Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Working Families Party 2007 Endorsements

Here's a roundup of the current Working Families Party Endorsements for the 2007 elections. More endorsements are coming, be sure to check back.

WFP Staten Island Club 2007 Endorsements

The Working Families Party Staten Island Club has endorsed Michael J. Ryan in his race for County of Richmond District Attorney. To get involved in this race, contact Theo Moore at 718-222-3796.

WFP Western New York Chapter 2007 Endorsements

Here are the 2007 endorsements from the Working Families Party Western New York Chapter. The Western New York Chapter represents the counties of Cattaraugas, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara. To get involved in these races, contact Louisa Pacheco at 716-697-7616.
  • City of Buffalo Comptroller
    Andrew A. SanFilippo

  • City of Buffalo Council Member Delaware District
    Michael John LoCurto

  • City of Buffalo Council Member Ellicott District
    Bryon J. McIntyre

  • City of Buffalo Council Member Niagara District
    David A. Rivera

  • City of Dunkirk Council Member
    Bob T. George

  • City of Elmira Council Member District 6
    James E. Hare

  • City of Elmira Mayor
    John Tonello

  • City of Jamestown Council Member At Large
    Gregory Peter Rabb

  • City of Jamestown Council Member Ward 1
    Stephen F. Szwejbka

  • City of Jamestown Council Member Ward 3
    Michael Alexander Taylor

  • City of Jamestown Council Member Ward 4
    Vincent DeJoy III

  • City of Jamestown Council Member Ward 5
    Maria B. Jones

  • City of Jamestown Council Member Ward 6
    Paul D. Whitford

  • City of Jamestown Mayor
    Samuel Teresi

  • City of Lackawanna City Court Judge (Ten Year Term)
    Frederic Marrano

  • City of Lackawanna Council President
    Charles Jaworski

  • City of Lackawanna Councilman 4th Ward
    Joseph J. Schiavi

  • City of Lackawanna Mayor
    Norman L. Polanski Jr.

  • City of Lockport Alderperson Ward 3
    Flora M. McKenzie

  • City of Lockport Alderperson Ward 4
    Patrick W. Schrader Sr.

  • City of Lockport Alderperson Ward 5
    John Lombardi III

  • City of Lockport Mayor
    Michael William Tucker

  • City of Lockport Treasurer
    Michael E. White

  • City of Niagara Falls City Court Judge
    Robert Merino

  • City of Niagara Falls Council Member
    Nicholas Ligammari Jr.

  • City of Niagara Falls Mayor
    Paul A. Dyster

  • City of North Tonawanda Alderperson
    David J. Burgio Sr.

  • City of North Tonawanda Alderperson District 9
    Anthony J. DiBernardo

  • City of North Tonawanda Council Member District 10
    Kevin John Brick Jr.

  • City of Tonawanda City Attorney
    Ronald C. Trabucco

  • City of Tonawanda City Treasurer
    Joseph M. Hogenkamp

  • City of Tonawanda Councilmember 1st Ward
    Colleen R. Perkins

  • City of Tonawanda Councilmember 2nd Ward
    Gary C. Waterhouse

  • City of Tonawanda Councilmember 3rd Ward
    James P. Kossow

  • City of Tonawanda Councilmember 4th Ward
    Rick D. Davis Jr.

  • City of Tonawanda President of the Common Council
    Carleton R. Zeisz

  • County of Cattaraugus County Legislator District 10
    Linda L. Witte, John J. Padlo

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 1
    Keith David Ahlstrom

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 10
    Wally J. Huckno Sr.

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 11
    Victoria Renee James

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 12
    Charles Franklin Cornell

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 13
    Tina Marie Hallquist

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 15
    Maria M. Kindberg

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 16
    James J. Ventura

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 18
    Rudy Mueller

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 20
    Elizabeth Marie Starks

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 21
    C. Ronald Vahl

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 23
    Thomas Dejoe

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 24
    David F. Kleparek

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 25
    Stephen W. Keefe

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 4
    David Thomas Wilder

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 6
    Rebecca White

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 8
    Robert L. Anderson

  • County of Chautauqua County Legislator District 9
    Kenneth B. Brentley

  • County of Erie County Clerk (To Fill Vacancy)
    Kathy Courtney Hochul

  • County of Erie County Court Judge
    James McLeod

  • County of Erie County Executive
    James P. Keane

  • County of Erie County Legislator 10th District
    Michele M. Iannello

  • County of Erie County Legislator 11th District
    Lynn M. Marinelli

  • County of Erie County Legislator 12th District
    Robert B. Reynolds Jr.

  • County of Erie County Legislator 13th District
    Suzann M. Cushman

  • County of Erie County Legislator 14th District
    Thomas A. Loughran

  • County of Erie County Legislator 15th District
    Michael James Robitaille

  • County of Erie County Legislator 1st District
    Daniel M. Kozub

  • County of Erie County Legislator 2nd District
    Timothy M. Kennedy

  • County of Erie County Legislator 3rd District
    Barbara Miller-Williams

  • County of Erie County Legislator 6th District
    Maria R. Whyte

  • County of Erie County Legislator 7th District
    Betty Jean Grant

  • County of Erie County Legislator 8th District
    Deborah S. Kubiak

  • County of Erie County Legislator 9th District
    Timothy M. Wroblewski

  • County of Niagara Clerk
    Wayne F. Jagow Jr.

  • County of Niagara Coroner
    James M. Joyce

  • County of Niagara Coroner Fourth District
    Robert DuBois Jr.

  • County of Niagara County Legislator District 1
    Richard A. Marasco

  • County of Niagara County Legislator District 10
    Joseph Andrew Rich

  • County of Niagara County Legislator District 11
    Scott Andrew Schultz

  • County of Niagara County Legislator District 12
    Jerry Mosey

  • County of Niagara County Legislator District 14
    Kyle R Andrews

  • County of Niagara County Legislator District 15
    Harry James Apolito

  • County of Niagara County Legislator District 16
    William Keith McNall

  • County of Niagara County Legislator District 18
    Merrill S. Bender

  • County of Niagara County Legislator District 2
    Renae Kimble

  • County of Niagara County Legislator District 3
    Mario P. Tonellato

  • County of Niagara County Legislator District 4
    Dennis Virtuoso

  • County of Niagara County Legislator District 5
    Sean J. O'Connor

  • County of Niagara County Legislator District 6
    Robert Samuel LaBarbera

  • County of Niagara County Legislator District 7
    Roger Louis Chenez

  • County of Niagara County Legislator District 8
    Charles Joseph Naughton

  • County of Niagara County Legislator District 9
    Edward T. McDonald

  • County of Niagara Family Court Judge
    Linda M. DiPasquale

  • Town of Alabama Highway Superintendent
    Robert Kehlenbeck

  • Town of Albion Supervisor
    Judith Ann Koehler

  • Town of Amherst Councilman
    Mark A. Manna, Jerome D. Schad, Bill Kindel

  • Town of Amherst Highway Superintendent
    Robert Anderson

  • Town of Amherst Town Justice
    Geoffrey K. Klein

  • Town of Aurora Councilman
    Gregory Szematowicz

  • Town of Aurora Supervisor
    Allan A. Kasprzak

  • Town of Boston Councilman
    James E. Pluta, Cathy A. Maghran

  • Town of Boston Town Clerk
    David J. Shenk

  • Town of Brant Councilman
    Daniel B. Kujawinski

  • Town of Brant Town Clerk
    Diane M. Czyz

  • Town of Brant Town Justice
    Debra A. Ritz

  • Town of Chautauqua Council Member
    James V. Kurtz

  • Town of Chautauqua Supervisor
    Donald D. Emhardt

  • Town of Cheektowaga Councilman
    Richard James Maisano

  • Town of Cheektowaga Town Justice
    Thomas S. Kolbert

  • Town of Clarence Councilman
    Timothy B. Pazda

  • Town of Clarence Supervisor
    Scott A. Bylewski

  • Town of Concord Councilman
    Raymond R. Hubert, Mark I. Adamchick

  • Town of Eden Assesor
    Sharon A. Brockman

  • Town of Eden Councilman
    Glenn McLaughin

  • Town of Eden Town Justice
    Melissa L. Zittel

  • Town of Ellery Supervisor
    Patrick l. Lucariello

  • Town of Elma Councilman
    Michael J. Fanelli, John E. Dudek

  • Town of Elma Supervisor
    Donald E. Przybyl

  • Town of Elma Town Justice
    Joseph A. Sakowski

  • Town of Evans Councilman
    Thomas A. Partridge, Charles P. Militello

  • Town of Evans Supervisor
    Francis J. Pordum

  • Town of Grand Island Clerk
    Patricia A. Frentzel

  • Town of Hamburg Councilman
    Vincent R. Gugliuzza, Richard A. Smith

  • Town of Hamburg Town Clerk
    Catherine A. Rybczynski

  • Town of Hanover Clerk
    Janine L. Salzman

  • Town of Hanover Council Member
    Kevin K. O'Connell

  • Town of Hanover Highway Superintendent
    Gerald M. Olsen Jr.

