Voting for the virus

So presidential loser Andrew Yang, who dropped out after an eighthplace finish of just 2.8% in the New Hampshire Democratic primary, now gets his selfish crybaby way. He has persuaded several clueless New York federal judges that, amid a public health emergency that has killed tens of thousands of New Yorkers, there’s some constitutional right to vote in a sham party non-contest where all but one of the candidates have quit and formally endorsed the sole remaining contender, Joe Biden.

Enrolled New York Democrats, including Yang himself, can now express their preference for Biden or Yang or Michael Bennet, Mike Bloomberg, Pete Buttigieg, Tulsi Gabbard, Amy Klobuchar, Deval Patrick, Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer or Elizabeth Warren. Only candidates netting at least 15% of the vote will be eligible to win delegates. Yang now has zero delegates and his losing streak is sure to continue.

We can only hope that no one, neither voters nor poll workers, loses their life for his vanity.

The primary, originally April 28, was correctly moved by Gov. Cuomo due to the coronavirus to June 23 to coincide with other contests. If the pandemic doesn’t lift sufficiently by next month, particularly here in the city, all the primaries should be moved again deeper into the summer. On top of that, New York must shift to a 100% by-mail election.

That means Cuomo should close all poll sites in areas where the disease remains a substantial danger. It’s good practice, as a possible second virus wave in November would mean a 100% mail-in general election.