In a race that cost a lot of money and attracted only a few voters, Councilwoman Letitia James beat state Sen. Daniel Squadron Tuesday night to win the Democratic runoff for public advocate.
James took 60 percent of the vote as only 180,000 people went to the polls, ensuring her installation to the powerless post after an uncontested general election in November.
James’ victory was costly for New Yorker tax payers, who spent $13 million on the runoff, even though roughly 92 percent of the eligible voters ignored it.
“I don’t know how many people know what the job of public advocate is,” said Sharron Whyte, 50, a worker at a polling site on Staten Island where only four voters turned out in the first 3 1/2 hours.
“It’s ridiculous to have a runoff for public advocate,” Luciano said. “What’s their budget? Two million? Ludicrous?”
The public advocate — the city’s so-called watchdog — does have a tiny annual budget of $2.3 million, and few official powers.
Bill Bommer, 68, did show up to vote at the Staten Island site, PS 8, because, he said, “This is it. There is no Republican running, so whoever wins, this is the advocate.”
But was it worth it?
“It’s a waste of money,” Bommer said. “To pay this amount of money, it’s crazy.”
The runoff was required under state law because neither James nor Squadron got 40 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary on Sept. 10.
For $13 million, the city could hire more than 100 schoolteachers or cops for a year.
The city enacted the runoff system after Mario Procaccino won a five-candidate Democratic mayoral primary in 1969 with just 32.8 percent of the vote.
An instant runoff system, in which voters rank their preferences in a single primary so there’s no reason for a runoff, is used in other cities, such as San Francisco and Minneapolis.