Qualified New York Parties

In New York State, to qualify for automatic ballot access, a party must have received at least 50,000 votes in the previous gubernatorial election. They need not run their own candidate, they can nominate a different party's nominee, and if 50,000 voters vote for that candidate on their party line, they have qualified. In addition to determining whether they automatically qualify for the next 4 years, this also determines the order on the ballot.

In the 2006 election, 5 parties received at least 50,000 votes, and qualified. They only nominated 2 candidates between them.

In the 2002 election, 3 qualified parties failed to re-qualify. One of these, the Liberal Party, dates back to 1944, and became dormant as a result of this.

In the 1994 election, the Democratic Party received the most votes, and so qualified to be first on the ballot for the next 4 years, even though their candidate, incumbent Governor Mario Cuomo lost. George Pataki beat him because he received more votes combined over all of his party lines.

2006

2002

Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (US)
candidate = George Pataki
votes = 2,085,407
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Carl McCall
votes = 1,443,531
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Independence Party of New York
candidate = B. Thomas Golisano
votes = 654,016
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party of New York
candidate = George Pataki
votes = 176,848
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Working Families Party
candidate = Carl McCall
votes = 90,533
percentage =
change =

1998

Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (US)
candidate = George Pataki
votes = 2,223,264
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Peter Vallone
votes = 1,518,992
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Independence Party of New York
candidate = B. Thomas Golisano
votes = 364,056
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party of New York
candidate = George Pataki
votes = 348,727
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party of New York
candidate = Betsy McCaughey Ross
votes = 77,915
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = New York State Right to Life Party
candidate = Michael Reynolds
votes = 56,683
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party (United States)
candidate = Al Lewis
votes = 52,533
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Working Families Party
candidate = Peter Vallone
votes = 51,325
percentage =
change =

1994

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Mario Cuomo
votes = 2,272,903
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (US)
candidate = George Pataki
votes = 2,156,057
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party of New York
candidate = George Pataki
votes = 328,605
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Independence Party of New York
candidate = B. Thomas Golisano
votes = 217,490
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party of New York
candidate = Mario Cuomo
votes = 92,001
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = New York State Right to Life Party
candidate = Robert T. Walsh
votes = 67,750
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = New York Tax Cut Now Party
candidate = George Pataki
votes = 54,040
percentage =
change =

ee also