Public Employee Press

Election Day Nov. 4
Green Machine volunteers hit the streets

By ALFREDO ALVARADO

Low voter turnout nationwide in the Nov. 4 midterm elections helped the Republican Party take control of the U.S. Senate and expand its majority in the House of Representatives. As a result, working families, unions and President Obama can expect continued obstruction and constant attacks from anti-union politicians.

"This brings home the message to our members that voter participation is critical and you cannot afford to stay home," said DC 37 Political Director Wanda Williams.

In New York City, while the vote was lower than many expected, more than 95 percent of the candidates endorsed by DC 37 won their elections as DC 37 activists hit the streets in record numbers to help get out the vote in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Manhattan and the Bronx.

DiNapoli wins big

Local 1549 member Stephanie Curtis was one of dozens of volunteers who joined the union's Green Machine in Bensonhurst. In her sixth GOTV campaign, the Paralegal Investigator said her street-corner strategy is, "I always try to engage the people I meet."

Curtis was joined in Brooklyn by a large contingent of New York City Lifeguards from Local 461 and their supervisors in Local 508.

In the important statewide contest for comptroller, DC 37 enthusiastically endorsed the incumbent, Thomas P. DiNapoli.

"Comptroller DiNapoli understands and cares about the impact of financial decisions on working and poor people," said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts. DiNapoli won his election easily with 60 percent of the vote. With over 2 million votes – 158,000 more than Gov. Cuomo – he ranked as the state's leading Democratic vote getter. State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman also won decisively with DC 37's endorsement.

Other big winners backed by DC 37 included state Senators Jesse Hamilton (Brooklyn District 20) and Kevin Parker (Brooklyn District 21), both with 96 percent of the vote. Charles Barron also won his election easily and will go to the state Assembly representing Brooklyn's 60th District.

Local 1549 retiree and Green Machine veteran Belinda Dixon coordinated the union's Election Day efforts in Staten Island in the 11th Congressional District contest between union-endorsed former City Council Finance Committee Chair Domenic M. Recchia Jr. and the indicted incumbent Republican Michael Grimm, who won.

The union also campaigned hard for passage of the Smart Schools Bond Act, which will raise money to provide computers for public schoolchildren. The proposal was approved by 62 percent of the voters.