Photo by Buck Ennis
Will it be in September or June? Or will lawmakers split the difference and have it in July?
The date of New York City’s 2013 primary remains uncertain, but the state Legislature is aiming to make a decision no later than January, said Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh, who co-chaired a hearing on the issue Dec. 14.
“There’s no clear answer,” Mr. Kavanagh said. But he was certain of one thing: “It’s quite clear that running a citywide run-off 14 days after a primary is unrealistic.”
The city’s Board of Elections is requesting a June election to consolidate the primaries for state and local races, comply with new federal mandates and allow election officials to prepare and test new electronic voting machines before a possible run-off vote, which could occur in the Democratic and Republican primaries for mayor.
State Sen. Marty Golden, whom the city Board of Elections identified as its point person in the state Senate, said he had not been unpersuaded that the date must be moved to June. He said the Senate would likely hold hearings on the subject very soon.
“We’re looking for a fix,” Mr. Golden said. “I would not say, though, that it’s going to be June.”
Experts agree that moving the date to June from September would have an unpredictable effect on all city races next year, from the mayor’s race on down to City Council contests. Unsettled races, like for public advocate and borough president, would be especially affected by the change. And the current chaos surrounding the City Council’s redistricting process is especially perplexing to potential Council candidates, who may find a significantly compressed timeline between when the final maps are released and when they will have to face primary voters.
The date switch would also have implications for the city’s campaign finance system, said Mr. Kavanagh.
“Right now you have a 14-day period [between the primary and the run-off],” he said. “Often it’s a day or two before you’re even sure you’re a candidate in the run-off. And then you have 12 to 14 days. There’s not much of a need to spend, there’s not much of a campaign. If you’re going to have to a new, two-and-a-half month campaign at the city level, that’s a pretty significant change.”
J.C. Polanco, the Bronx commissioner for the Board of Elections, said while he understands that there is a certain “knee-jerk reaction” among the city’s political class when it comes to the much-maligned agency, he hopes state lawmakers will agree with its proposal to move up the date.
“If you want to have a run-off, you have to move the primary date,” he said. “We really need the City Council and the mayor to just once lay down their swords and say the board is right this time.”