Cuomo campaign creates Women's Equality Party

PHOTOGRAPHER: The Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s re-election campaign and prominent Democrats have created a new Women’s Equality ballot line for the fall election.

Cuomo’s running mate, lieutenant governor candidate Kathy Hochul, announced the third-party ballot line on Thursday in New York City. New York election law allows major party candidates to also run on third-party ballot lines.

The party supports a 10-point women’s legislative agenda that includes help for domestic violence victims, tougher human trafficking laws and the codification of federal abortion rights in state law.

It will be up to the new party’s organizers to endorse candidates.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino is also seeking to add a new ballot line called the “Stop Common Core” line to attract voters upset with the state’s new educational standards.