State, remnant from when Nelson Rockefeller was Governor. On election day, November 2, 2004, the WFP contributed largely to the victory of David Soares to Albany County District Attorney. Soares' platform was based on reforming drug policy, while generally taking a less punitive approach to criminal justice. On December 8, 2004, the most significant reform package of the Rockefeller Drug Laws in 30 years was passed by the State legislature and later was signed by Governor Pataki. While failing to advocate for more judicial discretion, drug treatment over incarceration, and retroactive sentencing reform (meaning the ability to apply these changes to those who have already been sentenced), the reforms are applauded by most as a long overdue, good first step. The reforms do effectively reduce minimum sentences for drug charges, and allow for those convicted of such charges to enter medical treatment centers more easily.

Election finance laws controversy

In August 2009, the publication City Hall News raised questions as to whether the WFP pays rent erratically. Political parties are required to pay rent in order to ensure that no party is getting an unfair monetary advantage over others, and the parties are required to report all money paid out for expenditures.

In the same month, various media raised questions about the relationship between the WFP, a non-profit political party, and a for-profit private company called Data and Field Services (DFS). In particular, the New York Times, in an editorial piece, questioned whether DFS may be charging select clients below market rates for political services. This would be a campaign contribution and would need to be reported as such.

2009 - New York Primary voter fraud

Judge Michael Lynch, a New York State Supreme Court judge threw out 33 absentee ballots in the September 15, 2009 Working Families Party primary and found that estimony and affidavits reveal significant election law violations that have compromised the rights of numerous voters and the integrity of the election process...." Trey Smith has been appointed special prosecutor by Rensselaer County Court to look into the allegations.

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Working Families Party

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