  • Town of Hanover Supervisor
    Dana Albert Tietz

  • Town of Lancaster Councilman
    Donna G. Stempniak

  • Town of Lancaster Town Clerk
    Johanna M. Coleman

  • Town of Lancaster Town Justice
    Mark A. Montour

  • Town of Lewiston Board Member
    Mark V. Sarro

  • Town of Lewiston Council Member
    Michael A. Johnson

  • Town of Lewiston Supervisor
    Ronald Robert Winkley

  • Town of Lockport Council Member
    Paul W. Siejak

  • Town of Newfane Board Member
    Michelle Joy Wheeler

  • Town of Newstead Councilman
    Justin M. Rooney, Cheryl M. Esposito

  • Town of Newstead Supervisor
    David L. Cummings

  • Town of Newstead Town Justice
    Richard C. Baran

  • Town of Niagara Council Member
    Robert E. Herman Sr., Robert Allen Clark

  • Town of North Collins Town Clerk
    Margaret J. Orrange

  • Town of Orchard Park Councilman
    Deborah L. Yeomans, Anne Marie C. McManus

  • Town of Poland Highway Superintendent
    Larry Ralph Mee

  • Town of Pomfret Council Member
    Michael C. Barris

  • Town of Royalton Board Member
    James G. Budde

  • Town of Royalton Highway Superintendent
    Carson James Kelley

  • Town of Sardinia Councilman
    Darren J. Farthing

  • Town of Somerset Assesor
    John Henry Keough

  • Town of Somerset Council Member
    Richard N. Ray Jr., Randall J Wayner

  • Town of Somerset Receiver of Taxes
    Ruth H. Wendler

  • Town of Somerset Supervisor
    John Edward Sweeney Jr.

  • Town of Tonawanda Councilman
    Daniel J. Crangle

  • Town of Tonawanda Supervisor
    Anthony F. Caruana

  • Town of Tonawanda Town Clerk
    Melissa M. Brinson

  • Town of Tonawanda Town Justice
    John J. Flynn, J. Mark Gruber

  • Town of West Seneca Councilman
    Sheila M. Meegan, Dale F. Clarke

  • Town of West Seneca Supervisor
    Christina Wleklinski-Bove

  • Town of Wheatfield Clerk
    Mary Catherine Joyce

  • Town of Wheatfield Council Member
    Samuel Conti Jr.

  • Village of Kenmore Mayor
    Patrick Mang

  • Village of Kenmore Trustee
    R. Timothy McCarthy

WFP Westchester-Putnam Chapter 2007 Endorsements

Here are the 2007 endorsements from the Working Families Party Westchester-Putnam Chapter. To get involved in these races, contact Pat Welsh at 718-222-3796.
  • City of New Rochelle Council Member District 1
    Susan I. Kettner

  • City of New Rochelle Council Member District 2
    Albert A. Tarantino Jr.

  • City of New Rochelle Council Member District 3
    James Count Stowe

  • City of New Rochelle Council Member District 4
    Roberto Lopez

  • City of New Rochelle Council Member District 6
    Marianne L. Sussman

  • City of New Rochelle Mayor
    Noam Bramson

  • City of Peekskill Council Member
    Patricia Riley, Joseph V. Schuder, Donald Francis Bennett Jr.

  • City of Peekskill Mayor
    Mary F. Foster

  • City of White Plains Council Member
    Dennis J. Power, Benjamin Boykin 2ND, Milagros Lecuona

  • City of Yonkers City Court Judge
    Mary Anne Scattaretico-Naber

  • City of Yonkers Council Member District 1
    Patricia D. McDow

  • City of Yonkers Council Member District 5
    Jodi Mosiello

  • City of Yonkers Mayor
    Dennis Michael Robertson

  • County of Putnam County Legislator District 5
    Gerard V. Furey

  • County of Westchester County Court Judge
    James Hubert, Barbara Zambelli

  • County of Westchester County Legislator District 10
    Vito J. Pinto

  • County of Westchester County Legislator District 12
    Thomas J. Abinanti

  • County of Westchester County Legislator District 14
    Bernice Spreckman

  • County of Westchester County Legislator District 16
    Ken Jenkins

  • County of Westchester County Legislator District 17
    Jose I. Alvarado

  • County of Westchester County Legislator District 2
    Peter B. Harckham

  • County of Westchester County Legislator District 3
    John Nonna

  • County of Westchester County Legislator District 4
    Michael B. Kaplowitz

  • County of Westchester County Legislator District 5
    William J. Ryan

  • County of Westchester County Legislator District 6
    Martin L. Rogowsky

  • County of Westchester County Legislator District 7
    Judy Myers

  • County of Westchester County Legislator District 9
    William E. Burton

  • County of Westchester Family Court Judge
    Janet Jordan

  • Town of Cortlandt Council Member
    Richard H. Becker

  • Town of Cortlandt Town Justice
    Anthony M. Giordano

  • Town of Greenburgh Council Member
    Steven Bass, Sonja M. Brown

  • Town of Greenburgh Supervisor
    Suzanne Berger

  • Town of Greenburgh Town Justice
    Doris T. Friedman

  • Town of Kent Council Member District 4
    Joseph Andrew D'Ambrosio

  • Town of Kent Council Member District 6
    Paul Spiegel

  • Town of Lewisboro Council Member
    Daniel Xavier Welsh

  • Town of Lewisboro Councilman District 6
    Bruce Pavalow

  • Town of Lewisboro Supervisor
    Edward W. Brancati

  • Town of North Castle Councilman
    Kevin C. Eccleston

  • Town of Ossining Council Member
    Martha L. Dodge

  • Town of Ossining Town Justice
    Edwin S. Shapiro

  • Town of Patterson Board Member
    Patricia E. Ploeger

  • Town of Patterson Town Justice
    Scott Auster

  • Town of Putnam Valley Supervisor
    Wendy M. Whetsel

  • Town of Rye Council Member
    Michael J. Borrelli, Dominick Lagana

  • Town of Rye Highway Superintendent
    Vincent A. Sapione

  • Town of Rye Receiver of Taxes
    Nicholas C. Mecca

  • Town of Rye Supervisor
    Robert A. Morabito II

  • Town of Rye Town Justice
    Anthony M. Provenzano

  • Town of Southeast Highway Superintendent At Large
    Michael L Fila Sr.

  • Town of Yorktown Council Member
    Nicholas J. Bianco, James J. Martorano

  • Town of Yorktown Supervisor
    Donald Scott Peters

  • Town of Yorktown Town Justice
    Ilan D. Gilbert

  • Town/Village of Harrison Clerk
    Frank A. Acocella

  • Town/Village of Harrison Council Member/Trustee
    Robert C. Paladino, Patrick A. Vetere

  • Town/Village of Harrison Mayor/Supervisor
    Joan B. Walsh

  • Town/Village of Harrison Town Justice
    Ronald Bianchi, Marc Lust

WFP Suffolk Chapter 2007 Endorsements

Here are the 2007 endorsements from the Working Families Party Suffolk Chapter. To get involved in these races, contact Joe Berry at 718-222-3796.
  • County of Suffolk County Executive
    Steve Levy

  • County of Suffolk County Legislator 11th Legislative District
    Thomas Francis Barraga

  • County of Suffolk County Legislator 12th Legislative District
    John Michael Kennedy Jr.

