Queens borough president race postponed due to coronavirus outbreak

QUEENS BOROUGH PRESIDENT CANDIDATES AT A CANDIDATE FORUM IN FEBRUARY. EAGLE PHOTO BY DAVID BRAND

By Victoria Merlino

The Queens borough president special election has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday. 

Early voting for the election began on Saturday, with election day slated for the 24th. 

“Details will be provided soon on potential options on holding that election later,” de Blasio said at a press conference, calling the decision “painful” but “necessary.”

Candidate and Councilmember Donovan Richards called for the election to be postponed on Friday, though fellow candidates Councilmember Costa Constantinides and former Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley called for measures to allow the election to continue as planned. 

“Thank you  @NYCMayor for recognizing the importance of protecting poll workers and voters in Queens. We should never put politics ahead of the health and safety of our most vulnerable,” Richards tweeted in response to the news. 

“The health, safety, and stability of Queens is most important. While we’re grateful to everyone who came out to vote early this weekend, we respect the Mayor’s decision to suspend the special election,” Constantinides tweeted.

“I understand the Mayor’s decision to postpone the election and believe that it is the most prudent course of action at this time,” former prosecutor James Quinn said in a statement. “It is the number one job of government to keep people safe and as someone who dedicated my life to the safety of Queens residents, we must all come together to do what is necessary to get through this public health crisis.”

De Blasio noted his hesitancy to move or postpone the election at a press conference on Wednesday.

“I am really, really hesitant to change an election. Ever. For anything,” de Blasio said at the time. “I think that’s a very dangerous thing to do in a democracy.”

“So, we’ll look at it, but I will say we’ll give it a very careful look, talk to health care experts, we’ll consider the dynamics, but right now, it’s not my intention to change an existing election,” he added.

This is a developing story. Check back at QueensEagle.com for more updates as events progress.