The New York City Board of Elections finally voted in a new executive director Tuesday, filling a long-term vacancy a little more than a month before the 2013 primary elections.
The job went to Michael Ryan, a Democrat and former board commissioner from Staten Island, by a vote of 6-3. One commissioner was absent. The board, which by law is divided evenly between Democrats and Republicans, has had no executive director since Bronx Democrat George Gonzalez resigned amid scandal in October 2010.
Last week, out of the 10 commissioners on the board, five voted in favor of Mr. Ryan, a Democrat. Oddly, all of the votes in favor were from Republicans, while Mr. Ryan got no affirmative votes from the five Democrats on the board. But the stalemate was broken when Mr. Ryan secured a sixth vote from the Democratic commissioner from Staten Island, Maria Guastella.
A coup at the Board of Elections this spring, which allowed the Republican delegation on the City Council to replace three commissioners, was a likely factor in helping break the impasse.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!
Michael H. Drucker
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