New York State Grange Named “2007 Organization of Distinction”

On August 27th, the New York State Grange was named the “2007 Organization of Distinction” at the New York State Fair annual Dairy Day. The award was given to recognize the New York State Grange’s “…dedicated service to the Northeast Dairy Farm Beautification Program.” The New York State Grange also supports the State Fair Dairy program with members on the Dairy Building Task Force and by designing, printing and distributing more than 2000 “Dairy Day” programs for the Dairy Day celebration at the fair.

Washington State Grange Case Goes to the U. S. Supreme Court

History was made Monday, Oct. 1, when the Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments from attorneys representing the Washington State Grange, the State of Washington and political parties regarding a lower court’s invalidation of the top-two primary described by voter-approved and Grange-sponsored Initiative 872. The Washington State Grange case was the very first case heard by the U.S. Supreme Court Justices in their 2007 Fall Term.

What the lower federal courts have ruled, in essence, is that the First Amendment’s Freedom of Association clause gives a political party, as a private association of individuals, the right to choose “its” candidates for political office. The lower federal courts have ruled that this right of private association is superior to the popular interests and wishes of the electorate for direct association between voters and all candidates on a single primary ballot without the direct intervention and influence of the political parties. The Washington State Grange remains confident that the U.S. Supreme Court will recognize the difference between a primary that nominates a candidate to represent a party in the general election and an open, non-nominating primary that winnows the field down to the final two candidates for the general election that, nevertheless, still allows the candidates the option of stating their party “preference” on the primary ballot. The latter primary system, known as a “qualifying primary,” is the system overwhelmingly adopted by Washington State voters under Initiative 872. The Washington State Grange was instrumental in writing Initiative 872 and convincing more than 60% of the voters to adopt the qualifying primary election system in the Evergreen State.

The team of WA State Government officials and WA State Grange representatives, who argued their case, stand on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court.