Myrth York
Encyclopedia
Myrth York is a Democratic
politician, former Rhode Island
State Senator and three-time unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Rhode Island.
York was born in Maplewood
, New Jersey
. She earned her Bachelor of Arts
from the University of Denver
in 1968 and a law degree from Boston University
in 1972. York earned an LL.M. from BU in taxation in 1979.
York served in the Rhode Island State Senate
from 1991 to 1994, and on the Senate Corporations Committee and the Senate Health, Education and Welfare Committee. During her second term she was chairman of the HEW Committee.
York ran unsuccessfully for governor three times. She "ran a competitive bid in 1994 — a tough year for Democrats nationally — losing to Republican Lincoln C. Almond by 3 percentage points. But she slipped further behind in the two subsequent elections, losing to Almond by 9 points in 1998 and to Carcieri
by 10 points in 2002." In 2006 she endorsed Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee
in his unsuccessful bid for reelection (his Democratic opponent, Sheldon Whitehouse
, had run against York in the 2002 Democratic gubernatorial primary).
York served as a fellow for the Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government during the spring of 1999.
York received many awards, including the United Way's Legislator of the Year Award and the Claiborne Pell Award for outstanding service to the arts and people with disabilities.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician, former Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
State Senator and three-time unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Rhode Island.
York was born in Maplewood
Maplewood, New Jersey
Maplewood is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 23,867.-History:...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. She earned her Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
in 1968 and a law degree from Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
in 1972. York earned an LL.M. from BU in taxation in 1979.
York served in the Rhode Island State Senate
Rhode Island General Assembly
The State of Rhode Island General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. A bicameral body, it is composed of the lower Rhode Island House of Representatives with 75 representatives, and the upper Rhode Island Senate with 38 senators...
from 1991 to 1994, and on the Senate Corporations Committee and the Senate Health, Education and Welfare Committee. During her second term she was chairman of the HEW Committee.
York ran unsuccessfully for governor three times. She "ran a competitive bid in 1994 — a tough year for Democrats nationally — losing to Republican Lincoln C. Almond by 3 percentage points. But she slipped further behind in the two subsequent elections, losing to Almond by 9 points in 1998 and to Carcieri
Donald Carcieri
Donald L. "Don" Carcieri was the 73rd Governor of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Carcieri has had a varied vocational background, having worked as a manufacturing company executive, aid relief worker, bank executive and teacher.-Personal background:...
by 10 points in 2002." In 2006 she endorsed Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee
Lincoln Chafee
Lincoln Davenport Chafee is an American politician who has been the 74th Governor of Rhode Island since January 2011. Prior to his election as governor, Chafee served in the United States Senate as a Republican from 1999 until losing his Senate re-election bid in 2006 to Democrat Sheldon...
in his unsuccessful bid for reelection (his Democratic opponent, Sheldon Whitehouse
Sheldon Whitehouse
Sheldon Whitehouse is the junior U.S. Senator from Rhode Island, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
, had run against York in the 2002 Democratic gubernatorial primary).
York served as a fellow for the Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government during the spring of 1999.
York received many awards, including the United Way's Legislator of the Year Award and the Claiborne Pell Award for outstanding service to the arts and people with disabilities.