The voters of District 77 of the Bronx, which includes the neighborhoods of Claremont, Concourse Village, Highbridge, Mount Eden y Morris Heights are invited to participate in a special election to choose the vacancy left by state Assemblywoman, Latoya Joyner, who He surprisingly resigned from that legislative position at the beginning of the year.
58.5% of the population of these towns in the southeast of La Salsa County, who have the option of choosing one of their state legislators, They are of Hispanic origin. But given the surprising nature of this election day, everything indicates that Very few have the information at hand about what is at stake in this process. There are also no Hispanic candidates on the ballot who can connect with these voters.
Early voting lasts until Sunday February 11. Election day is Tuesday February 13th.
According to data from the New York City Board of Elections, this district is home to more than 68,500 voters. And in this case, only registered residents in these localitiesyou can vote in this consultation.
In this election that was organized for extraordinary reasons, Only two names are on the ballot: Landon Dais, 42, competes on the Democratic side, and Norman McGill on the Republican side.
In this district there is a historical tendency to vote for the Democratic party. In fact, in 2022, Assemblywoman Joyner, who left office, he won with 86% of the votes.
In previous processes, the Democratic candidate has even obtained 95% of the votes in this district.
Very slow start
Until this Friday, the seventh day of the opening of early voting day, Only 161 voters had gone to the polls.a fact not at all surprising, since the trend in that county is not only its Democratic favoritism, but a growing apathy in the special electoral processes.
“I particularly I only move to vote for Mayor and Presidentbecause these councilors and assembly members, one doesn’t even know their faces. “I find out that these elections are being held”commented the Dominican José Antonio Feliz, 68 years old, who claims to have voted for the first time when former President Barack Obama triumphed.
The islander believes that part of the apathy towards these processes is due to the fact that voters assume that in this type of elections they are carried out by a “protocol”, because there is no real competition, because the Democrats are an overwhelming majority.
“The normal thing is that if there is an election, Is there a campaign and advertising for the candidates? If there is, I have not seen it,” he commented.
José Antonio jokingly says that if he sees any of these candidates and the outgoing assembly member on the streets, I wouldn’t even know who they are.
“Possibly people know little about the importance of an assembly member. They write, discuss and approve the laws that affect us. For example, the State Assembly approved the reform of the Bail Law, and that today has a great weight in all the discussions that have to do with the wave of thieves that we have,” he commented.
Given the surprising nature of this election, very few voters have detailed information at hand about what is at stake in this process. (Photo: F. Martínez)
You have to participate!
Such is the case of the Dominican Mayra Ortíz, who has been authorized to vote since 1996 in New York. She has gone to the polls constantly, but this time I was not even aware that an election is scheduledwhich affect the neighborhood where you have lived for years.
“Of course I love to give my opinion in any process. Whatever it is. It is the only way to be able to demand. Especially now that we are so overwhelmed with crime in this neighborhood. Every day we receive news of robberies and assaults. Those who govern and make laws must take this seriously,” he asserted.
In this sense, Eddie Cuestadirector of the organization Dominicans USAa non-partisan initiative that tries to boost electoral participation in Hispanic communities, interprets that the assemblywoman’s resignation was unexpected and gave little capacity for maneuver to expand information that motivates voters.
The activist of this coalition assures that even so, they are carrying out an intense campaign through social networks and text messages, to maximize participation in these elections.
“We are inviting people to make informed decisions and be part of shaping the future of the 77th State Assembly District”, he noted.
Cuesta considers that on the same date special elections are being held to replace George Santos in the 3rd district of the United States House of Representatives, which includes parts of Queens. However, in that case, because it is a national position in Congress, There are more resources to promote participation in the day.
The objective of Dominicanos USA is to continue creating a network of ambassadors of the vote, who, from very early in the schools, begin to sow in young people the high value of electoral participation, especially in Hispanic communities.
“There is just a process underway to replace a state legislator, in neighborhoods where thousands of Dominicans and Hispanics live. And there was no opportunity either. that the Latino leadership had competed or presented a name for this election”Cuesta lamented.
Assemblywoman Latoya Joyner surprisingly resigned from her position in January of this year. (Photo: F. Martínez)
Illegal marijuana, theft and poverty
If something defines District 77 of these locations in the Bronx, it is that it is one of the electoral corridors in the country, where the Most of the population lives below federal poverty levels.
Furthermore, their neighborhoods have been the “escape,” in the last ten years, for thousands of Dominican families who They have had to leave Upper Manhattan due to the high prices of housing rent.
In numbers, it was one of the towns in the country most affected by COVID-19 where small businesses still They are betting on its recovery.
“After the pandemic, almost most landlords started increasing rents. They are renovating many buildings, That is to say, everything indicates that the poor here in the future will also be taken out. Another issue is that since marijuana was legalized, Here they sell it on every corner, even to minors. Now you must be careful because there is a new epidemic of assaults. In short, that’s what this neighborhood is,” ponders the Puerto Rican, Joseph Dominguez, who has 35 years working and living in the 162nd Street and Grand Concourse Avenue, just a few blocks from where the community office of the assemblyman of that electoral district is located.
The Hispanic District 77:
- 58.5% of the population of the 77th district of the Bronx is of Hispanic origin, mostly Dominicans, Puerto Ricans and Mexicans. Likewise, 37% of the residents of this electoral district are African-American and 1.5% are white.
4 keys to understand this election:
- He Bronx District 77 seat It became vacant when Democrat Latoya Joyner abruptly resigned in early January, saying simply that she was “looking for a different career opportunity.” He had held this legislative position for 10 years.
- Now, two candidates are facing off for that seat at the state Capitol in Albany.
- He Democratic candidate Landon Dais, a lawyer originally from Harlem, previously made some attempts to take a seat as an alderman on the City Council. He announces that he is focusing his platform on address food and housing insecurity, illegal dumping, senior safety, and public safety.
- Norman McGill, who grew up in the district, serves as president of Highbridge Houses de NYCHA.
Lo What you should know to vote:
- The Early voting will take place until February 11anyone eligible to vote can do so, although the polling location may differ from the one assigned in the February 13 special election, Therefore, it is important that you find out online or by phone what the details of your registration are.
- New York’s Early Voter by Mail Law is currently in effect, requiring registered voters to obtain early ballots by mail. through a request to the electoral board. This registration process closed on February 6.
- Now you only have the option to go to the voting booths next Tuesday, February 13.
- The voters They cannot cast their vote with a voting machineif they received an early mail-in ballot.
- Anyone who has requested an early mail-in or absentee ballot, pIf you want to vote in person, you must complete an affidavit ballot. Absentee ballots can also be dropped off at early voting sites, while the centers are open.
Clarify your doubts:
- To find all the official information from the NYC Board of Elections where you can consult where and how to participate in these special elections see: vote.nyc
- Can Clarify your doubts by writing an email to electioninfo@boe.nyc.ny.us or calling 866-868-3692
2024-02-10 09:31:00
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