INDEPENDENCE PARTY
of New York State

The Independence Party's 2000 organizational meeting and Presidential nominating convention was held in downtown Albany on September 23 and 24. State Committee members elected in the primary on September 12 met to reorganize as required by law. Here's a quick look at what happened, in chronological order.

Saturday:

• Meeting called to order about 10 a.m. Report that a quorum was present. Proxies for four seats were challenged; agreement was reached in all four cases.
• The State Party Rules as currently written were agreed to be kept in force with two changes: the Executive Committee is expanded to 15 seats (from 9) by adding 6 additional at-large seats, and the State Committee will have regular meetings three times a year.
• The following officers were elected:
  • Frank MacKay, Chair
  • Brian Kaiser, Vice-Chair
  • Charlie Flynn, Second Vice-Chair
  • Bill Bogardt, Secretary
  • Peter Fiorella, Treasurer
  • At large: Kipp Pells, Dietrich Werner, Thomas Connolly, Paul Caputo, Jessie Fields, Jeffrey Graham, Ben Curtis, Harry Kresky, Thomas Grimm, Cathy Stewart.
• Senate candidate Jeffrey Graham and his former primary opponent Jeff Beller each addressed the convention.
• A Presidential candidates' forum was held. John Hagelin and his running mate Nat Goldhaber addressed the meeting, as did representatives of Ralph Nader and Pat Buchanan. Questions to the speakers followed each presentation.

Sunday:

• John Hagelin and Ralph Nader were each nominated for President. There were no other nominations. Almost an hour and a half of spirited discussion followed. Hagelin won the weighted roll call vote overwhelmingly. Buchanan and Donald Trump each received the votes of one member.
• Hagelin and Goldhaber briefly addressed the convention after their victory and were congratulated by Jeff Graham.
• An Issues and Platform Committee open to all party members was established by unanimous vote. It will be co-chaired by Phil Goldstein and Nancy Ross.
• A Rules Committee open to all members was also established by unanimous vote. It will be chaired by Dave Ketchum and Harry Kresky.
• A resolution urging a "no" vote on the $3.8 billion Transportation Bond Act on the November ballot was passed, with one member opposed.
• A resolution supporting a Same Day Voter Registration bill currently before the Assembly was discussed, but a substitute motion supporting the concept but referring details to the newly established Issues Committee was passed in its place.
• A slate of Presidential Elector candidates was passed without opposition.
• The Committee voted to disaffiliate from the national Reform Party, with one member opposed.
• The date of the next State Committee meeting was set for the weekend of February 10-11, 2001.
• A motion to require the Rules Committee to consider the issue of the use of proxies was passed unanimously.
• The Treasurer's report was read and accepted. The cost of the convention was about $820 and about $4,500 remains in the party's account.
• The meeting adjourned just before 2:00 p.m.

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