Primary Day Today: Don't Forget to Vote


by on Sep 15th, 2009

One of the great shames of this city’s election system is that most of the decisions are made by one party, during primary day. With the exception of our billionaire mayor, Republicans rarely (if ever) stand a chance, and so the real voting happens by a much smaller group of people.

Well, that day is here. Remember to go vote. For most in the area, St. Mark’s School (2602 East 19th Street) is your assigned voting center, but if you’re not sure you can check the Board of Elections’ Poll Site Locator. And if you need a crash course in who’s running and what they believe, Gotham Gazette has put together an excellent Guide for the Last Minute (Primary) Voter.

Some have asked what we at Sheepshead Bites think of the election. Well, for us down in Sheepshead Bay, there isn’t much of a race. After Councilmen Fidler and Nelson successfully booted all Democratic challengers from the ballot through petition challenges, their seats are assured. City Council desperately needs new blood, especially to send a message of disapproval towards the overturning of term limits. Fidler and Nelson both voted for to extend their own reigns against the desires of those they represent. For that they should have paid. But Nelson is guaranteed another term, while Fidler reacts to his Republican challenger as more of an annoyance than an opponent.

The situation is similar in the higher eschelons of government. Marty Markowitz faces no Democratic challengers, despite increasing opposition. Perhaps the only meaningful races this year are for Public Advocate, Comptroller, and Mayor. For the last, Tony Avella’s message of smarter, slower development and his harsh criticism of his colleagues in City Council over the term limit vote have made him a warm candidate to us. For Public Advocate and Comptroller, the races feature far less starkly opposed characters, and we recommend checking out the voter guide and deciding for yourself.

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  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

    I wiish that Avella had more of a chance. I’ve been following his various endeavors over the years and he more than impresses me. Thompson is a merely tolerable choice.

    Collectively, the City Council has violated the will of the public. There should have been another referendum before term limits could be extended. The real question though is why a serious effort wasn’t made to challenge this in the state courts. I believe that a compliant was made to the Justice Department, but they decided not to look into it, probably on jurisdictional grounds. So where were our good government people?

    Can’t vote for Gene Berardelli, but come November I hope that those who do live in his district would seriously consider voting for him.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001/ Lisanne!

    I wiish that Avella had more of a chance. I’ve been following his various endeavors over the years and he more than impresses me. Thompson is a merely tolerable choice.

    Collectively, the City Council has violated the will of the public. There should have been another referendum before term limits could be extended. The real question though is why a serious effort wasn’t made to challenge this in the state courts. I believe that a compliant was made to the Justice Department, but they decided not to look into it, probably on jurisdictional grounds. So where were our good government people?

    Can’t vote for Gene Berardelli, but come November I hope that those who do live in his district would seriously consider voting for him.

  • Lew from Brooklyn

    Thank you Ned. I love you too.
    Lew

  • Lew from Brooklyn

    Thank you Ned. I love you too.
    Lew

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

    Lew, we know that its politics. But the community would do better if everyone got as much information as possible about their choices.

    I do hope that whatever the results we all try as best as we can afterwards to work together. And that we recognize that we can learn from the perspectives of others.

    Our communities belong to all of us, Democrat, Republican, reformer etc.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001/ Lisanne!

    Lew, we know that its politics. But the community would do better if everyone got as much information as possible about their choices.

    I do hope that whatever the results we all try as best as we can afterwards to work together. And that we recognize that we can learn from the perspectives of others.

    Our communities belong to all of us, Democrat, Republican, reformer etc.

  • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur Borko

    Am I the only person that doesn’t give a rats ass that the council voted themselves a third term? I mean seriously, the LAW as written specifically allowed for two ways to change term limits. The whole issue was taken a court and a judge said it was legal.

    I get that there were two previous votes or referendums and that those didn’t pass but frankly that’s a much of malarky considering how small voter turn out usually is.

    The true will of the people always happens on election day anyway. If people were so angry at these clowns for changing the law to allow for a third term then ELECT SOMEONE ELSE.

    I’m using my vote. I’m not voting for any incumbent currently in office. I have no clue who’s running in Midwood but I’m not voting for anyone who’s currently holding a seat here.

    If I didn’t think that all 3 democratic contenders [for mayor] were slimeballs themselves I’d vote for one of them too.

    Please, get over this third term bull crap. A third term can be a VERY GOOD THING, but it depends WHOS IN OFFICE and no matter what we the people control that by electing them.

  • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur B

    Am I the only person that doesn’t give a rats ass that the council voted themselves a third term? I mean seriously, the LAW as written specifically allowed for two ways to change term limits. The whole issue was taken a court and a judge said it was legal.

    I get that there were two previous votes or referendums and that those didn’t pass but frankly that’s a much of malarky considering how small voter turn out usually is.

    The true will of the people always happens on election day anyway. If people were so angry at these clowns for changing the law to allow for a third term then ELECT SOMEONE ELSE.

    I’m using my vote. I’m not voting for any incumbent currently in office. I have no clue who’s running in Midwood but I’m not voting for anyone who’s currently holding a seat here.

    If I didn’t think that all 3 democratic contenders [for mayor] were slimeballs themselves I’d vote for one of them too.

    Please, get over this third term bull crap. A third term can be a VERY GOOD THING, but it depends WHOS IN OFFICE and no matter what we the people control that by electing them.

  • http://www.gene-2009.com/ Gene B.

    Arthur: I think you should care when your elected representative casts a vote that renders the people’s (that allow him/her to represent them) vote null and void.

    Voter turnout isn’t a factor – look at today’s voter turnout of less than 10%… should those votes be overturned by legislative action, too?

    I’m not upset about the number of terms – I’m not even talking about the legality of the Council’s vote. But just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do something. And Lew & the Council should have left the Mayor’s bad idea as just that and not acted on it.

    By the way, it’s nice to see the word malarky (sp?) used now and again, so that made my night.

    Oh and Ned, haven’t you heard? Courier Life lampooned the race as the “fight of the century” If Lew is Mike Tyson, I hope to be more Buster Douglas than Peter McNeely! Nothing is assured in this world.

  • http://www.gene-2009.com Gene B.

    Arthur: I think you should care when your elected representative casts a vote that renders the people’s (that allow him/her to represent them) vote null and void.

    Voter turnout isn’t a factor – look at today’s voter turnout of less than 10%… should those votes be overturned by legislative action, too?

    I’m not upset about the number of terms – I’m not even talking about the legality of the Council’s vote. But just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do something. And Lew & the Council should have left the Mayor’s bad idea as just that and not acted on it.

    By the way, it’s nice to see the word malarky (sp?) used now and again, so that made my night.

    Oh and Ned, haven’t you heard? Courier Life lampooned the race as the “fight of the century” If Lew is Mike Tyson, I hope to be more Buster Douglas than Peter McNeely! Nothing is assured in this world.

  • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur Borko

    Well Gene, I think my dad is a republican so You’ll most likely get two votes in November ^_^.

    I just can’t really get all that upset about the term limits. I agree that just because something can be changed doesn’t mean it should, but what if we had a different mayor and different council, would people have been upset?

    I just feel (strongly) that instead of venting online and in the papers people should actually go VOTE and deny those members a third term at the ballot box.

  • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur B

    Well Gene, I think my dad is a republican so You’ll most likely get two votes in November ^_^.

    I just can’t really get all that upset about the term limits. I agree that just because something can be changed doesn’t mean it should, but what if we had a different mayor and different council, would people have been upset?

    I just feel (strongly) that instead of venting online and in the papers people should actually go VOTE and deny those members a third term at the ballot box.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

    It’s done. Thompson won. I guess there will be a runoff between Liu and Yassky for comptroller, and De Blasio and Green for Public Advocate.

    Lew Fielder and Mike Nelson both defeated themselves and won their party nominations.

    The Republicans decided that primaries are for Democrats.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001/ Lisanne!

    It’s done. Thompson won. I guess there will be a runoff between Liu and Yassky for comptroller, and De Blasio and Green for Public Advocate.

    Lew Fielder and Mike Nelson both defeated themselves and won their party nominations.

    The Republicans decided that primaries are for Democrats.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

    Correction, I keep confusing Lew with the famous conductor. They could be related, separate branches of the family, perhaps.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001/ Lisanne!

    Correction, I keep confusing Lew with the famous conductor. They could be related, separate branches of the family, perhaps.

  • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur Borko

    Carlin?

  • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur B

    Carlin?

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

    If he wasn’t dead he’d make a pretty good council member. Maybe that need not disqualify him.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001/ Lisanne!

    If he wasn’t dead he’d make a pretty good council member. Maybe that need not disqualify him.