Spoiler group's recognition revoked by state
By Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current
No Labels Rhode Island is no more, confirmed by the state elections panel in a meeting on Wednesday.
Source: Data for Progress
The Rhode Island Board of Elections’ 4-0 vote removes No Labels from the list of officially recognized state political parties. The bipartisan group gained recognition in Rhode Island in March, after submitting more than 20,000 signatures of registered voters.
The Republican and Democratic parties are the only other recognized political parties in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island was among more than a dozen states in which No Labels successfully petitioned for political party recognition amid plans to prop up a third-party “unity ticket” in the 2024 presidential election.
In April, No Labels ended its presidential bid, explaining it was unable to find a candidate to represent its platform on the 2024 presidential ballot. Rhode Island state law requires political parties to run a gubernatorial or presidential candidate, and for that candidate to receive at least 5% of votes cast, to maintain state recognition.
No Labels Rhode Island did not have any candidates for any office on Rhode Island’s 2024 ballot, disqualifying the group from continued party recognition.
“It was long overdue,” Gary Sasse, chairperson of No Labels Rhode Island, said in a phone interview Wednesday afternoon. “The party was created for one thing and one thing only, and that was to support a presidential candidate. We were never interested in having it on a permanent basis.”
The 1,528 Rhode Island voters still registered under the No Labels Rhode Island party will have their affiliation changed to independent, said Miguel Nunez, executive director for the state elections board.
Voter registration and election materials through the Rhode Island Board of Elections, Rhode Island Department of State and Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles will also be updated to remove No Labels from the list of recognized parties.
Board of Elections members Diane Mederos, Randall Jackvony and Michael Connors were absent from the meeting on Wednesday.
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