Pelham Mayor Michael Volpe told the Pelham Examiner he is running for lieutenant governor on an independent ticket with gubernatorial candidate Stephanie Miner because the two-party system is broken.

Miner, a Democrat, and Volpe, a Republican, have said they hope to fix problems brought about by the two-party system. Miner was most recently mayor of Syracuse, a position she held from 2010 to 2017. She announced her candidacy June 18.

Miner and Volpe are attempting to run on a party line from the Serve America Movement (SAM). The group was founded by both Republicans and Democrats after the 2016 Presidential elections. The party line serves as an additional choice to rival the two major American political parties. Volpe said he has been involved with the movement for a number of months, and it was through SAM officials that he was introduced to Miner.

“The two-party system that’s currently operating is broken,” said Volpe. “It’s not addressing voter and constituent needs.”

SAM’s “principles and ideals are fairly straightforward,” said Volpe. “The belief in treating each other humanely and having a civil dialogue on any issues that are presented to elected officials.” Volpe stressed an emphasis on entrepreneurship, liberty, security, education and the development of younger generations, so that the United States will continue to succeed.

SAM has never run a candidate before, and an office like governor of New York would be “a very big step,” according to Volpe. Miner’s campaign would need 15,000 signatures for the movement to be put on the ballot as a party.

Volpe emphasized how experience as a mayor in a community, small like Pelham or large like Syracuse, could be helpful for a potential governor. He credited his and Miner’s shared values of addressing the needs and rights of their communities to their times as mayor.

“You’ll have two people who have served as mayors in different sized jurisdictions, who each and every day are concerned about their voters, their residents, their constituents,” said Volpe. “I think that gets lost in politics today, on both sides.”

Volpe said he believes that if those in state government work together and compromise, that will lead to a better political future.

Volpe and Miner plan to root out corruption in New York. “We would make every single effort to insure that we do not have any policy, procedure or person that would engage in corruption,” said Volpe.

There are projected to be three other candidates running for governor this November. Miner will face Andrew Cuomo, the incumbent Democrat, as well as actress Cynthia Nixon, who is running against Cuomo in the Democratic primary. Although Nixon is expected to lose the primary, she has secured the nomination of the Working Families Party, and thus will still be on the ballot in November. Duchess County Executive Marc Molinaro is expected to secure the Republican nomination.

Volpe said he is not worried about balancing the demands of campaigning and working in Pelham. “We have a capable staff and the summer months are the quiet months,” said Volpe. He said the budget has already passed, making it far easier for the village board, which he called “good and bipartisan,” to handle the business of Pelham if he cannot be active due to campaigning demands.