|
...Then they came for the students.
In Contested State Senate Race, Subpoenas for Students to Verify Residences Draw Anger
The unresolved State Senate contest between Senator Frank Padavan, a Republican, and his Democratic challenger, James F. Gennaro, moves on Tuesday into a Queens courtroom, where nearly a dozen college students have been subpoenaed to verify their residences.
Republican lawyers have challenged the votes of students, mostly from St. John's University, saying that they filled out affidavit ballots with addresses that were not their permanent residences. In the paper ballot count, Mr. Padavan is leading by about 600 votes, but about 1,000 more ballots remained to be counted and the validity of an additional 2,000 must still be reviewed.
While the challenges and subpoenas have angered students, who are being forced to appear during exams, they underscore the high stakes attached to winning the Senate seat in Queens...
What makes this turn of events all the more ridiculous, is that college students can absolutely register and vote from their college addresses. Period. What a great way to treat those first time voters, right? Let's drag their asses into court during exams simply for exercising their right to vote.
Steven H. Richman, the general counsel at the New York City Board of Elections, said that under state law, a student can vote from a polling place near either his or her permanent address or a college address.
"A college student has the option," Mr. Richman said. "If you're living on campus, you have the right to register and vote from that district. Or you can register from your parents' address. You just can't vote in two places."
Democratic officials said they were incensed by the subpoenas. "It's outrageous that this is the lesson that Republicans want to teach young voters," said, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. "They are teaching students that they can be dragged into court just for fulfilling their civic duty. It's absolutely outrageous."
...
Cristina Fernandez, a student at St. John's, said by phone that it was more convenient to vote near the school. "Even though my parents live in Manhattan, I live right here in Queens and didn't see any reason to vote back in Manhattan when I could register to vote right here in the neighborhood," said Ms. Fernandez, a senior majoring in accounting.
"I was so excited to vote this year," she added. "But then I had some man showing up on my doorstep issuing me a subpoena because the Republicans are trying to challenge my vote. So, I have to go to court in the middle of finals, instead of studying. It makes you not want to vote ever again."
Stay classy, Republicans. |
