Hempstead Town to walk back pre-election mailing ban

                                                                                 

After years of governments at all levels instituting tighter ethical restrictions in response to angry taxpayers, Hempstead Town is moving to relax standards.

On Tuesday the Republican-controlled town board will consider amending their ban against taxpayer-funded mass mailings before an election from 45 days to 15 days.

15 days? Why have a ban at all?

The proposed amendment would prohibit any mailing of 1,000 pieces or more of identical mail that is postmarked fewer than 15 days before the date of any general election in which an elected town official is a candidate.

But early voting starts ten days before an election. Given how the post office often slow-walks mail delivery, those pieces could land in residents' mailboxes just as early voting begins or even days afterwards.

Of course, no elected official is supposed to spend taxpayer funds on campaign pieces. The New York State constitution forbids the use of public money for political purposes but prosecutors say the language is too vague to allow charges in most cases.

And incumbents of both parties always say their mailings -- in which their photos and name are prominently displayed-- are not political but impart important information to their constituents.

The State Senate and State Assembly both have adopted blackout periods for mailings: from 30 days before a primary to 60 days before a general election.

The Nassau legislature last year formally adopted a previous inhouse policy of banning mass mailings from 45 days before a general election and 30 days before a primary.

Hempstead Town in late 2017 -- after Republican Supervisor Anthony Santino lost his bid for re-election to Democrat Laura Gillen --  amended and codified its existing practice of prohibiting mass mailings from 30 days to 45 days.

Then Councilwoman Erin King Sweeney sponsored the law enacting the 45-day ban, explaining in its introduction that it was intended "to enhance the guidelines of ethical conduct for town elected officials, their employees, designees and those acting on behalf or in the name of the town."

It was also aimed to prevent "undue influence upon the election results in which a Town elected official's name appears on the ballot."

The ban was adopted by unanimous vote.

Tuesday's proposed amendment gives no reason for shortening the blackout period to 15 days.

Community activist Felix Procacci drew up the above depicted poster in opposition to the proposed change.

Awaiting any word from Hempstead on the proposed amendment.

Here is the Tuesday resolution: