BOL Majority Leader Seeks September Date for Special Election
In a continuing effort to set the Special Election date for a replacement for former Mt. Vernon Legislator Bernice Spreckman on a day when another election is already scheduled, Westchester Board of Legislators Majority Leader Catherine Borgia (D-Ossining) has learned from the County Clerk’s office that Spreckman’s resignation letter was never received at that office.
Because Spreckman’s resignation letter was incorrectly submitted, Borgia contends that her effective date of resignation has not yet occurred according to New York State Public Officers Law Section 31 subd.1(f), which requires county officials to address their resignation letter to the County Clerk.
Since the earliest effective date of her resignation would be June 20, 2016, this allows the County board to set a special election for Primary Day, September 13, 2016, when there is already an election occurring in the Mt. Vernon section of the district, rather than holding the election at the now scheduled August 2 date.
By not adding another Election Day to the calendar there is the potential to save taxpayers up to a $100,000 in overtime and other resources at a time when county government is under severe budgetary pressure, according to Borgia.
“This is a perfect opportunity for the County Board to make a good governance decision to save taxpayers upwards of $100k and to increase voter participation by combining the special election with the already-scheduled September primary. We all agree that at a time when the County Executive’s budget cannot find the needed money to fund basic police and public safety services, cuts contracts to not-for-profits that provide essential services, and is borrows to cover basic operating expenses, the choice to hold an additional election is not fiscally prudent,” Borgia said.
The BOL Republicans along with Chairman Michael Kaplowitz, a Democrat, are sticking by their August 2 Special Election date, claiming Borgia blocked legislation at their meeting Monday night and was thereby prohibiting the BOL from following the County Charter, which requires that when a Legislator vacates their position during a term the date for a special election should take place within 90 days. The BOL will have to convene a special meeting in the coming days to take up the pending legislation again.
With four elections already being held in 2016 (presidential primary, Congressional primary, state and local primary in September and the November general election) and a city-wide primary in the Mt. Vernon part of District 14 already set for September 13, Borgia says setting the Special Election date in August just wastes money and suppresses voter turnout because that is when most people are away on vacation.
This is an updated version of the same story that published on June 21, 2016 in The White Plains Examiner.
