Yesterday, the party primaries for governor in New Jersey, a host of Democratic candidates with the winner 34% of the percent of the vote. A winner with 2/3 of voters not voting for the winner.
In two weeks, the Ranked Choice Voting election in the Democratic primary also with a wide range of candidates. The eventual winner will be “elected” by transferring votes of losers after many “rounds” of transfers.
The NYTimes has the results of recent polls , Cuomo leading Mamdeni with the Lander, Stringer and Adams lagging, of course with Ranked Choice Voting, the vote transfers can boost candidates depending on their placement on ballots, in New Jersey, 34% was enough to win in a five-person race.
The Charter Reform Commission is recommending another system. An open primary, every registered voter eligible to vote, top two on the November ballot.
Elections are driven by polling and the public sees safety, affordable housing, quality of life as the major issues, and education is down the list and candidates shape their campaigns in response to the polling.
“3000 more cops, a cop on every subway trains”
“Tens of thousands of new units of affordable housing’”
“Free buses”
And, very little discussion of funding if the Trump “Big, Beautiful Bill” becomes law and forces the city to reduce expenditures.
Chalkbeat asked the candidates about education, following the polling data: preK, 3-K, maybe daycare for infants, an extended school day, tutoring: of course no discussion of funding, staffing or space
Most candidates support mayoral control with a central board (currently called the Panel for Educational Priorities) with more authority, without details.
At the UFT Spring Conference at which most of the candidates engaged with Mulgrew, Cuomo released a 25-Point Comprehensive Education Plan the only candidate with a specific plan.
Over the years the UFT has worked with Cuomo, Stringer, Lander and Adams; however, Mamdeni, only in his third term in Albany, a Bronx High School of Science graduate, came out of nowhere and has no very little record.
Ranked Choice Voting means Lander+Stringer=20%, not far behind Cuomo and Mamdeni.
Adrienne Adams started late, her funded raising has lagged, with an endorsement by NYS Attorney General James her numbers are increasing.
Can Lander+Stringer+Adams >Cuomo or Mamdeni? Remember only voters registered as Democrats can participate and a million registered voters are not registered as Democrats.
All the candidates have pluses and minuses
I was pumped for Hillary v Trump, got up early to get to the polling place before 6, a long line, everyone was ecstatic, Hillary would be first woman president, we took turns going for coffee, it was cold, only to wake up the next morning: depression.
I was at the AFT Convention this summer, the first day of the convention Biden withdrew, would Harris livestream the delegates? No, she would appear in person. A great speech,we screamed over and over again, bursting with enthusiasm. By the evening of election day: depression, anxiety and an increasingly bleak future.
I have no strong feelings for any of the current candidates, I worked hard when Stringer battled with Eva Moskowirz for Borough President, met with him numerous times at his monthly Borough President Mitchell-Lama Forums, amiable and engaging. I’ve seen the dark side of Cuomo, increasing teacher probation from three to four years just to show his power and the NYS Education Reform Commission, Cuomo’s Commission with superb goals, I attended the meetings and did some research for Randi Weingarten, a member of the Commission.
What is crucial is supporting the UFT candidate recommendations, thousands of us filled out the Survey, I’m sure teacher preferences are across the board, a divided union is a weak union, especially in these times! I hope the opposition caucuses are on board. We are only five months into Trump’s four-year term and on the national front Randi is leading the pushback.
The future of public education and teacher unions are at stake, we are the soldiers, we are the 99
Rhiannon Giddens – We are the 99 – Oct 16th 2011 – NYC – YouTube
Ed in the Apple: Blogging on the Intersection of Education and Politics Title 