OntheWilderSide

Major party bosses got you down? Are you a Democrat who feels like you have to fight your own party to be progressive? Are you a Republican who wishes that you could return to the more noble strains of your party’s history?

In Suffolk County, New York, there are some easy ways to slap back at the party bosses. You can categorically reject their candidates and write-in their own boss’s names to shame them when they have given you no choice and no hope.

The two strategies below are easy ones in Suffolk County. No one could argue that your vote is needed, because all the candidates are hand-picked and cross-endorsed. There is no way to check the boxes and have any effect on the outcome of the race…

For New York State Supreme Court, 10th Judicial District:
Write in “Jay Jacobs”, “Richard Schaffer” and 6 other people you admire.

For Suffolk County Court Judge: Write in “Richard Schaffer” and someone you admire.

And, of course, feel free to adapt this strategy to your own ballot, to your own locality, to your own races where the party bosses have given you absolutely no choice of candidates — like, “Pick 3” and there are only 3 names, or “Pick 8” and there are only 8 names, scattered around various parties and some names listed more than once.

Longer, Suffolk, Explanation:

I am a former third party candidate, who likes to do some electoral party activism. I have learned valuable lessons from brainstorms our party did to slap back when major party bosses tried to interfere in our sincere, meaningful, democratic projects.

For this year, I have three mischievous voting strategies…

When it matters to you or the world, please, do pick a candidate! But, when you are offered no choice on the ballot because the Rep and Dem leaders made a deal to cross endorse, please consider foiling them in some way by writing in!

So, for Supreme Court, if you are in my district, 10th JD, you will see to choose 8 candidates…but there are only 8 candidates listed. Instead of wasting your energy rubber stamping someone else’s political deal, write in: “Jay Jacobs” (NY Democratic Party Chair who often goes against progressive candidates); “Richard Schaffer” (Suffolk County Democratic Chair, who often appears to candidate swap with Republicans); and then any 6 people or candidates you admire.

For County Court Judge in Suffolk, if you have no choice, then write in: “Richard Schaffer” and a political colleague or hero. Thanks for your consideration of this strategy to take a place where people tried to give you NO political power, to at least not waste your ink playing their game….play your own game, instead!!!!

P.S. – If you write in someone who holds a law degree or has been a judge before, especially if you tell some friends to also write them in, I suppose there is a tiny, lottery-level, chance that they could win a seat! Otherwise, you will just let the politicos know that you see what they are up.

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For NY State Assembly in Riverhead and Eastern Long Island, Assembly District 2:

Instead of  voting for “Giglio” or the sacrificial lamb Democrats put on the ballot, write in: “Richard Schaffer” (Suffolk Democratic Party boss, who often makes deals with Republicans and leans conservative overall)

This write-in is another way to tinker and slap back on party bosses. It is slightly more controversial, because, I suppose someone could say that there is a miracle chance that the sacrificial lamb, Democratic candidate could win. (Though she did not go to any candidate events, nor submit answers to candidate surveys).

We have more on this story at a previous. Wilderside post: here.

Filed under: 3rd party, activism, election, elections Tagged: | Election 2024, Jay Jacobs, Jodi Giglio, Jody Giglio, Judicial Races, Long Island Politics, NY State Democrats, Richard Schaeffer, Richard Schaffer, richard shaffer, Rick Schaeffer, Suffolk County ballot, Suffolk County judicial races