  • County of Suffolk County Legislator 14th Legislative District
    Wayne R. Horsley

  • County of Suffolk County Legislator 15th Legislative District
    Elie Mystal

  • County of Suffolk County Legislator 16th Legislative District
    Steven H. Stern

  • County of Suffolk County Legislator 17th Legislative District
    Louis D'Amaro

  • County of Suffolk County Legislator 18th Legislative District
    Jon Cooper

  • County of Suffolk County Legislator 1st Legislative District
    No Endorsement aaendli
  • County of Suffolk County Legislator 2nd Legislative District
    Jay H. Schneiderman

  • County of Suffolk County Legislator 3rd Legislative District
    Kate M. Browning

  • County of Suffolk County Legislator 4th Legislative District
    Brian J. Beedenbender

  • County of Suffolk County Legislator 5th Legislative District
    Vivian M. Viloria-Fisher

  • County of Suffolk County Legislator 6th Legislative District
    Bryan Lilly

  • County of Suffolk County Legislator 7th Legislative District
    No Endorsement aaendli
  • County of Suffolk County Legislator 8th Legislative District
    William Lindsay

  • County of Suffolk County Legislator 9th Legislative District
    Ricardo Montano

  • County of Suffolk District Court Judge 2nd District
    No Endorsement aaendli
  • County of Suffolk District Court Judge 6th District
    William A. DeVore, Chris Ann Kelley

  • County of Suffolk Family Court Judge
    Theresa Whelan

  • Town of Babylon Councilman
    Jacqueline A. Gordon, Ellen T. McVeety

  • Town of Brookhaven Council Member District 1
    No Endorsement aaendli
  • Town of Brookhaven Council Member District 2
    Bill Shilling

  • Town of Brookhaven Council Member District 3
    Kevin L. Hyms

  • Town of Brookhaven Council Member District 4
    Constance M. Kepert

  • Town of Brookhaven Council Member District 5
    Jack N. Fath

  • Town of Brookhaven Council Member District 6
    Edward J. Hennessey

  • Town of Brookhaven Highway Superintendent
    John H. Rouse

  • Town of Brookhaven Receiver of Taxes
    Louis J. Marcoccia

  • Town of Brookhaven Supervisor
    Brian X. Foley

  • Town of East Hampton Councilman
    Bill Gardiner

  • Town of East Hampton Supervisor
    William J. Wilkinson

  • Town of East Hampton Councilman
    Peter J. Hammerle

  • Town of East Hampton Supervisor
    William J. Wilkinson

  • Town of East Hampton Town Justice
    Steven Tekulsky

  • Town of Huntington Councilman
    Susan A. Berland, Glenda D. Adams-Jackson

  • Town of Islip Councilman
    John H. Edwards, Gene Parrington

  • Town of Islip Receiver of Taxes
    Deborah L. Slinkosky

  • Town of Islip Supervisor
    Phil Nolan

  • Town of Riverhead Assesor
    Robert B. Gottschalk Jr.

  • Town of Riverhead Councilman
    George M. Bartunek, Amy L. Csorny

  • Town of Riverhead Highway Superintendent
    George 'Gio' Woodson

  • Town of Riverhead Receiver of Taxes
    Michael K Roth

  • Town of Riverhead Supervisor
    Philip J. Cardinale

  • Town of Riverhead Town Justice
    Robert Lowery

  • Town of Shelter Island Assesor
    Albert F. Hammond

  • Town of Shelter Island Councilman
    Karen K. Moran, Glenn W. Waddington

  • Town of Shelter Island Supervisor
    James Dougherty

  • Town of Smithtown Councilman
    Thomas P. Cleere, Bruce Jay Ettenberg

  • Town of Southampton Councilman
    Sandra L. Dunn, Anna E. Throne-Holst

  • Town of Southampton Receiver of Taxes
    Bruce A. King

  • Town of Southampton Supervisor
    James S. Henry

  • Town of Southampton Town Justice
    Andrea H. Schiavoni

  • Town of Southold Councilman
    William P. Edwards, Daniel C. Ross

  • Town of Southold Supervisor
    No Endorsement aaendli
  • Town of Southold Trustee
    Bob Ghosio Jr.

WFP Southern Tier Chapter 2007 Endorsements

Here are the 2007 endorsements from the Working Families Party Southern Tier Chapter. To get involved in these races, contact Eileen Hamlin at 607-775-1758.
  • City of Binghamton Council Member District 1
    Bob Weslar

  • City of Binghamton Council Member District 2
    Martin J. Gerchman

  • City of Binghamton Council Member District 6
    Charles E. Kramer

  • City of Binghamton Council Member District 8
    Edward Collins

  • City of Oneonta Alderperson District 4
    Mike E. Lynch

  • County of Broome County Court Judge
    Joseph Cawley

  • County of Otsego County Legislator District 7
    Philip Anthony Durkin

  • Town of Cherry Valley Council Member
    Mark D. Cornwell

  • Town of Vestal Supervisor
    Barry L. Klipsch

  • Village of Endicott Trustee
    Frank J. Flint

  • Village of Endicott Village Justice
    Theo Totolis

Monday, July 16, 2007

WFP Rockland County Chapter 2007 Endorsements

Here are the 2007 endorsements from the Working Families Party Rockland County Chapter. To get involved in these races, contact Tom Stoner at 504-220-3766.
  • County of Rockland County Legislator District 1
    John L. Kezek

  • County of Rockland County Legislator District 10
    Harriet D. Cornell

  • County of Rockland County Legislator District 11
    John J. Mangan Jr.

  • County of Rockland County Legislator District 12
    Withers Joseph Withers

  • County of Rockland County Legislator District 14
    Vijayendranath P. Pradhan

  • County of Rockland County Legislator District 17
    Connie L. Coker II

  • County of Rockland County Legislator District 3
    Jay Hood Jr.

  • County of Rockland County Legislator District 4
    Ilan S. Schoenberger

  • County of Rockland County Legislator District 5
    John Christos Fellas

  • County of Rockland County Legislator District 6
    Bruce M. Levine

  • County of Rockland County Legislator District 8
    William L. Darden

  • County of Rockland District Attorney
    Thomas Patrick Zugibe

  • County of Rockland Sheriff
    Tim O'Neill

  • Town of Clarkstown Clerk
    David S. Carlucci

  • Town of Clarkstown Council Member
    Shirley Lasker, Frank Borelli

  • Town of Clarkstown Highway Superintendent
    Bill McCue

  • Town of Clarkstown Justice
    Joel Flick

  • Town of Clarkstown Supervisor
    Alexander J. Gromack

  • Town of Clarkstown Town Justice
    Howard Gerber

  • Town of Haverstraw Highway Superintendent
    Frank H. Brooks

  • Town of Haverstraw Supervisor
    Howard T. Phillips Jr.

  • Town of Haverstraw Town Justice
    Thomas Walsh II, Peter Branti Jr.

  • Town of Orangetown Council Member
    Michael Maturo

  • Town of Orangetown Judge
    Paul Phinney III

  • Town of Orangetown Supervisor
    Thom Kleiner

  • Town of Ramapo Council Member
    Frances M. Hunter, Edward Friedman

  • Town of Stony Point Clerk
    Joan Skinner

  • Village of Haverstraw Mayor
    Michael F. Kohut

  • Village of Haverstraw Trustee
    Thomas L. Watson Jr., Rafael Bueno

  • Village of Haverstraw Village Justice
    Ronald De Caprio

  • Village of West Haverstraw Mayor
    Edward P. Zugibe Sr.

