Marijuana Reform Party

The Marijuana Reform Party (abbreviated MRP)[1] was a progressive minor political party in the U.S. state of New York dedicated to the legalization of cannabis.[2] Founded in 1997, the Marijuana Reform Party ran a candidate for Governor of New York and other statewide offices in 1998 and 2002.[3]

Marijuana Reform Party
AbbreviationMRP
Founded1997
Dissolved2004
IdeologyCannabis legalization

Gubernatorial tickets
  • 1998 – Thomas K. Leighton and Jeffrey C. Wright[4]
  • 2002 – Thomas K. Leighton and Thomas J. Hillgardner[5]

Election results

Results in New York City elections
Year Office Candidate Popular Votes Percentage
1997Manhattan Borough PresidentThomas Leighton6,2353.0%[6]
2001Manhattan Borough PresidentGarry Goodrow7,3221.9%[7]
2001New York City MayorThomas Leighton2,5630.2%[7]
2001New York City ComptrollerTracy Blevins17,3401.2%[7]
2001New York City Public AdvocateChris Launois21,7211.5%[7]

Results in New York State elections
Year Office Candidate Popular Votes Percentage
1998New York GovernorThomas Leighton24,7880.50%[8]
1998New York ComptrollerDean Venezia39,4230.79%[9]
2002New York GovernorThomas Leighton21,9770.47%[10]

Results in federal elections
Year Office Candidate Popular Votes Percentage
1998United States SenatorCorinne Kurtz34,2810.69%[11]

Competition with the Green Party

In 1998, gubernatorial candidate Tom Leighton accused the Green Party of New York of trying to have him removed several times from the November ballot by "challenging the validity of his petition signatures".[12] The Board of Elections rejected the claim lodged by Richard Hirsh of the Green Party. Both parties, which appeal to liberal voters, competed for 50,000 votes required for an automatic ballot line on future ballots.[12] After both parties failed to obtain enough votes to gain a place on local and statewide ballots, Leighton stated that he had "no plans to try again next time."[13]

See also

References
  1. "Key to Party Abbreviations". The Washington Post. 2001. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  2. Siegel, Joel (May 26, 1998). "Pol is taking a pot show gov wanna-be has inhaled". Daily News. Mortimer Zuckerman. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  3. "Burnt Out". New York Press. Manhattan Media. December 28, 2004. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  4. Ruscitti, Frank (November 3, 2008). "Reefer Madness". The Village Voice. Village Voice Media. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  5. "Marijuana Reform Party Candidates To Appear On New York State Ballot". National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. September 20, 2002. Archived from the original on November 9, 2009. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  6. "The 1997 Elections: Results". The New York Times. November 5, 1997.
  7. "Election Results Summary: 2001 General Election" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. November 6, 2001.
  8. "Governor Election Returns 1998" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. November 3, 1998. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 7, 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  9. "Comptroller Election Returns 1998" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. November 3, 1998. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 7, 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  10. "Governor Election Returns 2002" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. November 5, 2002.
  11. "United States Senator Election Returns 1998" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. November 3, 1998. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 7, 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  12. Bonanos, Christopher (September 28, 1998). "Politics: Marijuana Party Accuses Green Party of Weed-Whacking". New York. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  13. Worth, Robert (November 7, 2002). "The 2002 Elections: Smaller Parties; Liberal Party and Others Fall Short of Votes to Stay on Ballot". The New York Times. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
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