since 1974, the libertarian party of new york has had a candidate for governor of new york on the ballot every four years except for 1986, the only party in new york state without official ballot status up to that point to do so. several other minor parties in new york have achieved ballot status through electoral fusion, endorsing the candidate of a major party. the libertarian party of new york declined to achieve ballot status by this means, although republican william weld flirted with the lpny gubernatorial nomination in 2006.