  • Village of West Haverstraw Trustee
    Joseph A. Denise Jr., Frances R. Nardi

  • Village of West Haverstraw Village Justice
    John Grant

WFP North Country Chapter 2007 Endorsements

Here are the 2007 endorsements from the Working Families Party North Country Chapter. The North Country Chapter represents the counties of Jefferson, St. Lawrence, Franklin, Clinton, Essex and Hamilton. To get involved in these races, contact Alex Rabb at 718-222-3796.
  • City of Plattsburgh Council Member Ward 1
    Timothy R. Carpenter

  • City of Plattsburgh Council Member Ward 2
    Mike Kelly

  • City of Plattsburgh Council Member Ward 6
    Chris Jackson

  • County of Clinton County Legislator District 5
    Keith Marvin Defayette

  • County of Clinton County Legislator District 9
    John William Gallagher

  • County of Clinton Treasurer
    Kimberly Kleist

  • County of Jefferson County Legislator District 11
    Doris C. McLallen

  • County of Jefferson County Legislator District 3
    Dean T. Morrow

  • County of Jefferson County Legislator District 5
    Cindy McNultry Ross

  • County of St. Lawrence Sheriff
    Gus Burns

  • Town of Beekmantown Council Member
    Sharron Garden

  • Town of Beekmantown Highway Superintendent
    Samuel R. Dyer

  • Town of Chazy Council Member
    Christopher W Latremore

  • Town of Macomb Town Justice
    Lafayette Young Jr.

  • Town of Madrid Board Member
    Bill Tyndall

  • Town of Massena Council Member
    John Martin Wicke

  • Town of Morristown Board Member
    Christopher B. T. Coffin

  • Town of Plattsburgh Clerk
    Amy Lynn Duquette

  • Town of Plattsburgh Council Member
    Tom Wood

  • Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor
    Bernard Charles Bassett

  • Town of Plattsburgh Town Justice
    Randa Buompensiero-Filion

  • Town of Rutland Supervisor
    Ronald H. Cole

  • Town of Saranac Supervisor
    Joe Gerardi

WFP Nassau District Chapter 2007 Endorsements

Here are the 2007 endorsements from the Working Families Party Nassau Chapter. To get involved in these races, contact Saba Debesu at 718-222-3796.
  • City of Long Beach Council Member
    Robert Tepper, Gina T. Guma, Lawrence Benowitz

  • County of Nassau County Court Judge
    John M. Galasso, Jerald S. Carter

  • County of Nassau County Court Judge
    Norman St. George

  • County of Nassau County Legislator District 1
    Kevan Abrahams

  • County of Nassau County Legislator District 10
    Judi R. Bosworth

  • County of Nassau County Legislator District 11
    Wayne H. Wink Jr.

  • County of Nassau County Legislator District 13
    John Rossi

  • County of Nassau County Legislator District 14
    David L. Mejias

  • County of Nassau County Legislator District 15
    John Michael Clark

  • County of Nassau County Legislator District 16
    Judith A. Jacobs

  • County of Nassau County Legislator District 17
    Edward P. Mangano

  • County of Nassau County Legislator District 18
    Diane Yatauro

  • County of Nassau County Legislator District 19
    David W. Denenberg

  • County of Nassau County Legislator District 2
    Roger H. Corbin

  • County of Nassau County Legislator District 3
    Ali A. Mirza

  • County of Nassau County Legislator District 4
    Denise Ford

  • County of Nassau County Legislator District 5
    Joseph Kenneth Scannell

  • County of Nassau County Legislator District 7
    Jeffrey W. Toback

  • County of Nassau County Legislator District 8
    Michael Uhl

  • County of Nassau District Court Judge 2nd District (Hempstead)
    Robert Spergel

  • County of Nassau District Court Judge 3rd District (North Hempstead)
    Erica Prager, David Goodsell

  • County of Nassau Family Court Judge
    Edmund Dane, Amy Rood

  • Town of Hempstead Clerk
    Mark A. Bonilla

  • Town of Hempstead Council Member District 2
    N. Scott Banks

  • Town of Hempstead Council Member District 5
    Robert S. Young

  • Town of Hempstead Receiver of Taxes
    Donald X. Clavin Jr.

  • Town of North Hempstead Clerk
    Leslie C. Gross

  • Town of North Hempstead Council Member District 2
    Thomas Kennedy Dwyer

  • Town of North Hempstead Council Member District 4
    Maria-Christina Poons

  • Town of North Hempstead Council Member District 6
    Fred L. Pollack

  • Town of North Hempstead Receiver of Taxes
    Rocco Iannarelli

  • Town of North Hempstead Supervisor
    Jon Kaiman

  • Town of Oyster Bay Council Member
    Anthony David Macagnone

  • Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor
    John Venditto

  • Town of Oyster Bay Council Member
    Keith Scalia

  • Town of Oyster Bay Receiver of Taxes
    Marie F. McCormack

WFP Mid-Hudson Valley Chapter 2007 Endorsements

Here are the 2007 endorsements from the Working Families Party Mid-Hudson Valley Chapter. The Mid-Hudson Valley Chapter represents the counties of Ulster, Dutchess, Orange and Sullivan. To get involved in these races, contact Tim Mathews at 585-506-7745.
  • City of Beacon Council Member At Large
    Lee Kyriacou

  • City of Beacon Council Member Ward 2
    Charles Patrick Kelly

  • City of Beacon Council Member Ward 4
    Sara Jane Pasti

  • City of Beacon Mayor
    Steve Keith Gold

  • City of Kingston Alderperson Ward 2
    Jennifer Ann Ringwood

  • City of Kingston Alderperson Ward 3
    Charles Landi

  • City of Kingston Alderperson Ward 4
    Matthew G. Ryan

  • City of Kingston Alderperson Ward 5
    Ann Marie DiBella

  • City of Kingston Alderperson Ward 6
    Robert W. Gillon

  • City of Kingston Alderperson Ward 7
    William P. Reynolds

  • City of Kingston Alderperson Ward 8
    Robert L. Senor

  • City of Kingston Mayor
    James M. Sottile

  • City of Middletown Alderman 1st Ward
    Maxine Leigh Meyer

  • City of Newburgh Council Member
    Marge Bell

  • City of Poughkeepsie Common Council Member Ward 1
    Thomas E. Parise

  • City of Poughkeepsie Common Council Member Ward 2
    Erik Haight

  • City of Poughkeepsie Common Council Member Ward 3
    Robert L. Mallory Jr.

  • City of Poughkeepsie Common Council Member Ward 4
    Brian Doyle

  • City of Poughkeepsie Common Council Member Ward 5
    Penny Lewis

  • City of Poughkeepsie Common Council Member Ward 6
    Mary S. Solomon

  • City of Poughkeepsie Common Council Member Ward 7
    Gwendolyn C Johnson

  • City of Poughkeepsie Common Council Member Ward 8
    Dennis G. Weinel

  • City of Poughkeepsie Mayor
    Fred Knapp

  • County of Dutchess Clerk
    Richard M. Anderson

  • County of Dutchess County Executive
    Joseph Ruggiero

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 11
    Joel Tyner

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 13
    William F. McCabe

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 14
    Sandra Goldberg

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 15
    Roger P. Higgins

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 18
    Ronald S. Ray

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 19
    Richard A. Hermans

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 2
    Susan Tooker

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 20
    Susan Goldstein

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 22
    Matthew James Hanson

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 24
    Peter G. Wassell

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 25
    Margaret G. Fettes

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 4
    Diane Nash

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 5
    Richard F. Keller-Coffey

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 6
    Frederick Bunnell

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 7
    Dan Kuffner

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 8
    Jane Smith

  • County of Dutchess County Legislator District 9
    Steve White

  • County of Sullivan Clerk
    Neil M. Gilberg

  • County of Sullivan County Legislator District 1
    Patrick Joseph Harrison

  • County of Sullivan County Legislator District 2
    Kathleen Mary LaBuda

  • County of Sullivan County Legislator District 3
    Elwin M. Wood

  • County of Sullivan County Legislator District 6
    Peter Frederick Gozza

  • County of Sullivan County Legislator District 7
    Mark J. Sherman

  • County of Sullivan County Legislator District 9
    Sam Wohl

  • County of Sullivan Sullivan County Judge and Surrogate
    Cindy Barber

  • County of Ulster County Legislator District 10
    Susan E. Zimet, Hector Samuel Rodriguez

  • County of Ulster County Legislator District 12
    David Donaldson

  • County of Ulster County Legislator District 2
    Donald J. Gregorius, Brian Shapiro

  • County of Ulster County Legislator District 3
    Robert S. Parete, Richard A. Parete, Peter George Kraft Jr.

