It’s election day in New York, so hopefully you’re all getting out there and casting your ballots. Planned Parenthood has a handy voter guide to check out — you’d be surprised by how many candidates have mixed views on choice, or didn’t even answer the questions. And it’s worth remembering that city council members and other local politicians often have the most power when it comes to issues like sexual health education and access to reproductive health care like emergency contraception.
The race I’m most interested in is the one for Manhattan District Attorney — even though I can’t vote in it, since I live in Brooklyn. Leslie Crocker Snyder has a decent shot of being the first female DA in Manhattan, and she’s certainly an impressive and accomplished woman — but she’s a little too “tough on crime” for the tastes of many liberals. Of course, she’s also been the target of most of the mudslinging by the tabloid press, so I think it’s fair to say that New Yorkers are more familiar with her record (good and bad) than the others’.
Richard Aborn has focused on racial inequalities in the criminal justice system, and is a proponent of stricter gun control laws and treatment over incarceration for non-violent offenders. He’s also endorsed by Jerry Nadler, a gem of a congressman. He has very fair views on the rights of criminal defendants — very important for a prosecutor.
Cy Vance is a solid Democratic contender — tough on both violent and white-collar crime — and he’s endorsed by Gloria Steinem and the New York Times.
You can read the candidates’ views on women’s issues, in their own words, here.
It’ll be an interesting race.