Waive requirements for candidates’ signatures

In less than a month, candidates for county and local offices in New York state will be circulating petitions to be eligible to run for office in the 2021 primaries and elections.

Because of the lack of available vaccines, asking candidates and their supporters to collect signatures creates significant health risks for candidates who haven't received their COVID -19 vaccinations, their volunteers and the voters who will be asked to sign the petitions. How can someone social distance when collecting signatures?

Last year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo reduced the signature requirements for candidates but even asking candidates to collect fewer signatures is risky. I think the governor should consider issuing an executive order eliminating the petition requirement to get on the ballot.

Some suggestions: In lieu of the petition signature requirements, candidates could be eligible to get on the ballot if they obtain 25 percent of the votes of local political party committees; or candidates could be required to submit when they file to the Board of Elections a refundable deposit, which would be returned if the candidate receives 10 percent of the vote in the primary or general election.

These suggestions would discourage non-serious candidates from running.

Running for office should not create a health risk to candidates, their supporters or voters. Contested elections are important in our democracy. If the governor does not address this problem, New York state will make it much harder for candidates to get on the ballot and run for office.

Paul Feiner

Greenburgh Town Supervisor