  • County of Ulster County Legislator District 4
    Joshua Paul Boughton, Joseph P. Roberti Jr., Gary Bischoff, Bonni Nechemias

  • County of Ulster County Legislator District 5
    Brian B. Cahill

  • County of Ulster County Legislator District 6
    Jeanette Provenzano, Frank R. Dart

  • County of Ulster County Legislator District 7
    Sal Silvestro, Philip C. Terpening, Alan Lomita

  • County of Ulster County Legislator District 8
    Tracey Bartels, Tim Hunter

  • County of Ulster District Attorney
    Jonathan R. Sennett

  • Town of Amenia Council Member
    Glenn Caldarelli, Joel E. Pelkey

  • Town of Amenia Supervisor
    Wayne M. Euvrard

  • Town of Bethel Council Member
    Janet M. Scherf

  • Town of Bethel Supervisor
    Daniel Sturm

  • Town of Blooming Grove Supervisor
    Victor Quinton

  • Town of Callicoon Board Member
    Sonja Hedlund

  • Town of Cornwall Supervisor
    James Anthony Sollami

  • Town of Deerpark Supervisor
    Mark David House

  • Town of East Fishkill Clerk
    Lisa M. LaPine

  • Town of East Fishkill Highway Superintendent
    David Neil LaPine

  • Town of Esopus Council Member
    Stephanie R. Aivaz

  • Town of Esopus Highway Superintendent
    Michael Joseph Cafaldo Sr.

  • Town of Esopus Receiver of Taxes
    Susan M. Carnes

  • Town of Esopus Supervisor
    Deborah Silvestro

  • Town of Esopus Town Justice
    Sarah Rakov

  • Town of Fallsburg Supervisor
    Kenneth Michael DeMars

  • Town of Fallsburg Town Council (Four Year Term)
    Kevin Austin McDaniel, Ada E. Cole

  • Town of Fallsburg Town Council (Unexpired Four Year Term)
    Deborah Chandler

  • Town of Fishkill Board Member
    Patricia Susan Fleming

  • Town of Fishkill Supervisor
    David E. Eberle

  • Town of Fishkill Town Justice
    Linda Lebensold

  • Town of Highland Council Member
    Kenneth J. Byrne

  • Town of Highland Council Member District 2
    Paul Zimmermann

  • Town of Hurley Supervisor
    Michael C. Shultis

  • Town of Hyde Park Council Member Ward 4
    Rich Perkins

  • Town of Hyde Park Town Justice
    David Steinberg

  • Town of Lloyd Supervisor
    Joseph James Avampato Jr.

  • Town of Lumberland Board Member District 1
    Keith Edward Gilmour

  • Town of Lumberland Board Member District 2
    Van B. Krzywicki

  • Town of Mamakating Council Member
    Richard Wayne Morris

  • Town of Mamakating Supervisor
    Robert Eugene Fiore

  • Town of Marbletown Supervisor
    Vincent C. Martello

  • Town of Marlborough Council Member
    Madeleine Myers-Stearns

  • Town of Marlborough Supervisor
    Alphonso Philip Lanzetta

  • Town of Poughkeepsie Town Justice
    Richard Wolf, David Sears

  • Town of Red Hook Town Justice
    Jonah Triebwasser

  • Town of Rochester Council Member
    Francis Gray, Donna-Marie Ragonese

  • Town of Rochester Supervisor
    Pam Duke

  • Town of Rochester Town Justice
    Paul Shaheen

  • Town of Rosendale Supervisor
    Patrick McDonough

  • Town of Rosendale Town Justice
    Robert Vosper Jr.

  • Town of Saugerties Board Member
    Leeanne Thornton, Fred M. Costello Jr.

  • Town of Saugerties Supervisor
    Gregory L. Helsmoortel

  • Town of Stanford Council Member
    Virginia Stern

  • Town of Stanfordville Council Member
    Johanna Shafer

  • Town of Thompson Supervisor
    Anthony P. Cellini

  • Town of Ulster Highway Superintendent
    James Corrigan

  • Town of Ulster Supervisor
    Nicky B. Woerner

  • Town of Ulster Town Justice
    Edward Aleo

  • Town of Wallkill Council Member Ward 3
    Kevin J. Mulqueen

  • Town of Wallkill Council Member Ward 4
    Nina Guenste

  • Town of Wappinger Clerk
    Chris Masterson

  • Town of Wappinger Council Member Ward 3
    Maureen McCarthy

  • Town of Wappinger Council Member Ward 4
    Joseph Patrick Paoloni

  • Town of Woodstock Supervisor
    Jeff Moran

  • Town of Woodstock Town Justice
    Franklyn J. Engel

WFP Herkimer-Oneida Chapter 2007 Endorsements

Here are the 2007 endorsements from the Working Families Party Herkimer-Oneida Chapter. To get involved in these races, contact Jim Curtacci at 315-736-1126.
  • City of Rome Common Council Member Ward 3
    Angela B. Petty

  • City of Rome Common Council Member Ward 4
    Ramona Luiere Smith

  • City of Rome Common Council Member Ward 7
    James R. Murphy

  • City of Utica Common Council Member At Large
    Lynne Mishalanie, Lorraine E. Arcuri, Frank Anthony Meola

  • City of Utica Common Council Member District 2
    James A. Zecca

  • City of Utica Common Council Member District 5
    Bill Phillips

  • County of Oneida County Legislator District 1
    Frank Puma

  • County of Oneida County Legislator District 14
    David Joesph Gordon

  • County of Oneida County Legislator District 22
    Shannon Lee Scott

  • County of Oneida County Legislator District 23
    Rose Ann Convertino

  • County of Oneida County Legislator District 24
    Emil R. Paparella

  • County of Oneida County Legislator District 25
    Larry R. Tanoury Jr.

  • County of Oneida County Legislator District 26
    Daniel N. LaBella

  • County of Oneida County Legislator District 27
    Vincent Peter Scalise

  • County of Oneida County Legislator District 29
    Patricia A. Hudak

  • County of Oneida County Legislator District 7
    Frank D. Tallarino

  • County of Oneida District Attorney
    Scott D. McNamara

  • Town of Kirkland Council Member
    Michael D. O'Neil

  • Town of Kirkland Supervisor
    Robert J. Meelan

  • Town of Kirkland Town Justice
    Stephen Samoyedny

  • Town of Verona Supervisor
    Darrell C. Curtis

WFP Fingerlakes Chapter 2007 Endorsements

Here are the 2007 endorsements from the Working Families Party Fingerlakes Chapter. The Fingerlakes Chapter represents the counties of Monroe and Ontario. To get involved in these races, contact Larry Knox at 585-232-6980 ext 107.
  • City of Rochester School Commissioner
    Vincent Rodney Felder

  • City of Canandaigua Council Member Ward 4
    Margery L. Anthony

  • City of Canandaigua Mayor
    Ellen M. Polimeni

  • City of Geneva Council Member
    Jacqueline A. Augustine, Rocco "Chip" Capraro

  • City of Rochester Council Member Northeast District
    Lovely Ann Warren

  • City of Rochester Council Member Northwest District
    Carla M. Palumbo

  • City of Rochester Council Member South District
    Adam Caesar McFadden

  • City of Rochester School Commissioner
    Willa W. Powell, Melisza Campos, Malik Evans

  • County of Monroe County Executive
    Patrick Christopher

  • County of Monroe County Legislator District 1
    Todd Dunn

  • County of Monroe County Legislator District 10
    Ted Nixon

  • County of Monroe County Legislator District 11
    Susan L. Davis

  • County of Monroe County Legislator District 17
    Edward M. O'Brien

  • County of Monroe County Legislator District 26
    Steve Eckel

  • County of Monroe County Legislator District 27
    Willie Joe Lightfoot

  • County of Monroe County Legislator District 6, Four Year Term
    Richard A. Beebe

  • County of Monroe County Legislator District 8
    Carmen Gumina

  • County of Monroe Family Court Judge
    Sidney Farber

  • Town of Brighton Supervisor
    Sandra L. Frankel

  • Town of Brighton Town Justice
    Karen Morris

  • Town of Chili Supervisor
    David J. Dunning

  • Town of Clarkson Council Member
    Sheldon Meyers IV

  • Town of Gates Council Member
    Mark A. McIntee

  • Town of Gates Supervisor
    Susan Irene Swanton

  • Town of Greece Council Member Ward 2
    Judy Mae Knights

  • Town of Greece Council Member Ward 3
    Maureen V. Dauphinee

  • Town of Greece Council Member Ward 4
    Gary Pudup

  • Town of Irondequoit Council Member
    Stephanie Aldersley, John Perticone

  • Town of Irondequoit Supervisor
    Mary Ellen Heyman

  • Town of Irondequoit Town Justice
    Edward Knaak Jr.

