Gossips took the question of who, besides Ryan Wallace, will be Third Ward alderman in 2022 to Ken Dow, Democratic Commissioner of Elections. Dow's response was that issue was covered not by Election Law but by Public Officers Law, specifically Section 13 and Section 30. The Board of Elections' role is to certify which two candidates received the most votes. After that, it is up to the City to work things out. Should Calvin Lewis not take the oath of office within 30 days from the date when his term is to begin--in this case, January 1, 2022--the remainder of the Council will decide who will fill that position. The procedure would be the same as if an alderman resigned before completing his or her term. If the Council will decide who will serve the Third Ward, the question is will they pay any regard to the will of the voters in the Third Ward?
Earlier this year, after Calvin Lewis resigned, the Council appointed Ryan Wallace to fill the vacancy. The choice, it seems, was prompted by a letter of interest from Wallace submitted to Council president Tom DePietro. Wallace was at that point an uncontested candidate for Third Ward alderman, having filed designating petitions back in March.
In the past, when aldermen have resigned, things were handled a bit differently. In March 2012, when recently elected First Ward alderman Larissa Thomas resigned after serving for only two months, voters in the First Ward gathered to hear from candidates seeking the office, and in a straw poll, they chose Nick Haddad. The Council respected the wishes of the voters of the ward and appointed Haddad to the vacant position. A similar thing happened in April 2015, when there was a vacancy resulting from David Marston's resignation to take a job in Minnesota. First Ward voters gathered again and in a straw poll demonstrated their preference for Rick Rector as their new alderman. Once again, the Council respected the wishes of the voters.
Now it would seem that the voters of the Third Ward have shown their preference about who should replace Lewis if he does not take his oath of office. That choice is Amber Harris. The question is will the Council respect that choice?
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| Amber Harris with Mayor Kamal Johnson at a "Meet the Candidate" event last week |
Why was Calvin Lewis even on the ballot, and how the heck does someone not able to fill the position garner so many votes? Would it be any different if he were on the ballot as a recently deceased person? There has got to be a way to avoid this nonsense waste of time. It's like high school or grammar school politics. No wonder residents are so uninterested in what goes on at City Hall, it's an embarrassing circus run by a bunch of amateurs. I am not surprised that John Rosenthal decided not to run again for alderperson. He seemed the only reasonable, qualified one at the table. B Huston
ReplyDeleteThe Council is almost certain to confirm Amber Harris. She beat the other write-in candidate by a 4-1 margin.
ReplyDeleteIf Calvin Lewis resigned and he has another City position, does it not say somewhere that he can't do both? Isn't that why he resigned in the first place.
ReplyDeleteGoing back even further in Hudson politics... Jimmy Dolan was briefly on the Council, but had to step off when he took the job of HCDPA director.
ReplyDeleteThe Council then appointed Dean Melino to his seat, until iirc a 3rd Ward special election could be held, which was won by Porreca. (I designed John’s flyers.) This would have been 1998 as I recall.)
Dolan and Melino are out of Hudson politics, but Porreca was just reelected as Greenport Town Justice.
Third Ward Voters voted for Calvin Lewis period. If he decides not to take the seat the common council is free to choose who they think is best. There are no seconds here and yes the people have spoken and it was for Ryan Wallace and Calvin Lewis no one else....QEC
ReplyDeleteBut Calvin Lewis had removed himself from the election. So he was not running, but he should be elected?
DeleteAmber Harris beat the other write-in candidate by a 4-1 margin. If she is not confirmed as a new Council member, there will be huge voter outrage and the new government will be off to a very bad start in 2022.
DeleteWhy can't the ballots be corrected when someone resigns? I'm quite sure that half the people who voted for Mr Lewis didn't know he'd resigned. Amber Harris is a definite.
DeleteQuinton Cross, when you say on your profile “I don’t do law enforcement “, maybe you could talk about that?
ReplyDeleteThe voters of the 3rd Ward have spoken, and what they declared is that "we have our heads so far up our rectal cavity that we didn't even know that Calvin Lewis is no longer in the race."
ReplyDeleteWell yes Peter, I just see this and I was trying to be a bit more polite with my response above (showing up later probably) but yours is certainly making the point.
DeleteWell I voted for Calvin Lewis because he took the time to go through the process and seek support. Calvin had been vetted and had a body of work that I could base my decision on whether to support or not. We have our opinions but the law is clear how this process is laid out for appointment and no were does it says runner up. And Doug my consulting fee is $150hr to discuss my position on law enforcement and community.
ReplyDeletePerhaps since you receive such a nice fat hourly fee you might consider using some of it to pay back the City of Hudson for spending tax payers funds
DeletePay back the city of Hudson so the tourism board can squander it. That's absurd.
DeleteWhat is absurd is you took money from the taxpayers of Hudson that did not belong to you. The correct term for you is thief. How the city puts that money to use has nothing to do with what you did. BTW are you enjoying your stay in Puerto Rico? That is probably on someone else's dollar too.
DeletePuerto Rico was marvelous it is a blessing to get out of the two square miles of Hudson and into spaces were people are focused on the now. You know it was more work than anything but who would of thought a thief as you say, addict in recovery, formerly incarcerated, queer dude could have the type of access I do. You have to live a life that's meaningful and one you love cause babyyyyy Quintin Cross is living in his truth and fighting for BLACK liberation. Thank you "Parker" sometimes I forget and I have to always remember that felonies are forever and mistakes made by folks of color are indefinite. That my success after incarceration somehow makes you uncomfortable, somehow stops you from living a meaningful life, somehow makes you the God of judgement.
DeleteQuinton’s first thought was to ask for money
Delete$150 an hour, isn’t that what the average hooker charges? Why is it always about the money?!?! Maybe there are things more important than money?
DeleteThe ballot specifically provides an opportunity for the voter to write in a candidate of their own choosing. Amber Harris totally dominated the competition (by a 4-1 margin.) The Common Council would be mocking democratic principles to install anyone else.
ReplyDeleteWho wants to bet there are people trying to convince Mr. Lewis to change his mind and reclaim his seat? One thing is for sure, there’s some drama in the future about who will represent the 3rd. Glad the people in the 1st Ward did their homework before going to the ballots.
ReplyDelete