The Board of Elections of New York City announced today that Betty Ann Canizio-Aqil, the Democrat deputy chief clerk in Brooklyn New York, was suspended without pay regarding complaints at polling places in the recent Democratic Presidential Primary over voter rolls. Thousands of New Yorkers doing their civic duty attempted to vote only to be denied that right for one bureaucratic reason or another, costing Senator Bernie Sanders thousands of legitimate votes. Several hundred voters called the state voter hotline, many of them complaining that they were turned away; and these are people who WANTED to vote while others did not bother to take the time to do their civic duty.
Ms. Canizio-Aqil is the second New York City official to be suspended pending an investigation regarding the presidential primary. The Republican chief clerk in Brooklyn, Ms. Diane Hasslet-Rudiano, was also suspended last month regarding the management of the voter rolls at polling sites in the Republican Presidential Primary.
The New York City Board of Elections is in the process of cooperating in the investigation of the alleged shenanigans at the polling sites. The board really does not have much choice in the matter. Eric Schneiderman, the New York State Attorney General began the investigation into the matter after the enormous amount of complaints the state received. Scott Stringer, the New York City Comptroller, announced that the board will be audited. Only six months away, the general election promises to be a huge turnout, if only New Yorkers will be allowed to vote.