Two new political parties joined the Democrats and Republicans in the November 2014 elections in Massachusetts. When candidates from each party — the Green-Rainbow Party and the United Independent Party — won at least 3 percent of the vote in statewide elections, the parties earned official party status. That status gives the new parties added benefits, such as the ability to hold primary elections. But in order to keep this status, the parties must continue to earn 3 percent of the vote in upcoming statewide elections, which could be tricky. The next such election only be for one position — the president of the United States.
