NYC board of elections director ousted

With the general election just days away, the New York City Board of Elections has fired its executive director, who had taken over the top job in August.

In a brief statement issued late Tuesday, board spokeswoman Valerie Vazquez said George Gonzalez was dismissed by a 6-0 vote with four abstentions.

No reasons were given for the decision, but the action follows widespread criticism of election operations in the five boroughs in the September primary.

Vazquez said in the one-paragraph statement that Gonzalez's duties would be split on an interim basis between two current board administrators, Deputy Director Dawn Sandow and Administrative Manager Pamela Green Perkins.

She said the two administrators "have the full confidence of the board in taking all steps necessary to ensure a smooth general election."

She said commissioners would not be available for further comment.

Delayed opening times and malfunctioning voting machines were among several criticisms leveled at the city election board following the September primary.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the situation "a royal screwup."

The city Election Day operations, which featured the first-time use of new automated voting machines, also drew detailed criticism in a 21-page report issued Oct. 19. The machines had replaced the lever voting machines that had been used for 80 years.

A 23-year veteran of the city elections board, Gonzalez was named executive director in August.