EDITORIAL
WHO’S THROWING
THEIR VOTE AWAY?
We had fun searching through the list of
write-in candidates that frustrated voters
penned onto their ballots in the Nov.
2 general election for New York City
The beautiful thing about our democracy is that
the power of the vote belongs to us, and we can exercise
that power however we wish. If some of us don’t
like the slate of choices before us, we can always
write in one of our own — even though we know it
won’t impact the outcome of the final results.
The write-in list included legitimate candidates
who came up short and lost in the primaries; other
politicians known across the country; celebrities
like Kim Kardashian and Lady Gaga; members of the
Yankees and Knicks; and also a few fictional characters
from Daffy Duck to Jean Luc-Picard of “Star
Trek: The Next Generation.”
Some can call the practice of write-in voting
“throwing one’s vote away.” Maybe so.
But as we see it, those who don’t bother to vote at
all are the real disposers of votes — and far too many
of our fellow New Yorkers are throwing their own
power in the trash.
Consider that the Nov. 2 election — which decided
the direction of our city government for the next
four years — had a dismal turnout of about 22% of all
registered voters in New York City.
It was nowhere close to the high turnout and enthusiasm
seen at the polls in 2020 for the presidential
election. And again, we’re left to ask why we
New Yorkers only seem to care about voting once
in a four-year period when so much else is at stake
locally in the other three years?
How many times do people complain about the direction
of city and state government? The executives
and legislators who run government don’t pop into
City Hall and Albany out of thin air — they get there
because people vote for them!
And if people are dissatisfied with how their
government works, or want to continue the direction
it’s on, then it’s their responsibility to cast their
vote when the executives and legislators are up for
election.
Registered voters must remember that they have
the power to determine our destiny. They get the final
say on every politician’s fate.
But if they don’t care enough to vote at all, then
they’re the ones who are throwing their votes away.
HOW TO REACH US
mayor.
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.12 COM | DEC. 10 - DEC. 16, 2021
Registered voters must remember that they have the power to determine our destiny. Photo via Getty Images
WAS THE IRC SET UP FOR FAILURE?
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New York state voters approved a historic,
constitutional amendment in 2014 to implement
essential changes in order to implement
a fair and transparent process in
redrawing the lines of our state legislative and
congressional districts every decade, based on
the census.
As NYS residents enthusiastically participate
before the envisioned, nonpartisan Independent
Redistricting Commission, they are fed up with
the irresponsible tactics of the Republican appointed
members for abdicating their duties and
drawing a competing, conflicting version of the
map that defies the law, data and demographic
changes, further marginalizing minority
communities of interest.
This betrayal will only confirm incumbent
politicians’ boast that they will dictate who they
will represent, instead of NYS’s 21 million diverse
residents. This strikes at the heart of democracy,
and will constitute an utter disgrace
and waste of the allocated $4 million public
funds. We urge all members of the commission
to put aside their differences, and perform their
duties fairly and independently.
Albert Baldeo,
Ozone Park
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