Getting on the Ballot in 2013

The New York State Board of Elections has posted the 2013 political calendar at: http://www.elections.ny.gov/PoliticalCalendar.html. The political calendar gives the dates by which the various activities for getting a candidate's name on the ballot for the general election need to be completed.

The first step in getting on the ballot is collecting petition signatures. Collecting signatures on petitions is required unless you belong to a political party that appoints local candidates by town caucus or party committee, such as the Democratic Party in Steuben County. The dates for holding such caucuses are set forth in the political calendar. June 4 is the first date for holding a town caucus. Sept. 17 is the last date for filing a nomination made by a town or village caucus or a party committee.

The dates for collecting petition signatures depends upon whether the party in which the candidate is running has ballot status or not. The Election Law gives ballot-status parties an earlier petitioning period than non-ballot status parties and independent candidates. See the petitioning timetables below. If multiple candidates in the same party submit petitions to the Board of Elections for the same political office, a primary election is held. Primary elections will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 10 this year.

Sample petitions may be downloaded from the Steuben County Board of Elections website at http://www.steubencony.org/pages.asp?PID=66. The number of petition signatures required for different offices are set forth in the political calendar and at the bottom of this page. For information about how to collect petition signatures, check out our petitioning guidelines.

Timetable for Collecting Signatures on Designating Petitions

To get on the ballot for November 5, 2013, general election, candidates for ballot-status parties such as the Green Party need to collect signatures on designating petitions in accordance with Secs. 6-132 and 6-134 of the Election Law. Designating petition dates in 2013 are below. Because the Green Party of New York State currently has ballot status, Green Party candidates will file designating petitions in 2013.

Timetable for Collecting Signatures on Independent Petitions

To get on the ballot for the November 5, 2013, general election, candidates not running in ballot-status parties need to collect signatures on independent nominating petitions in accordance with Secs. 6-138 and 6-140 of the Election Law. Independent nominating petition dates in 2013 are below.

Although the Green Party of New York State currently has ballot status and Green Party candidates will not file independent nominating petitions in 2013, we provide the timetable for collecting independent nominating petitions below as a service to our colleagues in the anti-fracking movement who may be collecting independent nominating petitions.

Numbers of Signatures Required on Designating Petitions

The numbers of signatures required to be collected on designating petitions by candidates in local elections in New York are set forth in the 2013 political calendar, excerpt below. For Green Party candidates, 5% of the enrolled Green Party members in the district will be less than the alternatives. It is wise to collect two to three times the minimum number of signatures required.

Numbers of Signatures Required on Independent Petitions

The numbers of signatures required to be collected on independent nominating petitions by candidates in local elections in New York are set forth in the 2013 political calendar, excerpt below. For congressional districts, state senate districts and state assembly districts, the independent signature requirements are at least three times the ballot-status party signature requirements.

Home | About the Green Party | Calendar | Email: info at steubengreens.org