In this year’s mayoral election,
much of the ink and
oxygen has gone to Andrew
Yang. I assume he will vote for
himself, which will be the fi rst
time he had enough incentive
to vote for mayor. This, despite
being eligible to do so in the
past fi ve New York City mayoral
elections since 2001.
While I’m glad to see he’s
fi nally showing an interest in
local government, I think his
past indifference is disqualifying.
He, and his campaign,
make the point that large
numbers of New Yorkers don’t
vote, and therefore he is relatable.
Well, that may be, but
it’s not very relatable to run
for mayor with the backing
of multiple billionaires and
the appellation of being an
“empty” vessel. But no matter
what Yang, a Brooklyn Paper
columnist, or anyone else
OPINION
The fall of Yang?
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COURIER L 48 IFE, JUNE 4-10, 2021
says, we’ll soon fi nd out how
relatable that is.
As I type, 424 days after
shutting down, we are 34 days
from picking our next mayor.
When I taught political science,
students would ask
what I thought would happen
in an election. I liked to quote
Niels Bohr and say, “Prediction
is very diffi cult, especially
if it’s about the future.”
However, with a great deal of
confi dence, I can say that nobody
is going to win without
going multiple rounds into
the ranked-choice voting procedure.
The sparse polling shows
that 25 percent of voters are
still undecided, and no candidate,
even in their best showing,
gets even 25 percent support.
In a recent poll from WPIX/
Emerson, Brooklyn Borough
President Eric Adams got
17.5 percent of the fi rst-choice
votes, followed by Andrew
Yang. He received 15.4 percent,
Stringer at 15.1 percent,
and Kathryn Garcia received
7.8 percent. After multiple
rounds, when ranked-choice
voting came into play, the
poll had the fi nal two coming
down to Adams and Yang,
with Adams prevailing.
While this is a good poll
for Adams, it’s a weak one
for Yang as he lost 17 percent
from the last polls Emerson
conducted. Stringer’s showing
highlights that he may
still have a path to become the
mayor despite diminishing
institutional support.
Aside from any surprising
individual results, this, and
all the polling, show why RCV
may be the best way to stabilize
the electorate and help
save our city. Right now, people
are, as is often the case are
more certain about what they
don’t want than what they do
want. So, with RCV taking
electoral spoiling off the table,
there’s a real chance that
a general preference shared
by me for progressive policies
will carry the day.
At this point, I’m cautious
about predicting that progressive
outcome, but it is
my preferred outcome, and,
as mentioned last week, I’ll
have Garcia fi rst on my ballot.
Still, she will be followed
by those running in the progressive
lane.
Whatever your preference,
every New Yorker eligible to
vote in the primary should do
so and prove to Yang that he
just isn’t so relatable.
Mike Racioppo is the District
Manager of Brooklyn’s
Community Board 6 and has
been an adjunct professor at
Brooklyn College. Follow him
on Twitter @RacioppoMike.
MIKE DROP
Mike Racioppo
OP-ED
Grant non-citizens the right to vote
BY MELISSA JOHN
It is no secret that throughout history,
Black and Brown people in America
have been shut out of the democratic
process and effectively silenced.
Now, we have an opportunity to create
a more inclusive city by passing Intro
1867, a local law that would allow
nearly one million permanent residents,
like myself, who call New York
City home, a chance to vote in our upcoming
local elections.
The passing of this law is a fi rst and
critical step in eradicating the inequities
immigrant communities face.
Expanding voting rights is New York
City’s opportunity to take the lead
in addressing the pervasive marginalization
immigrants face. This bill
would permit Legal Permanent Residents
(green card holders) and those
with work authorizations to vote in
municipal elections for offi ces like
Mayor and City Council. Moreover,
although municipal non-citizen voting
currently exists in several other
municipalities in the U.S. – including
in California and Maryland – the passage
of Intro 1867 in New York City
would be a catalyst for immigrant suffrage
rights in large cities, especially
now, when immigrants have been so
essential during this pandemic and
will be critical to the country’s recovery.
I myself am a green card holder
who has never had the opportunity to
participate in an election, despite paying
taxes for more than 20 years. Immigrants
are the cornerstone of New
York City’s culture and commerce,
yet we continue to have our political
voices stifl ed and denied power at the
polls. And even though we contribute
fi nancially to the neighborhoods and
boroughs we call home, we cannot
fully participate in democracy or hold
our local leaders accountable.
But now more than ever, New Yorkers
have seen fi rst-hand the crucial
role immigrants play in our city as
essential workers. Throughout this
ongoing pandemic, immigrant New
Yorkers have risked their lives to care
for the sick as medical professionals
and home health aides, delivered our
groceries, kept gas stations open and
the lights on in our local pharmacies,
and kept medical facilities, residential,
and offi ce buildings clean. Simply
put, many immigrants put themselves
and their families’ lives in harm’s way
to help keep countless of their fellow
New Yorkers safe.
This June, while registered voters
elect a new mayor, city comptroller,
public advocate and over 30 City Council
seats, nearly 1 million of my fellow
immigrant New Yorkers will not have
the chance to make their voices heard
in one of the most consequential elections
of our lifetimes.
The reality is that without a say in
who our local elected leaders are, we
are essentially being left out of every
critical decision that affects our families
and communities. Granting the
vote to nearly one million non-citizen
New Yorkers will not only boost voter
turnout numbers, but also make it
more diffi cult for local leaders to ignore
our needs. We are hardworking
taxpayers who form part of our city’s
civic fabric and we deserve to have a
seat at the table when it comes to deciding
how our tax dollars are spent.
We have the right to have a voice on
how public schools and hospitals are
run and to fi ght for affordable housing
in our neighborhoods.
Continuous engagement in the democratic
process is a revolutionary act.
Intro 1867 will provide immigrants
with the tools to fully engage in the political
process while moving forward
on the path towards full citizenship. It
will also fi nally create a voting landscape
that truly refl ects the diversity
of New York City.
Melissa John is a Trinidadian born
US Green Cardholder and Founder of
RepresentWe, an initiative that provides
a platform for civic engagement to empower
immigrant communities.
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