Less than a Month before the upcoming New York City Primary Election, thousands of Tenants at a Queens Housing Complex don't know where they are supposed to Vote on Sept. 12th.
The controversy is over a Polling Site at LeFrak City, a Housing Development with upwards of 15,000 Residents in Corona, Queens. Tenants there said on Tuesday that they're in Limbo because the Community Room they used for decades did not comply with current Accessibility Rules under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and City Officials have not picked a New Polling Site.
A Court-Appointed Consultant notified the New York City Board of Elections (BOE) of the Accessibility Issue last year. BOE's Executive Director Michael Ryan said they didn't make any Changes then because it was too close to the Presidential Election. He said they were working with the LeFrak Management to find Alternative Locations on the Property. “Whatever happens here is going to happen - or not happen - based on the level of cooperation from the landlord,” Ryan told frustrated Tenants and Activists at the Board's weekly meeting Tuesday.
But the President of the Tenant Association, Malikah Khadijah Shabazz, said the Board should have Fixed the problem sooner. “I have never seen so much confusion over a poll site in my community,” said Shabazz who said she’s lived in LeFrak City for more than 40 years.
The Residents are considered an important Block of Voters in a Local City Council Race to replace current City Council Member Julissa Ferarras-Copeland. The Democratic Primary battle pits Assemblyman Francisco Moya, backed by the Queens County Democrats, against Hiram Monserrate, a former State Senator Convicted of Assaulting his Girlfriend and misusing City Funds.
LeFrak City is considered a Monserrate stronghold. Activist Bertha Lewis, who backs Monserrate, threatened Legal Action against the BOE. “This board is responsible for this voter suppression,” said Lewis, “you had over a year.”
Poll Site Notifications started to go out this month but not to LeFrak City yet.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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