Last night, the New York Democratic Lawyers Council (NYDLC) and its Minority Voting Rights Committee held a Democratic Mayoral Candidate Forum, titled "Voting Rights, Election Reform and the Future of New York". It was held at the Cardozo School of Law in Manhattan.
It was co-sponsored by: The Manhattan Young Democrats, The Queens County Young Democrats, The Brooklyn Young Democrats, The Pan-Hellenic Council of Greater New York, Inc., The New York Democratic Law Students Council, Living Liberally, The New Latino Movement, ACT NOW NY, Harlem4Obama, South Asians for Obama, Downtown Wast 4 Actions, and Lawyers44 for Obama.
The scheduled mayoral candidates were: Christine Quinn, Bill De Blasio, Sal Albanese, Rev. Erick Salgado, John Lui, and Bill Thompson.
CLICK HERE for a Guide to the New York City Mayoral Candidates.
Christine Quinn and Bill De Blasio had a scheduling conflict that I think was for the fund raiser President Obama was holding at the Waldorf Astoria.
The forum was held as an one-on-one with the candidates and the questioners: Michael Benjamin, a former four term New York State Representative, former head of the Bronx Board of Elections, and a public affairs consultant; Celeste Katz, the political correspondent for The New York Daily News. The topics centered around the New York City Independence Party's mantra "Structural Political Reform".
The first candidate was Sal Albanese, who worked his way through the audience and press, where I was, introducing himself.
His answers included: the need for a professional, independent board of elections with qualifying like a civil service test; the need for non-partisan municipal elections; preregistering to vote at 16-17; maybe allowing parolees to vote; no restrictions on absentee voting; allowing documented immigrants to vote in municipal elections; NYC not ready to bailout of preclearence because of the redistricting process; would ban members items, doling out of extra taxpayer cash to favored council members (lulus), and stipends.
Next candidate was Rev. Erick Salgado. His answers included: the need for more and diverse candidates; must complete parole to vote; allowing documented immigrants to vote in municipal elections; no excuse absentee voting; ethics reform; 4 year terms with a 2 term limit for all positions.
Next candidate was John Lui. His answers included: New voter registration process; more voting days; no excuse absentee voting; allowing parolees to vote; preregistering to vote at 16; the need for a professional, independent board of elections; allowing documented immigrants to vote in municipal elections; needed research to understand the concept of preclearance and bailout.
The last candidate was Bill Thompson. His answers included: the need for a professional, independent board of elections with some type of qualifying test; was against the process used to select the new voting machines; need new ballot format; early voting over multiple days; change the registration/reregistration process so voters do not have to wait so long; was against non-partisan municipal elections; would allow parolee voting; was not sure if allowing documented immigrants to vote in municipal elections was constitutional; NYC not ready to bailout of preclearence because of the redistricting process; was for the public funding of campaigns; to enforce ethical behavior, was for higher penalties and in server cases loss of pension.
Let me know if there is a debate or forum you would like me to cover.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!
Michael H. Drucker
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