  • Town of Ogden Council Member
    Anthony Leroy McCollough, Wayne McCrossen

  • Town of Ogden Supervisor
    Garry L. Cranker

  • Town of Parma Town Justice
    Harriet Zunno

  • Town of Penfield Council Member
    Elizabeth D. Andrzejewicz

  • Town of Perinton Council Member
    David A. Wolf

  • Town of Riga Supervisor
    Kenneth J. Kuter

  • Village of East Rochester Mayor
    Jason William Koon

  • Village of East Rochester Trustee
    Andrew Serrano, Herman L. Parson III

WFP Central New York Chapter 2007 Endorsements

Here are the 2007 endorsements from the Working Families Party Central New York Chapter. The Central New York Chapter represents the counties of Cayuga, Onondaga, Oswego and Tompkins. To get involved in these races, contact Hilary Penney at 315-424-1743 ext 146.
  • City of Syracuse City Auditor
    Philip J. LaTessa

  • City of Syracuse City Court Judge
    Vanessa Bogan, James Cecile

  • City of Syracuse Commissioner of Education
    Ned Deuel, Nancy K. McCarty, Laurie J. Menkin, Calvin L. Corriders

  • City of Syracuse Councilor At Large
    Bill Ryan, Kathleen Joy

  • City of Syracuse Councilor District 2
    Patrick J. Hogan

  • City of Syracuse Councilor District 3
    John Ryan Mcmahon II

  • City of Syracuse Councilor District 4
    Thomas M. Seals

  • City of Syracuse Councilor District 5
    Lance Denno

  • County of Cayuga District Attorney
    Michael G Bass

  • County of Onondaga County Executive
    William B. Magnarelli

  • County of Onondaga County Legislator District 1
    James Borchik

  • County of Onondaga County Legislator District 12
    Victoria Lightcap

  • County of Onondaga County Legislator District 14
    Gary Morris Sr.

  • County of Onondaga County Legislator District 16
    Sam Laguzza

  • County of Onondaga County Legislator District 18
    Monica Williams

  • County of Onondaga County Legislator District 2
    Donald J. MacLaughlin

  • County of Onondaga County Legislator District 3
    Brad Ward

  • County of Onondaga County Legislator District 4
    David M. Stott

  • County of Onondaga County Legislator District 5
    Phil Drury

  • County of Onondaga County Legislator District 6
    Karen Hanford

  • County of Onondaga County Legislator District 7
    Thomas C. Buckel Jr.

  • County of Onondaga County Legislator District 8
    James Arthur Corbett

  • County of Onondaga County Legislator District 9
    Mark Stanczyk

  • County of Onondaga District Attorney
    Tina C. Bennet

  • County of Onondaga Family Court Judge
    Marc Waldauer

  • Town of Cicero Clerk
    David Christopher Olson

  • Town of Cicero Council Member
    Lynn Jennings, Jessica Zambrano

  • Town of Cicero Supervisor
    Chester A. Dudzinski Jr.

  • Town of DeWitt Council Member
    Vicki Baker

  • Town of Dewitt Supervisor
    Ed Michalenko

  • Town of DeWitt Town Clerk
    Barbara Klim

  • Town of Liverpool Council Member
    Thomas Stack

  • Town of Onondaga Council Member
    Brian David Madigan

  • Town of Salina Council Member Ward 2
    John R. Davies

  • Town of Salina Council Member Ward 3
    Chris Benz

  • Town of Salina Council Member Ward 4
    Sharon A. Jacquin

  • Town of Salina Supervisor
    Michael P. Giarrusso

  • Town of Salina Town Justice
    George Alessio Jr.

  • Town of Skaneateles Council Member
    Nancy Murray, Kathryn A. Carlson

Friday, July 13, 2007

WFP Endorses Ed Kosiur for the 105th AD

The Working Families Party endorses Ed Kosiur for the 105th Assembly seat, to be filled in a Special Election on July 31st.

Ed Kosiur is a Schenectady County Legislator who has gotten the WFP endorsement in the past. Ed was instrumental in passing a resolution supporting Fair Share for Health Care in the County Legislature, and has been supportive of the Working Families Time to Care Act.

There will be a July 31 Special Election to fill the Assembly seat in the 105th AD. The special election will fill the vacancy left by Paul Tonko, who has resigned to to take a position with New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

WFP Capital District Chapter 2007 Endorsements

Here are the 2007 endorsements from the Working Families Party Capital District Chapter. The Capital District Chapter represents the counties of Albany, Columbia, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady. To get involved in these races, contact Nicki Weiner at 518-445-0905.

The Capital District Chapter's top priorities are two of its earliest endorsements, Mike Manning for Mayor of Watervliet and Ken Zalewski for Troy City Council. Manning, who was endorsed by the WFP in his 2005 run for City Council, has brought a lot of change to the City of Watervliet as a council member and will do even more as Mayor.

