In 2016, six voters in Onondaga County decided that it was time to do something about their political frustrations. As a result, they formed the county’s local subset of New York’s Reform Party.

Since then, the group has grown to 47 members, and has determined that voters not registered to a major political party could become potential supporters.

This is a smart, strategic decision. In central New York, unregistered or independent voters can now vote for perspective city court judges, and unregistered or independent voters across the state can vote in favor of a preferred attorney general candidate.

“New York has some of the most restrictive primaries,” said Grant Reeher, a political science professor at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and director of the Campbell Public Affairs Institute.

Under New York State law, affiliated voters who want to change their party must generally submit new voter registration paperwork 25 days before a general election. This is not conducive to openness or participation.

Reeher said this system favors the establishment of two dominant parties: Republican and Democratic.

The Reform Party doesn’t have a huge following. But that could change.

“It is possible in New York, because so many voters feel disenfranchised, that this idea gains some traction,” Reeher said.

The Reform Party is not a disruptive political force, yet. The party, though, shows promise and could provide a means of redefining how parties define themselves across the United States, by reaching out and tailoring messages toward unregistered and independent voters.

Harrison Garfinkle is a communication and rhetorical studies major. His column runs biweekly. He can be reached at hgarfink@syr.edu.

Published on October 17, 2018 at 9:11 pm