Campaign Finance Board advises city to nix Queens borough president primary

The special election for Queens borough president is in limbo after it was canceled due to the COVID-19. Eagle file photo by David Brand

By Victoria Merlino and David Brand

Queens borough president candidate Jim Quinn didn’t file a petition to run in the primary for the position he has been campaigning for since Jan. 1. He may have had good reason.

“Everything is up in the air and we haven’t figured out exactly how this is going to play out,” said Quinn, a veteran prosecutor.

He’s right about that. 

The New York City Campaign Finance Board has attempted to sort out the election mess in a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The CFB has advised them to designate June 23 — the current primary day — as the date of the special election that was supposed to take place on March 24. De Blasio canceled that special election two days into early voting to stem the spread of COVID-19.

The CFB said the winner of a June 23 special election could serve until the end of 2021, limiting the number of trips to the polls for Queens voters, and the amount of money spent on elections. 

“A proposal to hold a special election and a primary election for the same seat on the same day would create significant operational challenges for the voters, contributors, and candidates participating in those elections, and for the agencies charged with administering these elections — including the CFB,” Campaign Finance Board Executive Director Amy Loprest wrote.

Two elections on one day boggles the mind — for election experts and everyday voters alike, Loprest continued.

Some candidates may be on the ballot for the special election, but not the primary, Loprest said. Some voters will be able to vote in both elections, while others may only be able to vote in one, based on their party registration (Special elections are nonpartisan, while primary voters must be registered with a specific party). 

And then there’s the question of who actually wins. One candidate could win the special and a different candidate could win the primary, causing one candidate to serve as borough president to the end of 2020, and another to serve to the end of 2021. 

“There is a very high potential for voter confusion if two elections are held for the same office on one day,” she said.