New York State Democratic Party

The New York State Democratic Committee is the local branch of the Democratic Party in the state of New York.

History

The New York State Democratic Committee, launched in 1792 by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, is the longest-enduring political party in the world. Since a meeting between the two leaders in 1792, the State Party has continued to promote Democratic ideals throughout the state and the country.

When Jefferson assumed his role as America's first Secretary of State, New York City, the first capital, contained many antidemocratic elements. Even though the new Republic had just won its independence from the monarchy in England, many of the influential men in government thought George Washington should rule similar to a European monarch.

The Democratic Party had a different vision for the country. From its beginning, the party has tried to represent the large class of people who cannot afford special representation and who desire only a fair, honest and effective government. The seeds of the Democratic Party were sown in conversations at the dinner tables of New York during these first few months of the government under its newly ratified Constitution. Thomas Jefferson wrote: "I cannot describe the wonder and mortification with which the table conversations filled me. Politics were the chief topic, and a preference of kingly, over republican, government was evidently the favorite sentiment. An apostate I would not be, not yet be a hypocrite; and I found myself, for the most part, the only advocate on the republican side of the question."

The current New York State Democratic Party arose from these principles and has continued the democratic, representative tradition throughout its existence.

Present Day

June O'Neill and Dave Pollak are the current co-chairs of the State Party. The Elections of 2006 brought great success to the Party, as Democrats won all statewide offices in New York, and on a national level, Democrats won control of Congress.

With Governor Spitzer and other state legislators, the Party is working to enact important reforms which will improve the state for all New Yorkers.

The main office is located at 461 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016.

Democratic Resources

• New York State Democratic Committee
• Eleanor Roosevelt's Legacy Committee
• Spitzer 2010
• New York State Young Democrats
• New York State Democratic Rural Conference
• Democratic National Committee

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