In preparation for the election of New York City’s 109th mayor, editors-in-chief Becky Aydin ’14 and Susannah Meyer ’15 interviewed Hewitt faculty on their opinions of the two candidates, Democrat Bill de Blasio and Republican Joseph Lhota, and visited the polling station at Robert F. Wagner Middle School to catch a glimpse of the action.
Among the interviewees were Ms. Morton, Mr. Pignataro, Mr. Rose, Mrs. Jablonski, and Mrs. Gallin. Take a look at the video below for these exclusive interviews and other footage:
Mrs. Gallin mentioned that although she would be voting for de Blasio, she still felt conflicted between staying true to the Democratic party, with which she shares her views, and voting for de Blasio, who could lead the city in a regression to the more crime-ridden ’70s and ’80s. Mrs. Gallin was also at odds with New York City’s stop-and-frisk policy, which Bill de Blasio seeks to reform. She explained, “Although it seems to be a useful policing tool, it also seems to violate 4th amendment protection against warrantless searches, and I am above all a civil liberties supporter. So there, too, I am worried about my concerns that put quality of life security and the most sacred citizenship rights we must protect.”
The only Hewitt senior who voted today, Julia Wolinsky ’14, offered a few words on her thoughts as well: “I’m going to vote for Bill de Blasio. I don’t agree with the way NYC police have used the stop and frisk policy; thus, I am in favor of its reform. Also, it is very important to me to know where my elected officials stand on reproductive rights issues, and unfortunately, Lhota did not state his position on this topic. De Blasio wants to help ensure that women get safe care and has spoken out against crisis pregnancy centers, which I strongly believe in.”