The Independent View: NY Reform Party Petitions SI Court for November Ballots Revised and Reprinted

A sample of a New York City Ballot, which shows the Reform Party behind the Libertarian and SAM Party (Clifford Michel)

The New York Reform Party wants its Placement on the New York City November Ballot moved Higher. For this reason, the Reform Party petitioned Richmond, Staten Island, County Supreme Court on Thursday to Order the City Board of Elections to Revise and Reprint New York City’s General Election Ballot.

Frank Morano, Chairman of the Staten Island Reform Party, and Curtis Sliwa, Chairman of the State Reform Party filed the Petition on behalf of the Party, argued that the Reform Party should be Ahead of the Libertarian and SAM Party on the Ballot.

Because the Reform Party is already a Recognized Political Party with Ballot Access, New York Election Law says that the Reform Party should be Listed before the Two other Parties, which are considered Independent Bodies, they say in their Petitions.

Ballot Access in the New York is solely determined, every Four years, by the Number of Votes accumulated in the Governor’s Race, and a Party must achieve 50,000 Votes.

Morano said the stakes are high for the Reform Party, which would Lose its Ballot Access if they don’t reach the 50,000 Vote Threshold required to Maintain their Status. “To have two candidates listed ahead of us who are running straight out of the Reform Party playbook in terms of an anti-corruption, anti-Albany message, does so much potential damage to us," said Morano. "And so I don’t see any reason or rational that they should be listed before we are.”

The Reform Party Petitioners must serve the Petition to the City’s Board of Elections by Monday and the Board of Elections has to file an Order to show Cause by Tuesday.

Independent Bodies don’t have the same Responsibilities or Legal and Political Privileges of New York’s Eight Recognized Political Parties that have Ballot Access.

In every other County in New York, except the Five that make up New York City, the Libertarian and SAM Party are Listed After the Reform Party.

The Current New York Parties Ballot Order from the 2014 Governor's Election

Democratic Party (DEM)
Republican Party (REP)
Conservative Party (CON)
Green Party (GRE)
Working Families Party (WOR)
Independence Party (IND)
Women’s Equality Party (WEP)
Reform Party (REF)

In New York City, Ballot Party Lines are in Columns. In the remainder of New York State, Ballot Lines are in Rows. There are 10 Statewide Party Lines in New York this Election. Serve America Movement (SAM) is Ranked Ahead of the Libertarian Party between the Two Petitioning Parties.

New York City Ballots have Six Columns. The first Six Ballot Parties are arrayed Left to Right. The last Four are arrayed Right to Left on the Next Row. This places the 8th Ranked Reform Party to the Right of SAM Party and the Libertarian Party.

Elsewhere in the State there are Nine Rows. That is why SAM and the Libertarians share the 9th Row.

In New York City outside Staten Island, the Four other Counties, Ballots are so Long that they won’t fit in the Scanners. Instead Voters Tear a Ballot Apart on a Perforated Line and Feed the Two Sheets in Separately.