Construction & General Building Laborers’ Local 79
A MESSAGE ON THE 2021 ELECTIONS FROM LOCAL 79 BUSINESS MANAGER & PAC TREASURER MIKE PROHASKA
Brothers and sisters, I don’t have to tell you that the last year and a half have been an unprecedented time of uncertainty for the construction industry, and by extension Local 79. As we’re dealing with all these changes, we can’t forget that some things stay the same. Today I’m communicating with you regarding one of those, the upcoming NYC elections. As you know, the municipal elections—those for Mayor, Comptroller, Public Advocate, Borough Presidents and Members of the City Council, are arguably the most important elections of all to our Local. Why is that? Because the elected officials in New York City control virtually every step in the construction and development processes. Under the endorsement page of mtdcpac.com you’ll find a list of candidates from all over the city that were vetted through both an interview and questionnaire process by LIUNA-NY over the last seven months. And rest assured, the LIUNA-NY team has more Local 79 representation than any other local, so our concerns were well addressed. In light of the pandemic, there are ways for you to do your civic duty while remaining safe.
1. VOTE ABSENTEE! Once you’ve obtained your absentee ballot, you can fill it out in the comfort of your home and simply mail it back. Just remember, it must be postmarked by June 22. To receive an absentee ballot you can call the Board of Elections at 1-866-VOTE-NYC (1-866-868-3692) or go the website at https://vote.nyc/page/absentee-voting. If you don’t live in the five boroughs, you have to apply to your local county board of elections. You can find information on the homepage on how to reach your local board of elections for your application.
2. VOTE EARLY! If you choose to vote in person, please take advantage of the new NYS laws regarding early voting. You should be receiving a notice from the Board of Elections telling you where your early voting site is located. It will be in your neighborhood, but it won’t necessarily be your regular polling place. Early voting is scheduled to begin on June 12, 10 days before Election Day (June 22). Undoubtedly, polling places will be less crowded during early voting because crowds won’t be as dense. Additionally, on Election Day itself, when most people will cast their in-person votes, social distancing rules will be in place, surely causing long lines and delays at the polls.
3. OBEY SAFETY PROTOCOLS! If you do choose to go to the polls on Election Day, Tuesday, June 22 (Polls in New York will be open from 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM) please do so safely! While we don’t yet know what the protocols are for Election Day, we encourage our members to wear a face covering and obey the standard social-distancing rule of remaining at least 6 feet apart when standing in line and entering the poll site.
As Business Manager of your Local, my number one priority is making sure our brothers and sisters remain as safe and healthy as possible. This current crisis will undoubtedly, for the most part, pass. But our union, our members and their families, and our industry, must also survive so we can continue to provide for our loved ones with good, safe, well-paying union jobs. So, as your PAC’s Treasurer, I urge you to do your civic duty and vote in this year’s elections, but to do so in a safe and sane manner.
Thank you in advance, and remember: when Laborers vote, Laborers win!
Stay safe, my brothers and sisters!
In solidarity,
Mike Prohaska
2021 LOCAL 79 PRIMARY ENDORSEMENTS
NEW YORK CITY ELECTIONS
CITYWIDE
MAYOR
SCOTT STRINGER
PUBLIC ADVOCATE
JUMAANE WILLIAMS
COMPTROLLER
COREY JOHNSON
MANHATTAN
BOROUGH PRESIDENT
BEN KALLOS
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District 01: Jenny Low
District 02 Carlina Rivera
District 03 Eric Botcher
District 04 Keith Powers
District 05 Rebecca Lamorte
District 06 Gale Brewer
District 07 Shaun Abreu
District 08 Diana Ayala
District 09 No Endorsement
District 10 Carmen De La Rosa
THE BRONX
BOROUGH PRESIDENT
VANESSA GIBSON
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District 11 Eric Dinowitz
District 12 Kevin Riley
District 13 Marjorie Velazquez
District 14 Adolfo Abreu
District 15 Ischia Bravo
District 16 No Endorsement
District 17 Rafael Salamanca
District 18 Amanda Farias
QUEENS
BOROUGH PRESIDENT
DONOVAN RICHARDS
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District 19 Austin Shafran
District 20 Sandra Ung
District 21 Francisco Moya
District 22 Tiffany Caban
District 23 Linda Lee
District 24 Jim Genarro
District 25 Carolyn Tran
District 26 Ebony Young
District 27 Nantasha Williams
District 28 Adrienne Adams
District 29 David Aronov
District 30 Bob Holden
District 31 Selvena Brooks-Powers
District 32 Mike Scala
BROOKLYN
BOROUGH PRESIDENT
ROB CORNEGY
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District 33 Victoria Cambranes
District 34 Jen Gutierrez
District 35 Michael Hollingsworth
District 36 Chi Osse
District 37 Sandy Nurse
District 38 Cesar Zuniga
District 39 Briget Rein
District 40 Vivia Morgan
District 41 Alicka Ampry-Samuel
District 42 Charles Barron
District 43 Justin Brannon
District 44 Kalman Yeger
District 45 Farah Louis
District 46 No Endorsement
District 47 No Endorsement
District 48 Mariyah Markh
STATEN ISLAND
BOROUGH PRESIDENT
REPUBLICAN STEVE MATTEO
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District 49 Amoy Barnes
District 50 Sal Albanese
District 51 Joe Borelli