Fairness in Politics? Why New York Ultimately Does Not Matter in Picking the Next President

By Neil A. Carousso

Uniondale, NY — Tuesday’s New York presidential primary is the first Empire State primary in memory that made a difference in the election process as GOP frontrunner Donald Trump (R-NY) seeks the magic 1237 delegates to clinch the nomination.

It presents an opportunity for New Yorkers to make an impact in the presidential primaries in an election year unlike any other in which registered democratic and republican voters head to the polls to fulfill their citizen responsibilities.

“We are the ones who are going to have to live with this decision,” said a college-aged female voter. “They affect us regarding education, regarding the economy, our future jobs, things of that nature, so I think [voting] does matter.”

Certainly, this highly publicized and politically charged election cycle has mobilized new voters – millennials and first time voters; however, residents of large states like New York and California have never felt part of the political process until now.

“We should go to a system that is congressional district-based,” said Jim Coll, founder of ChangeNYS.org, a non-profit organization with the mission to promote civic education and political reform in New York.

This evening, polls close at 9 PM in New York. Frontrunners Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Trump are the expected New York primary winners, but millennial voters on the left could change that if they come out for self-proclaimed Democratic socialist Bernie Sanders (D-VA).

“If we went to a system that competed in every congressional district, for each of those electoral votes, there are some districts, 7 of them, that would be considered swing districts in this particular election and they’d be paying attention to the issues that are most closely associated to me, my family, my neighbors and their families, instead of just protecting the political parties and their interests,” Coll said.

Ninety-five Republican delegates are at stake Tuesday while 247 pledged Democratic delegates will be allocated proportionally on the left.

“I’d like to see fairness improve in everything,” said a male voter.

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