The City's Board of Elections is requesting the date switch to consolidate the primaries for federal, state, and local races, and to allow election officials to prepare and test new electronic voting machine hardware/software changes.
The current September date for the citywide primary is a "legal impossibility," said J.C. Polanco, the Bronx Commissioner for the City Board of Elections. Moving the date to June would save taxpayer dollars, he said.
A spokesman for Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver expressed support for an earlier primary. "What that date would be going forward is uncertain," he said. "We would want to consult with local officials and our members to determine what would work best." A spokesman for the Senate Republicans did not respond.
Insiders believe an early primary would most benefit front-runners. For the mayor race, Council Speaker Christine Quinn. But June is also when the council passes the city budget, a potential complication for Quinn.
Candidates who are trying to catch rivals in fundraising, could be hurt by a truncated primary calendar.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!
Michael H. Drucker
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