CC/NY, NYCCFB to Lawmakers: "Hold Just A Special Election for QBP and CD 37 on June 23, Not A Primary As Well"

NEW YORK, NY (04/14/2020) (readMedia)-- With two Board of Elections staffers dead and many more sick from COVID-19, Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY, and Amy M. Loprest, Executive Director of the New York City Campaign Finance Board (NYCCFB) called on lawmakers to hold only a special election -- not both a special and the primary -- on June 23rd. Additionally, Common Cause/NY called for an end to petition objections during the COVID-19 crisis.

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At the end of March, Governor Cuomo signed an executive order pushing the special elections for NYC Council District 37 and Queens Borough President to June 23rd, the same day as primaries for congressional, state and local elections. As is, voters in these districts will be expected to vote for candidates twice -- once for the special and once for the primary -- on the same day. Common Cause/NY and the NYCCFB have argued that this is confusing to voters, and urged lawmakers to cancel the scheduled primary and instead have the winner of the scheduled special election fill out the remainder of the term until December 31, 2021. A special election would also deliver immediate representation to voters, as opposed to a lengthy primary process that would not seat the winner for several more months.

"As we consider how to restart civic life in our city, we must take steps now to protect the health of our elections and the voters, candidates, and poll workers who participate in them. The CFB believes that the most straightforward response in these extraordinary circumstances is to hold a single, nonpartisan special election on June 23 for Queens Borough President and City Council District 37," said Amy M. Loprest, Executive Director of the New York City Campaign Finance Board (NYCCFB).

Common Cause/NY also spoke out against the ongoing petition challenges which have put BOE staff and campaign workers at serious risk.

"The petty practice of trying to knock candidates off the ballot by challenging nominating petitions for hyper-technical objections serves no democratic purpose. How many more BOE workers need to die to deny voters more choices? If candidates won't stop recklessly endangering the lives of public servants and their opponents, we need the Legislature and the Governor to step in. Similarly, holding only a special election on June 23rd, rather than a primary will bring clarity and assist and protect voters. There's no need to cause gratuitous confusion or risk," said Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY.

In order to get on the ballot, campaigns must get a certain number of signatures from voters to qualify. Opposing campaigns may challenge each other's petition signatures before the Boards of Elections to remove a candidate's name from the ballot. Campaigns must show-up in person to fight these challenges. With a stay at home order in place, Common Cause/NY argues it is dangerous for any person to be forced to appear in person right now and urges all campaigns to suspend challenges. Common Cause/NY has long maintained that petition requirements in New York are unreasonably high and act as gatekeeping for entrenched interests. The pandemic further highlights that reality.

Congressmen Jerry Nadler and Hakeem Jeffries and others have similarly issued a letter to the Kings County Democractic Chair, Rodyense Bichotte, to suspend petition challenges.