Gotham Gazette

The Place for New York Policy and politics

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Tomorrow's Democratic primary runoff for public advocate is expected to cost taxpayers $13 million. Less than 4 percent of eligible voters may turn out to cast ballots. Government reformers and some elected officials say the cost of such elections could be avoided if the city were to implement instant runoff voting, where voters rank candidates by order of preference. The practice has been instituted in other jurisdictions, and it may not be long before it becomes law in New York City. A bill to implement instant runoff voting has been introduced in Albany and City Council members have also pushed their own legislation. Both candidates in the runoff primary for public advocate, City Councilwoman Letitia James and state Sen. Daniel Squadron, say they support the idea.

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Sources: Cuomo Aides Intervening In Moreland Commission Decisions (Daily News)

Cuomo Vetoes Bill To Create Pay Raise Panel (Albany Times Union)

Moreland Commission Issues Subpoenas To Political Entities (Associated Press)

Jobs For New York PAC Eyes Albany In 2014 (Crain's)

NY Senate Dem Leader Urges Transparency On Outside Income (Daily News)

Tips For A Rough Metro-North Commute (WNYC)

Developers Rush To Finish Projects Before Bloomberg Leaves (New York Magazine)

Tappan Zee Revamp Cost Could End Up Paid For By Taxpayers (Associated Press)

Police Say Elevator Crimes Persist (NY Times)

GothamVotes: Campaign Trails Weekend Update

Republican mayoral candidate Joe Lhota needs to "persuading an overwhelmingly Democratic electorate to pick a leader who cites Barry Goldwater and Margaret Thatcher as his intellectual forebears." (The New York Times)

Lhota criticized the plan for an Upper East Side waste transfer station. (The Daily News)

Republican comptroller candidate John Burnett is "a dose of the real thing." (New York Post)

More than two weeks after the primary, the Board of Elections finishes counting the ballots. (NYT)