Ken Zalewski, candidate for Troy City Council, will bring energy and vision to the City of Troy. The WFP, which is running Zalewski's field campaign, is excited about the work Zalewsi has been doing within the community, most recently as a visible proponent of the WFPs local efforts to bring integrity to City government in Troy.
  • City of Hudson Alderperson District 1, Second Ward
    Lyle J. Shook Jr.
  • City of Hudson Supervisor 4th Ward
    Staley B. Keith
  • City of Mechanicville Commissioner of Accounts
    Stacie A. Salvi
  • City of Mechanicville Commissioner of Finance
    Salvatore C. Izzo
  • City of Mechanicville Supervisor
    Thomas Joseph Richardson
  • City of Saratoga Springs Commissioner of Accounts
    John Paul Franck
  • City of Saratoga Springs Commissioner of Finance
    M. Jane Weihe
  • City of Saratoga Springs Commissioner of Public Safety
    Ronald J. Kim
  • City of Saratoga Springs Mayor
    Valerie Keehn
  • City of Saratoga Springs Supervisor
    Cheryl L. Keyrouze, Joanne Dittes Yepsen
  • City of Schenectady Council Member
    Thomas Augustine Della Sala, Denise K. Brucker, Margaret C. King, Joseph L. Allen
  • City of Schenectady Mayor
    Brian U. Stratton
  • City of Troy Council Member At Large
    Marjorie Mahar DerGurahian, John F. Brown, Clement W. Campana
  • City of Troy Council Member District 1
    Victor M. DeBonis
  • City of Troy Council Member District 2
    Mary E. Sweeney
  • City of Troy Council Member District 3
    Peter John Ryan Sr.
  • City of Troy Council Member District 4
    William S. Dunne
  • City of Troy Council Member District 5
    Kenneth J. Zalewski
  • City of Troy Council Member District 6
    Gary L. Galuski
  • City of Troy Mayor
    James J. Conroy
  • City of Watervliet Council Member
    Charlie Diamond
  • City of Watervliet Mayor
    Michael P. Manning
  • County of Albany County Comptroller
    Patricia J. Slavick
  • County of Albany County Executive
    Michael G. Breslin
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 1
    George Infante
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 10
    Daniel P. McCoy
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 11
    Gary W. Domalewicz
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 13
    William Mcneal Clay
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 14
    Raymond F. Joyce III
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 15
    Phillip G. Steck
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 17
    Sean E. Ward
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 18
    Shawn M. Morse
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 2
    Lucille McKnight
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 20
    Timothy D. Nichols
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 25
    Ryan Vincent Horstmyer
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 26
    Richard A. Gross
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 27
    Richard P. Jacobson
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 30
    Allen F. Maikels
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 31
    William F. Aylward Jr.
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 36
    Howard A. Shafer
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 39
    Kevin G. Crosier
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 5
    Norma Chapman
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 6
    Christopher Thomas Burke
  • County of Albany County Legislator District 8
    Doug Bullock
  • County of Columbia Coroner
    George F. Davis
  • County of Columbia District Attorney
    Eugene Keeler
  • County of Columbia Treasurer
    Carol Gilbert-Sacks
  • County of Rensselaer District Attorney
    Richard J. McNally
  • County of Saratoga Coroner
    Matt Sousa
  • County of Schenectady County Legislator District 1
    Vincent M. DiCerbo, Michael John Petta
  • County of Schenectady County Legislator District 2
    Gary E. Hughes
  • County of Schenectady County Legislator District 3
    William R. Chapman, Paul C. Webster III
  • County of Schenectady County Legislator District 4
    Robert Joseph Godlewski, Anthony W. Jasenski Sr.
  • County of Washington Coroner
    Sheela Joyce Martel
  • Town of Austerlitz Town Justice
    Cheryl Roberts
  • Town of Ballston Council Member
    George Seymour
  • Town of Ballston Supervisor
    Patti Southworth
  • Town of Brunswick Clerk
    Jean A Howard
  • Town of Brunswick Council Member
    Susan Hoff Haynes, James J. Brearton
  • Town of Brunswick Supervisor
    Vito Grasso
  • Town of Clifton Park Clerk
    Theresa Izzo
  • Town of Clifton Park Council Member
    Nancy Bellamy, Margaret Catellier
  • Town of Clifton Park Town and County Supervisor
    Arthur Vandervoort
  • Town of Clifton Park Town Justice
    Robert Rybak
  • Town of Colonie Council Member
    Robert D. Becker
  • Town of Colonie Supervisor
    Paula A. Mahan
  • Town of Copake Council Member
    Carl Ritchie
  • Town of Copake Supervisor
    Linda Sue Gabaccia
  • Town of Duanesburg Town Justice
    Camille J. Siano Enders
  • Town of Glenville Town Justice
    Carol M. Dillon
  • Town of Greenfield Board Member
    Lisa M. Kosek
  • Town of Halfmoon Town Justice
    Jeffrey Hartnett
  • Town of Hillsdale Town Justice
    Russ Immarigeon
  • Town of Hoosick Council Member
    Robert H. Ryan
  • Town of Hoosick Supervisor
    Marilyn K. Douglas
  • Town of Johnsburg Council Member
    Ronald G. Vanselow
  • Town of Kinderhook Board Member
    Peter - Bujanow, Francis J. McKearin IV
  • Town of Kinderhook Clerk
    Kimberly Ann Pinkowski
  • Town of Kinderhook Supervisor
    Doug McGivney
  • Town of Malta Clerk
    Cynthia C. Young
  • Town of Milton Board Member
    Margaret Stevens
  • Town of Moreau Board Member
    Gina Maria LeClair Jr.
  • Town of Moreau Supervisor
    Preston Leroy Jenkins Jr.
  • Town of Nassau Council Member
    Susan Hains, Fred Nuffer
  • Town of Nassau Supervisor
    Michael I. Roland
  • Town of New Lebanon Town Justice
    Darcy L. Poppey
  • Town of Niskayuna Clerk
    Helen F. Kopke
  • Town of Niskayuna Council Member
    Liz Orzel Kasper, Julie Bean McDonnell
  • Town of Niskayuna Justice
    Stephen F. Swinton Jr.
  • Town of Niskayuna Supervisor
    Joe Landry
  • Town of North Greenbush Council Member At Large
    Josephine Ashworth, Brian Dwyer
  • Town of North Greenbush Highway Superintendent
    Mark J. Premo Sr.
  • Town of Pittstown Town Justice
    Paul Mac Naughton
  • Town of Princetown Council Member
    Rose Norkus
  • Town of Rensselaerville Assesor
    Jeffry Pine
  • Town of Rensselaerville Council Member
    Gary Jon Chase Jr.
  • Town of Rensselaerville Council Member
    Marie Dermody, Gary Jon Chase Jr.
  • Town of Rensselaerville Town Justice
    Victor La Plante
  • Town of Rotterdam Council Member
    Richard W. Leet, John M. Silva
  • Town of Rotterdam Supervisor
    William J. Cooke
  • Town of Sand Lake Clerk
    Christine Marie Kronau
  • Town of Sand Lake Council Member
    Burton J. Rounds, Raymond C. Turner
  • Town of Sand Lake Receiver of Taxes
    Barbara Ann Biittig
  • Town of Sand Lake Supervisor
    William C. Reinhardt Sr.
  • Town of Stillwater Supervisor
    J. Gregory Connors
  • Town of Stuyvesant Board Member
    Rosalind Gumaer, Marilyn F. Burch
  • Town of Stuyvesant Supervisor
    Lee Jamison

Monday, July 09, 2007

More WFP at TPM Cafe

Here a crosspost of the third guest post on fusion at the Talking Points Memo Cafe:

Fusion: What’s in it for Democrats?

In the first two posts, I tried to make the case for “fusion” voting as something that will really help liberals, progressives, labor, enviros, anti-poverty activists, climate change campaigners, you name it. Today I’ll try to make the case for fusion as a good reform that Democrats as a party should favor.

But a quick reminder if you’re just joining: “fusion” is a simple election reform that allows voters to vote for a candidate on more than one party line.

In New York, Governor Eliot Spitzer won last year running on both the Democratic and Working Families lines. The 155,000 New Yorkers who voted for him on the Working Families line were helping elect a Democrat and end 12 years of Republican misrule in Albany, but they were also helping to build an independent progressive third party and signal that they wanted the new governor to focus on the economic interests of working people – affordable health care, stronger unions, fairer taxes and support for working parents. One result – Gubernatorial support for a universal Paid Family Leave program.

For progressives, fusion is a no-brainer. And it will be even more so in the – knock on wood! – coming era of Democratic dominance on a national level. We’ll be constantly faced with the choice of devoting our energy to supporting the Democrats or maintaining an independent presence to their left. Fusion lets us do both.

But what’s in it for the Democrats?

Fusion was once legal in all 50 states but is now banned in all but half a dozen. Why should legislators in Maine or Oregon or Colorado or New Mexico want re-legalize it?

I don’t want to overclaim, but as it turns out, there are several good reasons for Democratic elected officials to favor the re-legalization of fusion voting. The impact of fusion is at the margins – even in New York, Working Families has never reached even 5 percent of the statewide vote (though we will soon!) But plenty of elections are decided by just a few percentage points. How can fusion move those critical last points to good, progressive Dems?

First, by attracting independents and “Reagan” Democrats. They may not like the Democratic Party, but they like the idea of a third party that advocates for things like universal health care and higher wages. Second, by attracting “greens” and other progressives who want to “send a message” to the Democrats from the left without spoiling. Third, by bringing new voters into the political process. And fourth, by fostering creation of fusion parties like the WFP, which, if I can boast a moment, runs one of the best grassroots electoral operations in the country.

I’m going to start by talking about the second piece – fusion as a tool for attracting progressives and solving the “spoiler” problem. Tomorrow I’ll turn to the even-more-important question of independents and new voters.

The left.
Also known as solving the Nader problem. But actually, spoiling is a persistent problem, not a freak occurrence in 2000. . In New Mexico, the Green vote exceeded the Republicans’ margin of victory in the 1994 Governor’s race and again in a 1998 Congressional race. In the latter race, if even half the Green voters had supported the Dem, he would have won. More recently, several well-meaning but not very strategic Green candidates in Maine have enabled Republicans to win elections they would have almost certainly lost. (On the right, Libertarians have done the same thing to the advantage of Democrats, but in general spoiling is a much bigger problem for our side].)

I hasten to say, I don’t especially blame Green (or Libertarian) voters. They’re doing what they’re supposed to do in a democracy – coming out and supporting the party they believe in. The problem is an electoral system that means their votes have the exact opposite effect of what they intended.

