The Marijuana Reform Party (abbreviated MRP) was a progressive minor political party in the U.S. state of New York dedicated to the legalization of cannabis. Founded in 1997, the Marijuana Reform Party ran a candidate for Governor of New York and other statewide offices in 1998 and 2002.
Gubernatorial tickets 1998 – Thomas K. Leighton and Jeffrey C. Wright 2002 – Thomas K. Leighton and Thomas J. Hillgardner
Election results Results in New York City elections Year Office Candidate Popular Votes Percentage 1997 Manhattan Borough President Thomas Leighton 6,235 3.0% 2001 Manhattan Borough President Garry Goodrow 7,322 1.9% 2001 New York City Mayor Thomas Leighton 2,563 0.2% 2001 New York City Comptroller Tracy Blevins 17,340 1.2% 2001 New York City Public Advocate Chris Launois 21,721 1.5%
Results in New York State elections Year Office Candidate Popular Votes Percentage 1998 New York Governor Thomas Leighton 24,788 0.50% 1998 New York Comptroller Dean Venezia 39,423 0.79% 2002 New York Governor Thomas Leighton 21,977 0.47%
Results in federal elections Year Office Candidate Popular Votes Percentage 1998 United States Senator Corinne Kurtz 34,281 0.69%
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". 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. 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."
See also Cannabis political parties of the United States
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