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RESOURCES
Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce offers links and info. Kings Park Community Rallies To Send Relief to WTC Volunteers
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September 14, 2001 VOTE ON PRIMARY DAY SEPTEMBER 25 Did everyone notice the significance in the statement by the passenger on the ill-fated flight which crashed in Pennsylvania during the telephone call to his mother? He said that the passengers VOTED to take back the plane. That same day, voting was put aside by nearly everyone else. Polls which had opened at 6 a.m. in Suffolk on September 11, were closed before 10 a.m. Shortly thereafter Governor George E. Pataki postponed the Primary state-wide. But with the November election looming, it was clear that a new date would have to be set and campaigns would have to move forward. During what would normally be a time when campaigns across the county were gearing up, they are instead notably silent. Fundraisers have almost universally been cancelled. No one seems to be "walking" neighborhoods. There are few, if any political signs posted around towns. Today, however, the State has announced that September 25 has been set as the date for a new statewide primary day in New York City and the rest of the State. "We will never allow cowardly terrorist acts to undermine the sanctity of our democratic process," Governor Pataki said. "As the massive emergency response efforts continue, we are moving forward with plans to hold primaries across the State so that New Yorkers can fully exercise one of the most sacred of American rights the right to vote." "We will not be intimidated," Majority Leader Bruno said. "The attack on the World Trade Center was a strike against freedom and the fundamental rights we enjoy as Americans. We are sending a clear signal that our democracy, our way of life, remains intact; and our commitment to freedom unbowed." Many people see a dilemma in whether it is too soon to begin returning to daily routines. Candidates, in general, are equally torn. Most say they have no desire to restart their campaigns and recognize that even those people who advocate a return to "normalcy" aren't ready to be deluged with literature, slogans and rhetoric about local issues. In Suffolk, machines which were locked will now have to be re-set and redistributed at a estimated cost of $75,000. The real difficulty will be in notifying the public and "getting out the vote." The legislation, agreed to by both the Assembly and Senate, has directed that all votes cast at polling places will not be counted. Absentee ballots will, however, count and absentee ballots may still be secured and cast for the rescheduled primary. To be entitled to vote on September 25, a voter must have been registered and eligible to vote on September 11. New York City faces it's own set of difficulties with the rescheduled primary since several polling places were within the disaster zone. Any potential run-off elections in NYC are scheduled for October 11. Speaker Silver said, "Today, we ensure New Yorkers continue to enjoy that basic, fundamental principle of democracy the right to vote," Speaker Sheldon Silver said. Suffolk County Board of Elections has been directed to publish notice of the new primary date at least three times prior to the 25th at a minimum to notify voters of the new date. Officials worry that there is not sufficient time to send out mailing notices and they will have to rely on often-unnoticed public postings in newspapers. Absentee ballots can be requested by mail until September 21 or in person up until September 24 at the Board of Elections in Yaphank (852-4517) Voters are reminded that previously cast votes will not be counted -- you MUST go back and vote again. (see previous stories on the 2001 Primary and General election) Click
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