Luck of the vote

Daily Point

Get your pride Irish on, but don't expect to vote on St. Patrick's Day

There are universal truths on St. Patrick's Day — everyone is Irish, wearing o' the green isn't a suggestion, and the only appropriate debate is Guinness or Murphy's.

And that no village election shall be held on St. Patrick's Day.

A quirky New York State law (perhaps inspired by devious leprechauns to confound elections officials?) requires villages that hold March elections to move the day of the vote if the third Tuesday lands on the secular holiday. When that happens, voting is bumped by a day to Wednesday.

Lo and behold — St. Patrick's Day falls on a Tuesday this year.

The law, enacted in 1998 at the behest of then-Assemb. Joseph Crowley, an Irish American from Queens, requires all villages that hold March elections to comply to "let folks celebrate the holiday ... and make sure that village elections weren't overshadowed," a Crowley spokeswoman said years ago.

At least 42 villages on Long Island, according to an unofficial count by The Point, hold elections in March, though not every village has an election every year. For instance, Greenport and Malverne don't have elections this year. And many villages that are holding March elections this year have uncontested races, making the issue moot.

Malverne Mayor Tim Sullivan, himself of proud Irish ancestry, said in a statement to The Point he supports the state law because St. Patrick's Day benefits Long Island village economies. "... and for that reason alone, this law seems appropriate and supportive of our collective goals in supporting local businesses and in celebrating cherished traditions."

But the Election Day date change isn't a pot o' gold at the end of the rainbow for all village election officials.

Patchogue Village Mayor Paul Pontieri, who has overseen one of the Island's more robust St. Patrick's Day parades for the past 22 years, said the law can cause confusion when a village has a contested election.

"I truly don't understand the reasoning," Pontieri said. "It kinda screws up the routine a little bit, to make sure you have the right information out there. An election is an election. It's on a Tuesday and it's always been on a Tuesday. ... The New York State Conference of Mayors sends us a book that tells us what to do. We follow the book."

Pontieri then added what could pass for an Irish proverb: "You can't change which way the wind blows."

The issue has come up three times since the law was passed in 1998, including 2020 when March elections were pushed back because of COVID-19. Critics say the law further diminishes voter turnout by holding an election on a Wednesday when Tuesday is traditionally the day for elections.

But not even Crowley's own law would have saved his political career. After moving from the Assembly to the House of Representatives and serving for 10 years, Crowley was ousted in a stunning 2018 primary loss to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in what became one of the biggest upsets in New York history.

Crowley told CBS News' "Face the Nation" after his loss to AOC: "I do think that the turnout was low."

As the Irish would say, "Ah, g'wan."

Since no parades on Long Island are scheduled for actual St. Patrick's Day, Tuesday, March 17, or even Election Day the next day, revelers won't have to worry about missing the vote if they fancy a few scoops at the pub.

Sláinte!

— Mark Nolan mark.nolan@newsday.com

Pencil Point

No way out

For more cartoons, visit www.newsday.com/nationalcartoons

Final Point

Black and brown activists opposing Gillen back newcomer Jones in Dem CD4 primary

Before Rep. Laura Gillen gets to a general election battle with, in all likelihood, former Rep. Anthony D'Esposito, who's on the verge of declaring his candidacy to return to Congress, she's going to have to go through another gauntlet first.

Attorney Fred Brewington and his community group, The Corridor Counts, told The Point Thursday that they are endorsing Woodmere real estate investor and developer Gian Jones in the Democratic primary.

Brewington previously told The Point that the group would not be endorsing Gillen due to her past record and actions such as voting to censure Rep. Al Green and initially supporting ICE funding.

Former Assemb. Taylor Darling also screened for the group's endorsement, but group members were concerned about some of her stances, including her support of charter schools.

"We felt he was the strongest candidate in terms of being prepared to step onto the national stage as a congressional candidate," Brewington said. "And we felt his past experience, both educationally and with regard to community involvement ... would put him in a situation where he would be the most responsive to the community."

A Gillen spokesman told The Point that Gillen has “the full support of the Democratic leadership in the House …”

“They proudly support their colleague and friend, Laura Gillen, and know the path to taking back the majority and electing Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker of the House includes re-electing her to Congress,” the spokesman said in a statement.

Brewington said his group, which represents and supports communities across the Town of Hempstead including Uniondale, Freeport, Roosevelt and Hempstead Village, would carry Jones' petitions and push his candidacy not only within those neighborhoods, but throughout the rest of the district.

"The Corridor Counts will hopefully be there to catapult him into places he hasn't been before," Brewington said.

But it may be quite an uphill battle.

Jones currently has $9,652.92 in cash on hand, according to federal campaign filings. Gillen has $2.2 million.

But Jones, who said Gillen "has failed and betrayed our district," told The Point he was planning to lend his campaign a significant amount of money — a "high six-figure loan" — to get through the primary.

And, he said, support from The Corridor Counts helps.

"The Corridor Counts' endorsement was pivotal because, in my opinion, they will determine to a large extent the winner of the primary," Jones said. "They are organized and they have shown they can move elections. I don't think this election will be any different."

— Randi F. Marshall randi.marshall@newsday.com

Subscribe to The Point here and browse past editions of The Point here.