(Utica, NY – May 2013) The Working Families Party today announced the beginning of its annual endorsement process with the release of its online candidate questionnaire. Hundreds of candidates for local office around New York are expected to vie for the progressive third party’s endorsement. The local chapter located in Utica is seeking candidates from Oneida, Herkimer, Madison (Eastern portion), and Lewis counties.
“We want to know where every candidate, whether they’re running for State Assembly or Congress, stands on the issues that matter to Working Families,” said John Furman of the Herkimer – Oneida Counties Chapter of the Working Families Party (WFP). “The questionnaire gets at the heart of the Working Families Party’s priorities: health care for all, paid sick leave, clean elections, green jobs, affordable housing, and living wage jobs.”
Candidates must complete the questionnaire, which can only be done on the WFP’s website, by May 15. Afterward, candidates are screened by Working Families Party Chapters around the state.
Founded in New York State 1998, the Working Families Party has helped to organize “sister” parties in Connecticut, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Vermont andOregon. More than 60 community organizations and labor unions in New York have affiliated with the Working Families Party, representing more than 1 million members. In the 2011 election, the Working Families Party provided the margin of victory for Mayor Robert Palmieri of Utica.
In the 2012 election, 241,531 New Yorkers voted for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on the WFP line, making it the leading third party vote-earner in the state’s U.S. Senate race. WFP voters also provided the margin of victory for Rep. Bill Owens in the North Country.
“The Working Families Party was founded 11 years by a coalition of grassroots activists, labor unions, and community groups,” continued Furman. “The goal of Working Families Party is to more forcefully inject the issues of working-class, middle-class, and poor people—like jobs, health care, education and housing—into the public debate, and hold candidates and elected officials accountable on those issues. The Working Families Party is working now on enacting fair elections in New York State and opposing budget cuts to important federal services and programs.”
The questionnaire, which is a requirement for screening, can be found at:
http://www.workingfamiliesparty.org/our-elections/2013-candidates-questionnaires/.
Candidates are also encouraged to send a letter and a resume to Working Families Party, c/o John Furman, P.O. Box 411, Utica, NY 13503-0411. For more information, please contact Furman at (315) 725-0974. The email address is uticaromewfp@gmail.com.