Donovan Richards urges city, state to delay Queens borough president special election

Councilmember Donovan Richards called for the city to postpone the Queens borough president special election. Early voting is supposed to begin tomorrow, March 14. Photo by Jeff Reed via City Council/Flickr

By Victoria Merlino

Councilmember Donovan Richards has asked Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to postpone the Queens borough president special election due to coronavirus concerns. 

Early voting for the election is supposed to begin on March 14, with election day occuring on March 24. 

“We are a country that prides itself on its thriving democracy. We hold elections under the worst of circumstances, wars, and economic crisis. Never before has holding an election itself been a direct threat to the health of voters,” Richards said in a statement. 

In a press conference on Wednesday, de Blasio said that he was “hesitant” to change the date of the election. 

“I am really, really hesitant to change an election. Ever. For anything,” de Blasio said in response to an Eagle question. “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.

Councilmembers Costa Constantinides and former Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley had announced Thursday that they would suspend in-person campaigning.

Crowley released a statement following Richards’ that called for more early voting sites.

"These are trying and unprecedented times. We must be smart and vigilant in making sure that our health, wellness, and democratic values are all protected,” she wrote. “The special election will be March 24th and early voting starts this Saturday March 14th. Therefore I am calling on the BOE to expand the amount of early voting sites to give people the ability to access poll sites closer to their homes. I am also calling for all registered voters in Queens to be immediately mailed an absentee ballot to expand ballot access."

Constantinides called for election officials to institute a borough-wide absentee ballot program to allow all Queens residents to vote by mail during the election.

“We can keep our residents safe and maintain our democracy at the same time. There is no immediate evidence that the number of coronavirus cases will decrease any time soon. Indefinitely postponing elections would be a grave mistake,” he wrote on Twitter.

This is a developing story.