Independence Party may be on way out in New York

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – A bill introduced by downstate lawmakers would prohibit political parties from using the words “independent” or “independence” in the names.

READ MORE: KEN LOVETT OF THE N.Y. DAILY NEWS WITH DETAILS ABOUT THE BILL

Essentially, it would force the minor party known as the “Independence Party” to change its name. This party is represented by nearly 500,000 people in New York State, including approximately 28,637 registered voters in Erie County – 4.8 percent of total voters in the county.

Zellner said the Independence Party has had years of corruption and legal problems across New York State.

“I believe many of these peoples are becoming real independent,” Zellner said. “I think what the lawmakers are trying to do here is change the deck chairs on the titanic when we ought to be looking at fusion voting.”

Candidates of the Independence Party rarely, if ever, win a local party. However, votes from that party are tallied in each election because of fusion voting. Zellner, who wrote an op-ed recently in The Buffalo News, called for an end in the practice which cumulates the votes that each candidate gets by being the candidate for multiple parties.

Zellner explained that fusion voting leads to congested ballots.

“The Green Party in New York State refuses to cross-endorse candidates,” Zellner said. “They only run their candidates on the green party line. That’s how it ought to be. If you’re a republican, you’re running on the republican line. Not the (minor party lines). In a functional governmental situation, it’s problematic to a lot of us because it lends to lots of lawsuits for these minor parties.”

Zellner said New York is one of four states left in the country that utilizes fusion voting.

Langworthy said that the bill co-sponsored by James Skoufis is an example of “sour grapes” because he was not endorsed by the independence party.

“I personally support the process that’s in place now,” Langworthy added while noting that county republicans work well with the independence and conservative parties. “The reform party has now gone away because they haven’t gotten enough support for their ballot line. This is sour grapes because they don’t necessarily support the democratic candidates in this community because they haven’t endorsed the candidates the democratic party has put forward.”

Langworthy said fusion voting has not caused problems for voters.