MEHLER | The Case for Moving New York State Primaries

New York State currently holds its primaries on the last Tuesday of June. I believe moving the primary date would facilitate more civic participation among all age groups, demographics and New Yorkers. New York State will be hosting its primary this year on June 28, 2022. While the primary has been held on the last Tuesday of June for decades, recent internal and external factors present a strong argument for moving our primaries earlier into the year. 

The deadline of a general election happening anywhere between Nov. 2 to Nov.

EDITORIAL: It’s Dumb That New York Is Holding Its Primary on a Thursday in September, But That Doesn’t Mean You Shouldn’t Vote

You know, sometimes it feels like New York’s election laws are written to decrease, rather than increase, the number of people who actually vote. Perhaps it has something to do with the state inexplicably holding two primary days: one in June for federal races, and one in September for state races (it’s not inexplicable, it’s so the good folks in Albany have more time to schmooze in the capital before they have to hit the campaign trail). Or maybe it’s the total lack of mail-in and no-excuse absentee voting and same-day registration. Or how dang difficult it is to change your party once you’ve registered. Oh, yes.

FORKEN | A Political Revolution: No, Not That One

As primary season swings into Super Tuesday, business mogul Donald Trump appears poised to collect a massive delegate haul, while Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) remains a thorn in the side of Hillary Clinton. Seemingly able to generate headlines at will, the businessman owes his success to the media coverage that has suffocated rivals, leaving a multitude of establishment figures — Governor Scott Walker (R-Ohio), Governor Chris Christie (R-N.J.), Governor Jeb Bush (R-Fla.), Senator Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.), etc. — incapable of gaining traction. Though the “political revolution” Bernie Sanders so fondly mentions seems to have stalled for the moment, the formerly independent Senator from Vermont continues to remain viable and push the Clinton campaign past its comfort zone. How is it possible that two candidates squarely outside the mainstream of presidential politics have been able to continuously thwart detractors and mount a formidable run at the nomination of either party?