Governor Cuomo Revives Ballot Access Hurdles in Budget Legislation
for immediate release by the LNC on 04/01/2020
Dear Friends and Fellow Libertarians,
Your Right To Vote Libertarian Is ONCE AGAIN Under Attack!
LATEST DEVELOPMENT: A source tells us Andrew Cuomo has SUCCEEDED in inserting the same recommendations into the 2020 New York State Budget to that were created by the unconstitutional “Public Finance Commission” and struck down by Justice Ralph Boniello on March 12, 2020. He rightly tossed out the law that established a “Public Finance Commission” with the purported intent of creating a system of publicly financed campaigns. Its other goal: to destroy the Libertarian Party and other minor parties in New York by changing the state’s ballot access requirements to be among the most restrictive in the nation. Now, Governor Cuomo and the legislature’s leadership are trying to bring the commission’s recommendations BACK TO LIFE by using the current COVID-19 crisis and budget legislation as cover.
Call your representatives in the state Assembly and Senate today and tell them that the legislature must reject the budget legislation based on the Commission’s December 1, 2019 report that undermines a New York voter’s choice of political party. It is essential that this is shot down now, or there may be no more Libertarian Party after November, 2020.
We need you to do the following, now:
1. Look Up The Contact Information For Your Representatives In The NY State Assembly and Senate.
Click here to look up your elected representatives. Enter your full address and then click “submit.” When the window reloads, select the results tab labeled “State” and then scroll down to see your representatives in the Assembly and Senate, along with their contact information. (Note that you may need to close an email signup form in order to see the address lookup box.)
2. Call Your Representatives.
Tell Them: “My name is ________ and I am a constituent of Assembly Member/Senator ___________. I want more political choice in New York State, not less. I am counting on you to demand that the legislature reject the proposal to insert into the budget the Public Campaign Financing Commission’s recommendations making New York’s ballot access laws for grassroots parties like the Libertarian Party among the worst in the nation. NY voters want and deserve diverse political parties that reflect their perspectives.”
3. Email Governor Cuomo, Leader Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Heastie
Click here to email Gov. Cuomo and tell him no!
Email the Leaders of the Legislature:
Speaker of the Assembly Carl Heastie: Speaker@nyassembly.gov
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins: scousins@nysenate.gov
“Dear Gov. Cuomo/Speaker Heastie/Leader Stewart-Cousins,
My name is ________ and I am writing to tell you I just got done calling my representatives in the state legislature to tell them I want more political choice in New York State, not less. As a legislative leader, it’s time for you to reject Gov. Cuomo’s attempt to insert the Public Campaign Finance Commission’s recommendations into the state budget legislation. Those recommendations will make New York’s ballot access for minor parties like the Libertarian Party among the most restrictive in the nation, and create a public financing plan that spends taxpayer dollars needlessly and frivolously at a time when the state cannot afford it. NY voters want and deserve real campaign finance reform and diverse political parties that reflect their perspectives.”
4. Tell Us All About It!
Tell us who you contacted and how it went.
5. Spread the word.
Forward this email or share this page online! Tell them why this must be stopped.
The Libertarian Party of New York is counting on you!
In Liberty,
Jim Rosenbeck
Chair, Interim State Committee
Libertarian Party of New York