“I am sure the decision which functionally eliminates the Presidential primary was not easy to arrive at, and I can appreciate the significance that this decision has on our democracy. Many people worked very hard to qualify for the ballot, eleven Presidential candidates and their associated slates of candidates for delegate, and that work absolutely should be affirmed and admired. It will take all of us, regardless of which candidates we preferred early on, to work together and restore sanity and professionalism to the White House.
I wholeheartedly support the decision by Commissioners Kellner and Spano to eliminate this primary, which will eliminate entirely the need for many local Boards of Elections to operate on June 23 and will significantly reduce the workload for local boards in all sixty-two counties. It would be unconscionable to send thousands of election workers into a pandemic to operate an election that’s result had already been decided when ten of eleven candidates dropped out and endorsed the remaining candidate – Joe Biden. Almost one-third of New York State’s counties will now not have to operate an election at all, and remaining counties can now focus on operating the congressional, state, judicial, and party elections that have always been scheduled for June 23. We cannot forget that our elections rely on people to function, from poll workers to technicians and administrative staff. These people have families too, and it is the right decision to allow as many of them as possible to stay home.
The presidential primary campaign is now over, but there are still primary elections on June 23 to decide candidates for congress, state legislature, judgeships, and party positions. We will continue to have an exchange of ideas, some of which have taken on new urgency as millions of workers lose access to employer-based healthcare and are struggling to pay rent and put food on their tables.
Whatever the disagreements may be within the Democratic Party, our differences are not nearly as vast as with the Republicans – our leadership does not tell people to inject disinfectant to cure coronavirus, our leadership does not tell states to declare bankruptcy to avoid paying people their hard-earned pensions, and our leadership does not put millions of lives at risk just so that the richest among us can get even richer.”
EDITOR'S NOTE:
We have highlighted part of Assemblyman Dinowitz's statement.
It would be unconscionable to send thousands of election workers into a pandemic to operate an election that’s result had already been decided.
Almost one-third of New York State’s counties will now not have to operate an election at all, and remaining counties can now focus on operating the congressional, state, judicial, and party elections that have always been scheduled for June 23.
Assemblyman Dinowitz left out from that sentence Except Bronx County, which has one of the the highest rates of COVID-19 infection and deaths. Who are those effected the most by COVID-19, the same people who work the elections.
Assemblyman Dinowitz, the law was changed last year to move the state and local elections to June from September.
Assemblyman Dinowitz, make it safe for election workers - Move Primary Day back to September this year.
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