Close Election Sends Strong Progressive Message - A message from Howie Hawkins
We received 48.2% of the vote on election night, losing 1072 to 1154, an 82 vote difference.
A very slight chance exists that the paper ballots (absentee, military, affidavit, emergency) will change the result. 72 of 122 absentee and military ballots requested had been returned before the Nov. 8 election. Nov. 7 was the last day to postmark absentee ballots, which must be received by the board election no later than Nov. 15. Military ballots must be received no later than Nov. 21st. Paper ballots on hand at the Onondaga County Board of Elections will be counted on Nov. 17.
Our vote went up across the district compared to 2009, when we received 41% of the vote. On the South Side, our vote went up in both numbers and percent compared to 2009. On the East Side, where turnout was down, our vote total went down, but our percent of the vote cast went up compared to 2009.
Thank you to the voters of the 4th District. You sent a strong message of support for the progressive platform on which we ran, including Progressive Tax Reforms to reverse austerity policies and fully fund our schools and city services, a Community Hiring Hall so that minorities and city residents get their fair share of city-funded jobs, and Public Power for lower rates and clean energy. We will continue fighting for these policies.
Thank you to the volunteers. I've never run a campaign with so many volunteers. The leadership team worked their hearts out.
Thank you to the contributors. Over 90 individuals donated money that enabled us to pay for all of our planned literature, yard signs, and mailings. We did it without any contributions from the developers, law firms, contractors, and other for-profit interests who seek to influence city policies and who funded our opponent and his Democratic and Republican colleagues.
No supporter of our campaign should be discouraged. We almost overcame the huge institutionalized barriers we faced: bottom-of-the-ballot placement; the large block of voters who "would vote for a dog on the Democratic line," as one straight ticket voter told us; the Democratic machine swelled by the closure of City Hall on Election Day; and being targeted by Democratic organizations from outside the 4th District with money and paid campaign workers the last four days of the campaign.
Those in office in the city heard a clear message from the 4th District. If our vote doesn't begin to move them, we will be working in other ways so they cannot dismiss our demands that the rich start paying their fair share of taxes again, that minorities and city residents get their fair share of city jobs, and that National Grid be kicked out and replaced with a city-owned utility for affordable, clean energy.
I look forward to working with our election campaign supporters in the next phases of the fight for jobs, justice, and clean energy.
We received 48.2% of the vote on election night, losing 1072 to 1154, an 82 vote difference.
A very slight chance exists that the paper ballots (absentee, military, affidavit, emergency) will change the result. 72 of 122 absentee and military ballots requested had been returned before the Nov. 8 election. Nov. 7 was the last day to postmark absentee ballots, which must be received by the board election no later than Nov. 15. Military ballots must be received no later than Nov. 21st. Paper ballots on hand at the Onondaga County Board of Elections will be counted on Nov. 17.
Our vote went up across the district compared to 2009, when we received 41% of the vote. On the South Side, our vote went up in both numbers and percent compared to 2009. On the East Side, where turnout was down, our vote total went down, but our percent of the vote cast went up compared to 2009.
Thank you to the voters of the 4th District. You sent a strong message of support for the progressive platform on which we ran, including Progressive Tax Reforms to reverse austerity policies and fully fund our schools and city services, a Community Hiring Hall so that minorities and city residents get their fair share of city-funded jobs, and Public Power for lower rates and clean energy. We will continue fighting for these policies.
Thank you to the volunteers. I've never run a campaign with so many volunteers. The leadership team worked their hearts out.
Thank you to the contributors. Over 90 individuals donated money that enabled us to pay for all of our planned literature, yard signs, and mailings. We did it without any contributions from the developers, law firms, contractors, and other for-profit interests who seek to influence city policies and who funded our opponent and his Democratic and Republican colleagues.
No supporter of our campaign should be discouraged. We almost overcame the huge institutionalized barriers we faced: bottom-of-the-ballot placement; the large block of voters who "would vote for a dog on the Democratic line," as one straight ticket voter told us; the Democratic machine swelled by the closure of City Hall on Election Day; and being targeted by Democratic organizations from outside the 4th District with money and paid campaign workers the last four days of the campaign.
Those in office in the city heard a clear message from the 4th District. If our vote doesn't begin to move them, we will be working in other ways so they cannot dismiss our demands that the rich start paying their fair share of taxes again, that minorities and city residents get their fair share of city jobs, and that National Grid be kicked out and replaced with a city-owned utility for affordable, clean energy.
I look forward to working with our election campaign supporters in the next phases of the fight for jobs, justice, and clean energy.
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