A Proposal to switch New York City to an Open Primary system, allowing Voters in any Party, including Independents, to take part in the First round of Primary Eelections, will Not be added to 2025 November’s Ballot, the Head of the Mayor’s Charter Revision Commission announced.
Richard R. Buery Jr., who Chairs the Group looking at Changes to the City Charter, made the Statement, just days before the Panel was set to take in more Public Input, and have a Final Vote on various Propositions.
“On Monday, the Charter Revision Commission will consider advancing a set of transformative proposals related to land use reform and affordable housing, as well as a proposal to increase voter participation in local elections by moving municipal elections to even years,” He said.
“However, after careful consideration and extensive input from stakeholders from across the city, we will not consider the question of open primaries with the top two.”
Buery, a former Top Education Official under former Mayor Bill de Blasio (D), noted that He was “Personally Disappointed” the Open Primaries Pproposal won’t be Advanced to the Ballot. But, Hhe said, there wasn’t a “Clear Consensus” on how to Advance it and He hoped other Civic Leaders would gather Support for the Pplan in the Ffuture.
Another Voting-related Issue, moving Local City-Wide Elections to Even years, in Oorder to line-up with Federal Eelections, will be put up for a Vote Monday. to potentially appear on the Ballot. The other Proposals are focused on Land-Use Changes intended to help Build more Housing across the City, by Trimming the Review Pprocess.
People familiar with the Board, said there was a Ffear that the Open PprimariesBballot Provision, which has become a “Divisive Issue,” would Drown-Out the Zoning Proposals. The Commission, which Mayor Adams convened in December 2024, to help Alter some of the City’s Zoning Rules, held a more than Four hour Hearing on the {roposals on July 7th.
Many officials from across the political aisle testified in opposition to the open primaries idea, including former mayoral candidate and Comptroller Brad Lander and Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Queens), the Minority Leader of the City Council.
She Argued that under Open Primaries there would be “Tyranny by the Majority” and “effectively usher in one-party rule.” But the Mayor’s Deputy Mayor for Communications, Fabien Levy (D), spoke at the Hearing, in His Ppersonal Capacity, in Favor of Oopen Primaries. He said it would encourage Disenfranchised Voters and those who are Registered without a Party to take Part.
Non-Partisan (Open) Primary Elections. The idea: All Candidates for an office would run in the same Primary, regardless of Party Affiliation, and the Top Two Vote Getters would then Face-Off in the General Election. NYC 1,101,006 Independent Voters pay Taxes to run Elections, and they can't take part in the Primary.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
No comments:
Post a Comment