With fusion, they would have another choice – support both their preferred party and a candidate who can actually win. Some voters will still choose to vote for the third-party candidate, of course, but most would prefer not to vote for a spoiler if there’s another way to support a progressive third party. That’s certainly the case in New York, where many Green Party voters have migrated to the Working Families Party, and in so doing are helping to “green up” the WFP’s identity. Most citizens prefer to cast a meaningful vote than a purely symbolic protest vote, if there’s a principled way to do it.

It’s undeniable that if we’d had fusion and a Working Families-type party in Florida in 2000, we’d now be in the seventh year of a Gore presidency. That’s why important leaders of the Democratic Party – people like Chuck Schumer -- are active supporters of fusion. They don’t agree with us on everything– but they know that in the big fights we’re on the same side. And they know that an independent fusion party brings something they vitally need in close races – credibility with the small but active and energetic group of voters who want to send a message to the Democrats.

Small, however, is a key word. I don’t mean to dismiss progressives – I’m one myself. But we aren’t where the big game is. That’s in the “center,” with swing voters, especially the “Reagan Democrats” (anyone ever hear of a Kerry Republican?), working-class voters who are with the Dems on economic issues but won’t vote for them because of their (real or perceived) stances on hot-button issues like gun control or prayer in schools. Fusion helps there too, and the potential gains are even bigger. So that will be the subject of my next post.

Join the discussion. Do you think we need a way to put pressure on Democrats while still electing them to office?

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

WFP at TPM Cafe: The Value of Independent Organizations

Here's a crosspost of today's WFP guest post at the Talking Points Memo Cafe:

Fusion: The Value of Independent Organizations (Or, Because the Angel Moroni Won't be Back Anytime Soon)

Yesterday I wrote about how fusion voting works in New York:

By allowing voters to support a major party candidate on a minor-party line, fusion solves the “wasted vote” and “spoiler” dilemmas that otherwise plague third parties. There have been many fusion parties in our nation’s history – the Populists being the most famous – but it can be used by left, right and center. Democracy means everyone gets to play.

For a progressive-minded party like New York’s Working Families, we have almost always cross-endorsed (or “fused”) with Democrats, but occasionally we will endorse a decent Republican, run our own stand-alone WFP candidate against the major parties, or leave our line BLANK when there didn’t seem to be a good reason to endorse anyone.

By delivering 8,000-plus votes for Brian Higgins in his 2004 Congressional race, we were the margin that put another good Democrat (make that, Dem-WFP) in Congress. By delivering 155,000 votes for Eliot Spitzer for Governor, OK, we weren’t close to the margin of victory, but we did signal that a substantial fraction of the New York electorate expects real progress toward universal health care, public election financing, and universal paid family leave and sick days over the next four years.

Great, that’s New York. Why should the rest of the country care? Here’s why.

Nathan Newman, a TPM regular and long time friend of the Working Families Party, has been predicting for some time that the election of a Democratic president will trigger a fracture of left blogistan and progressives generally. Barring a devastating ferret invasion or divine intervention by the angel Moroni, this prediction is very likely to be put to the test in January 2009.

The lines of the split are already visible. On one side are those who see progressives as the loyal foot soldiers of elected Democrats. For them, the inevitable difficulties and disappointments of the coming Democratic era will be testimony to the inherent inertia of American politics and the tenacity of Republican dead-enders. Every setback will be a further argument for tighter discipline and a narrower focus on the achievable.

On the other side are those for whom the program, not the party, is foremost. If, come year three of a Democratic administration, American troops are still in Iraq, millions of Americans still lack health coverage, and K Street is still thriving, it will be a sign to some that the strategy of supporting Democrats has failed. You can go through the exercise yourself of guessing who will fall on which side, but there’s no question there will be a split.

In the classic tradition of practical politicians, I’d argue that both sides are right.

Atrios, who is as likely as anyone to bridge this divide, says “More and better Democrats”. That’s right. At the Federal level especially, the damage done by the Bush crowd is monumental and monumentally depressing, and the first rule is to get control and STOP. Of course, the more we elect “better” Democrats, not just more, the happier we’ll be. That means maintaining our independence, institutionally as well as intellectually, so we can insist in a meaningful way on what it means to be a good Democrat and get actually existing Democrats to come closer to this standard.

It’s not a new problem. It’s the same dilemma that faces any institutional actor whose heart still beats on the left – unions, immigrants, gays and lesbians, health care advocates, students, whoever. As a practical matter, the more Democrats are in office, the more likely we are to get at least some piece of our agenda enacted. At times, electing Democrats can be literally a matter of life or death.

But on the other hand, the more firmly we bind ourselves to the Dems, the less leverage we have over them. The Democratic Party isn’t like Old Labour in the U.K.: unions and other organizations don’t have any direct role in governing it. (Actually, it isn’t really a party at all, but that’s a subject for another time.) Power means voice or exit; if we don’t have a voice we need the option to exit; but where, realistically, are disillusioned progressives to go?

Not to third party candidates, that’s for sure. Under America’s winner-take-all electoral system, third-party politics is a chump’s game. Anything short of a plurality might as well be nothing. So at best you should have stayed home; at worst you accomplish the exact opposite of what you intended. (See Nader, R.)

At the local level there are times and places when third party candidacies do make sense, but building them into a coherent movement is another story. Electing progressives in Democratic primaries is a much more promising approach, but it does nothing to build a lasting organization that can work 365 days a year to advance our issues in real-time. People who go this route become, for better or worse, part of the vague, amorphous milieu of Democratic politics. The Jesse Jackson campaign was the most exciting effort to build progressive power within the Democratic Party in the past generation, and left a positive institutional legacy – but it’s still just a legacy, and not an organization. Michael Harrington used to say that true leftists had to build organizations. He was right.

We need a strategy that allows us to wholeheartedly work for “more and better Democrats” without simply being absorbed in the Democratic Party. And we need a strategy that lets us build our own distinct progressive institutions without losing sight of the need to exercise real power in the here and now. I DON’T claim that fusion is the ONLY approach that resolves this dilemma, but it’s certainly one of the most promising ones.

Fusion allows progressives to actively, wholeheartedly campaign for good Democrats without giving up the idea of a distinct party for working people and their allies. In fact, progressive Democrats in New York – both elected officials and organizational leaders from labor and community and environmental groups – are our strongest allies, because we all want the state and nation to move in a better direction, and this is a uniquely potent tool for making that happen.

Some readers don’t think the left needs its own independent political structure, supportive of but distinct from the Democrats. That’s a legitimate view, and if you’re in that camp, you don’t need fusion or the Working Families Party.

But if you do think there’s a space for a political structure to prod the Democrats in a more progressive direction [think MoveOn], then fusion is the ticket. Our strategy, in fact, might be understood as providing a ballot line that could and hopefully will be the natural and happy home for MoveOn members, union members, ACORN members, Sierra Club members and so on and so forth.

I don’t mean to be a bore, but third parties without fusion (remember – it was once legal in EVERY state) are just writing themselves out of politics. Run in a close election, and you spoil. Run in a safe Dem district, and you might as well run in the Democratic primary instead. And whatever the district, you’ll never recruit candidates to run year in, year out, which is what it takes to develop a reliable vote. Whatever you want to call the political orientation TPM readers share, there are a lot of us, but not a plurality. And 3 percent or 5 percent or even 10 percent just doesn’t allow you to accomplish anything under winner-take-all.

With fusion it’s a different story. The Working Families Party supports Democrats in close races – just ask the five Congressional Ds who owe their election in some measure to the votes they got on the WFP line – that’s the “more Democrats” part. But, unlike other organizations that support Democrats in particular races, every election under fusion is also a chance to enlarge the population of reliable progressive third-party voters. And we don't need to recruit candidates to run in each of the hundreds of districts we're present in each year. Fusion is about the organization, not the individual candidate.

Without fusion, progressives have a stark choice. Support the Dem and forego the chance to develop an alternative political identity. Or run a third-party candidate and help send a Republican to Washington. With fusion, we get to have it both ways. We help elect the Democrat, but we also increase the pool of voters voting on the WFP line, giving us a credible threat to exit if the Dems don’t deliver.

Good deal for progressives? Absolutely. But what’s in it for the Democrats? That’s the subject for my next post.

What do you think? Head on over to TPM Cafe and be part of the debate.