New York is one of the few states in the Union that allow electoral fusion. This process allows multiple parties to endorse a single candidate, with the candidate’s name thereby appearing multiple times on the ballot. New York major-party candidates frequently lobby from endorsements from the these minor parties, because sometimes voters are more comfortable pulling the lever for the Independence Party, for example, than for one of the major parties.
According to Richard Winger of Ballot Access News, cross-endorsing minor parties in New York typically get between 3-5% of the vote for their major-party candidates. Of course, some of this voter percentage would still belong to the candidate in the absence of the endorsement, as many voters would simply pull the Republican or Democratic lever if they had to, but still, one can easily see why these minor-party endorsements can mean the difference between winning and losing in closely contested races.
The Working Families Party is one of New York’s strongest minor parties. It is a left-of-center party, and frequently endorses Democratic candidates. However, in at least one state legislative district — the 52nd, which includes the Bay Ridge and Brooklyn Heights sections of Brooklyn — the party is greatly outpolling the typical 3-5% with its cross-endorsed nominees.
In 2002, 2004, and 2006, the New York Working Families Party cross-endorsed the Democratic nominee for state assembly in the 52nd district. In those years, the ballot line received 15.3%, 11.5%, and 22.6%, respectively. In 2002, there was no Republican nominee, which accounts for the dip in 2004 when there was. However, in 2006, there was a Republican nominee, and the WFP ballot line tripled his vote total.
In 2004, the party endorsed John Kerry for president. A cross-endorsement of a minor-party candidate, such as Cynthia McKinney, could have a substantial impact on the candidate’s national vote total.
The Working Families Party started in New York state, but it is slowly becoming a nationally-organized party. It is on the ballot also in Oregon, South Carolina, Delaware, and Massachusetts, and in most legislative districts of Connecticut.