Myrth York

Who is Myrth York?

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 is the daughter of chemical engineer, entrepreneur and philanthropist Otto H. York.

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. In the Senate she was known for being strongly liberal on social issues and defending the rights of women and minorities.

York served as a fellow for the Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government during the spring of 1999.

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."