It’s that time again. Political party committee members will be knocking on your doors and asking you to sign the designating petitions that allow their slate of candidates to be put on the ballot in November. If you are registered with a political party, you can sign the related designating petition for that party.
I used to collect signatures for the Southampton Democratic Committee. I don’t anymore, because those petitions are basically scams, and you are being used. I’m sorry.
New York State allows candidates to run on multiple lines. That’s why you see the same name listed on your ballot in numerous places. It’s called fusion voting.
New York is the only state that uses fusion voting, and it’s a transactional playground that benefits party leaders and their friends. Traditionally and ideologically appropriate, Democrats aligned with the progressive Working Families Party, and Republicans linked up with the Conservative Party. So, it was common to see a candidate run on the Democrat and Working Families lines, while their opponent would run on the Republican and Conservative lines.
Lately, the chairs of the Democratic and Conservative parties have been playing the quid pro quo game: You give me the D line for this candidate, and I’ll give you the C line for that candidate. In Southampton Town elections, holding the D and C lines is pretty much an automatic win. Check out the Suffolk County Board of Election results history page, and you’ll see what I mean. Democrats and Conservatives aren’t exactly best buddies right now, so this is rather deceitful to both sets of voters.
In the coming weeks, Democratic Committee people will ask registered Democrats to sign that designating petition. They will not tell you which candidates are running on the Conservative line. Some may not even know, as it is never explained to them by the Democratic Committee leadership. Pretty cute, eh? Willful blindness and/or naiveté make for better signature-gatherers.
Then, November comes, and the ballot is a confused cluster of deals based on friendships, fishing partners and nepotism. Those of us who were committee members know, and many have left, because it’s fundamentally dishonest.
Current committee members should understand this before asking for your signature. Designating petitions are a pact of trust, and that trust is being abused.
Ask questions before signing. If you don’t like the answers, don’t sign the petition and close the door.
Craig Catalanotto
Speonk
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