ALBANY (AP) - New York's top court says the Working Families Party of New York State has authority to choose non-party members as candidates for county, city and local elections.

The Court of Appeals says the statewide committee vested itself with that authority, and its rules don't conflict with state Election Law. The judges rejected a challenge by the party's Suffolk County committee, which had authorized others for town and county offices in 2007.

The court also affirmed a lower court in upholding state Independence Party Committee rules vesting its executive committee with authority to choose candidates for non-citywide offices in New York City. That was challenged by committee chairpersons for Kings, New York, Queens and Richmond counties.