| A quick update on outcomes from the 2020 election for the Green Party in Suffolk County and New York State. There are a number of mail-in ballots that still need to be counted in NY, and counting for those will not start until next week, (as NYS election law requires). We do have some information from the results so far. It does look like the Green Party in NYS, as well as the Libertarian and Independence parties will not retain the automatic ballot line in NY after this election. The move by Andrew Cuomo and the Democratic Party to greatly increase the requirements for ballot status has worked to take away ballot status from any party in NY that did not run a Democrat or Republican for president. This anti-democratic act of voter suppression will be fought, in the courts and in the court of public opinion. To be clear, it does not mean the end of the Green Party. We will continue to work for our values, Non-Violence, Social and Economic Justice, Grassroots Democracy, and Environmental Wisdom, and we will continue to look for good Green candidates to offer an alternative to the two corporate parties. It will increase the requirements to get candidates on our line, and we will pledge to work harder to offer a real choice to voters. Our candidates in Suffolk ran impressive campaigns, particularly in the face of an almost universal media blackout. Harry Burger brought a vastly different perspective to the campaign for Congress in CD2, proposing ideas avoided by the other candidates in that race. Barbara Wagner offered an important alternative to the status quo in her campaign in Senate District 5. In an election earlier this year, James Skidmore ran a close race for Patchogue Trustee, despite being hampered by repeatedly delayed election date, and the ongoing pandemic restrictions on campaigning. We thank these candidates for the efforts and the efforts of all those that worked to support them in their races. Challenging the duopoly is not easy work. We will be looking for candidates for the 2021 races, and while everyone needs a few days to recover, it is not too soon to be thinking about running locally next year. As more information is known, we will keep you updated as to what the Green Party in Suffolk is doing, and ballot status in NY. If you want to get more involved, please contact us. Wishing your peace, Roger Snyder Chair, Green Party of Suffolk |
