THE
PROBLEM
In fact in NYC more people are registering to vote without a party affiliation, than with one. The growth of “Independents” is fueled by young voters and recently naturalized Americans who don’t feel beholden to one party or another. They are the second largest “party” in NYC. Twice the size of the Republican Party.
They only get to choose from two candidates. Whereas other voters get to choose from a full slate of candidates. While most of the States, and 22 of the 30 largest cities in America have fixed this inequity in voting, New York City lags behind.
That’s where nearly all of our elected officials are chosen. In nearly all municipal campigns the only election that matters is the Primary Election.
New York City has among the lowest turnout in municipal elections, in America. Only 8-15% of people vote for City Council and about only 25% vote for Mayor.
So by the time they can vote in the General Election, there’s really no point. The winner has already been chosen in the Primary Election.
So people don’t even bother to vote in the General Election. And our local goverment is less representative of our City. People’s voices are silenced.
In some cases it’s only a few thosand people that voted. In Bronx Council Distirct 13, only 8000 people voted. but about 165,000 live there. In the Mayor’s race, only 665,000 people voted for Mayor Eric Adams out of 5 million registered voters.
Politicians know if they want to be reelected, the most important people are the people who vote.