By Dan Murphy
On November 8, voters in Westchester will elect seven Justices to the NYS Supreme Court, one of the largest number of judicial contests on the ballot in the same election year. And this year voters have a choice when they cast their ballot, with seven Democrats and seven Republicans seeking to serve including Yonkers’ own, City Court Judge Elena Goldberg Velazquez.
We are proud to inform the people of the 9th Judicial District – which includes Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Dutchess and Orange Counties – that our support lies with Judge Goldberg Velazquez and all 6 of her Democratic running mates.
Judicial races have drawn more attention since the US Supreme Court recently overturned Roe v Wade. And while many Democratic voters will be going to the polls in support of a woman’s right to choose, with a smaller number going in support of the life of the baby, abortion does not play a big role in our decision to endorse all seven Democratic candidates. Here’s what does.
Experience. We should all be looking to vote for potential judges who have relevant experience. The Democratic slate includes 4 judges and 3 other with significant experience in the Supreme Court. In addition to Yonkers City Judge Goldberg Velazquez, the Dems bring Administrative Judge Anne Minihan, who manages and supports all of the courts of the entire 9th JD, Westchester County Court Judge David Zuckerman, and Rockland County Family Court Judge Sherri Eisenpress, to the group. And while not yet judges, candidates David Squirrell, Amy Puerto and Keri Fiore have significant applicable experience as well — Squirrell, having litigating in the Supreme Court in 9th JD for over 20 years; Puerto as the Principal Court Attorney to Judge Helen Blackwood, who serves as a County Court Judge as well as an Acting Supreme Court Judge; and Fiore, who as a Support Magistrate, presides over cases from beginning to end.
Temperament. We should also be looking for judicial candidates that have the right temperament to serve on the bench. We want Judges who will bring honesty, fairness, impartiality and a bit of common-sense and compassion to the bench, if and when we come before them for a legal matter.
Wide range of appeal. Finally, we are looking for candidates that can appeal to a cross section of voters. The 7 Democrats have served the people of the 9th JD in some capacity for many many years. They have dedicated their careers to serving the public.
For all of these reasons we support the seven Democratic candidates for State Supreme Court.
Six of the seven democratic judicial candidates are from Westchester. We have watched as they have actively campaigned in our neighborhoods to ask for our vote. Their campaigns have also reached out to our publications, in an effort to highlight their experience and to earn the vote of our readers.
Five of the democratic candidates have also been endorsed by the Conservative Party and will also appear on the ballot on the Conservative line, giving Republicans and other voters another way to vote for them if they are not inclined to vote Democrat. They are :Anne Minihan, David Zuckerman, David Squirrell, Elena Goldberg Velazquez and Sherri Eisenpress.
The cross endorsement of Democrats by the Conservatives also points to the bi-partisanship in which we believe candidates should be elected to the bench. Political affiliations should not be the primary decision in electing judges, but simply who is best fit to serve all.
An important clarification about judges: they don’t make the law, but decide cases based on the law, fairly and justly for all. All seven of the Democratic candidates for State Supreme Court have spent their lives in the legal profession and none of the Democratic candidates are politicians. That cannot be said for some of the other candidates.
Experience, qualifications and temperament are the most important factors in our endorsement and should be in your decision on who to vote for. Westchester voters will play a large role in determining the outcome, so don’t sleep on this election.
