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NYC Board Of Elections Chief Fired Week Before Election
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 26, 2010
Modified Oct 26, 2010
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By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 26, 2010
Modified Oct 26, 2010
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After less than three months on the job and a primary election that Mayor Bloomberg deemed a "royal screwup," the head of the Board of Elections was dismissed today by the Board's commissioners. George Gonzalez, who started at the $172,753 job in mid-August, is described as a "product of the Bronx Democratic party" by the Daily News. Some of the party leaders in the Bronx were reportedly pushing hard to keep him in the position, but Board President Julie Dent tells the Daily Politics, "The board has voted to terminate our executive director, George Gonzalez... He's been with the board for 22 years, and again, we appreciate it."
Gonzalez has taken a beating in the press for the snafus that plagued Primary day, which critics say could have gone much more smoothly with better organization. The new optical scan voting machines arrived late or not at all at some polling sites, some workers were inadequately trained and prepared, and a number of polling sites opened hours late. Earlier this month, it came to light that Gonzalez didn't e-mail school administrators to request that custodians come in early to open the schools until 5:36 p.m. the night before the election! Current Deputy Director Dawn Sandow, a Bronx Republican, now becomes acting executive director.
Tagged
Board of Elections
election 2010
george gonzalez
primary
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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