Allegations of voter fraud ignore the rules we have
Commack, LI: I’d like to thank Voicer Robert Kralick for adding some humor to an otherwise dull Saturday! He seems to believe that anyone can vote anywhere and vote more than once.
Nope! I worked as a poll worker and can explain how in-person voting works. Both a Democrat and a Republican poll worker must sit next to each other at the table where potential voters are lining up to receive blank ballots. Each table represents a number of nearby addresses. The potential voter must provide their name (we don’t ask for ID). When we find them in the log, they must sign a copy of their previous signature. We then give them a blank ballot to fill out. The voter gives the completed ballot to another poll worker who feeds it into a scanner where it is recorded.
There can be problems, which poll workers are prepared for. If we can’t find the potential voter’s name in our log, they can’t vote (sometimes this is because they recently moved to a different address and need to contact the Board of Elections). If they don’t look like the voter they claim to be — age-wise, for example — they can’t vote. If they’ve already voted (i.e., we see that they’ve already signed under their previous signature), they can’t vote again. Mail-in ballots work in a similar way: your ballot is scanned and counted as soon as it’s received, provided you haven’t voted yet.
If Kralik thinks it’s that easy to vote more than once, I suggest he give it a try. Yvonne Fitzner
The real trick
Flushing: The Squire of Glen Head, Voicer Robert Kralick, once again tells us about all the voter fraud the Democrats have committed in past elections. He conveniently ignores the fact that GOP state legislatures in the South routinely impose voter suppression laws that target minorities to limit the Democratic vote. How many bubbles in a bar of soap, Mr. K? Lester Simon
Industrial city
Brooklyn: For all the bravado and pats on the back from politicians, why won’t they just show some courage and admit that there will never be a solution to New York City’s affordable housing crisis? Why? Because the greedy, disgusting real estate lobby has our elected officials in its power. Stop pissing everyone off. Get the money out of politics! Gary Butler
Short term rental
Manhattan: The Airbnb ban in New York City is a blunt effort that has not produced the desired results. A more balanced policy is needed. Rents in New York City remain astronomically high and are only going in one direction: up. Housing supply remains limited. And those who want to rent out their apartments short-term will simply find other ways to do so. It’s generally a matter of adapting to the law, not abiding by it. The Airbnb ban makes it extremely difficult for tourists—at least those with middle-class incomes—to visit NYC, and also places a burden on those who need short-term accommodations for a variety of personal reasons. The law is a gift to the hotel lobby, not one that has benefited the people of NYC. It’s a bureaucracy that has gotten out of hand. Daniel Dolgicer
Park friendly
Manhattan: Re “The High Line, under threat again” (op-ed, Sept. 4): These arguments are moot. First, the High Line is not remotely threatened by our proposal to develop the Western Rail Yards; as longtime neighbors and supporters of the High Line, we have met with Friends of the High Line 10 times and made substantial changes to our proposal in response to their concerns. Since then, they have failed to communicate any substantive concerns and have instead embarked on a disinformation campaign. We changed the 2009 plan because it was no longer economically viable given the rising costs of building the platform at the site, and the housing the High Line complains is being stripped away was in fact luxury housing. While the High Line is concerned about the impact of a rail yard on their “cityscapes,” this proposal would create a 5.6-acre public park, 5,000 permanent union jobs at the resort, over 300 affordable housing units, and much-needed economic investment in NYC, all while improving access to the High Line. Andrew P. Rosen, Chief Operating Officer, Hudson Yards
Unpleasant art
Brooklyn: I am disabled. So when subway elevators are available to use, I am grateful. It is a little creepy though, going up and down in these elevators and seeing graffiti on the transparent exterior walls. Whoever designed these elevators clearly didn’t consider how easily they would be defaced by graffiti in NYC. Even worse, the graffiti doesn’t seem to be removable. Shame. George Nader
The blowing up
White Plains, NY: Why can’t the Yankees get Mariano Rivera or Jeff Nelson to help with Clay Holmes’ pitching? He’s killing us with 11 blown saves. We’re hoping we survive the first round if he can’t get it together. He’s just like John Wetteland (Sweatland, lol). Help! Rick Tilson
Pitcher pattern
St. Petersburg, Fla.: When the hell is Hal Steinbrenner going to realize that Boonehead is the dumbest manager in baseball? It’s unbelievable to keep having Clay Holmes play closer in games when this guy has blown 11 saves. And that’s without even mentioning the many times he’s turned a comfortable lead into a nail-biting finish and gotten a “save” in return! Aaron Boone is a bubble-blowing, peanut-shell-spitting idiot who should have been fired last year. The Yankees will never win the big prize with him as manager. I’d like to know what the players personally think of his stupid decisions. Hal, please get him out of our dugout! Barrett’s Account
Dog days
Staten Island: To voice actor Sarah Alboher: I agree. I despise summer. The heat, humidity, and smells are disgusting. I even get angry in the spring, knowing that summer is just around the corner. I can’t wait for those first cold nights of fall. Lynn Fodor
Just go green
Brooklyn: So Governor Hochul has convened “global experts” to discuss New York’s future energy economy, culminating in a discussion of small nuclear reactors. Does she think New Yorkers have forgotten Chernobyl or Fukushima? What community would welcome a new nuclear plant, no matter how small? As the Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis points out, nuclear power is still too expensive, too slow to build, and far too risky. Hochul’s flirtation with nuclear is a way for her to avoid the real work of governing. By law, New York must get 70 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. But a number of recent reports show that New York is falling behind under Hochul. Build the wind, solar, battery storage, thermal grids, and grid support we need. That’s our future energy economy. Sara Gronim
Control
Camden, NJ: As we approach the final days of President Biden’s political career, I applaud his efforts to keep our nation’s military out of the conflicts of the world. Biden himself has endured much family tragedy—he is personally aware of and can identify with long-standing pain and suffering. He did not encourage Congress to declare war on international affairs that were deemed intractable. His actions have kept our country from enduring the painful hardships of new Gold Star families. Wayne E. Williams
Prestige prez
Jackson Heights: As President Biden goes from vacation to vacation and Vice President Kamala Harris is on a multi-state campaign tour, who is governing our country as we inch closer to World War III? The American people are like Kevin from “Home Alone.” Glenn B. Jacobi
Let the solution sink
Bronx: To Voicer Glenn J. McManus, who complains about Kamala Harris and President Biden letting “millions” of “illegal criminal migrants” across the border: You ask why? Why don’t you ask Donald Trump? He’s the one who killed the bipartisan border bill. Sandi Lusk
