Write-in Trustee Don Hammond on Election Day

by Ken Sharp
This is not about party.
When Nyack’s Democrats voted in the September primary, two candidates were chosen – one a challenger and one an incumbent.
Less than half of Nyack’s registered voters (1,838 votes cast out of 4,208 active voters) chose the two Democratic nominees — which are usually presumed to also be the winners on election day because Nyack is a heavily Democratic village. Don Hammond finished less than two percentage points out of the running last September. Although he fell short by only 41 votes from being winning a spot on the Democratic Party ticket, he was 68 votes ahead of the 4th place finisher.
That was September. That was about party.
November 8th is not about party. You’ll pardon me, but party is irrelevant in this village trustee election. Nyack is comprised of Republicans, Democrats, Independents and unaffiliated voters, and they all deserve a choice, they all deserve a opportunity to select members of the Village Board – not just the people with a “D” on their card.
On November 8th, you can choose Don Hammond. In my opinion, you should choose Don Hammond. Together with Louise Parker, they have served this village in various roles for decades in numerous community positions. They have worked for the entire village, and the entire village should have the option of voting for both of them.
Louise Parker is already on the ballot, and writing in Donald Hammond is easy. Here’s a video that shows how to do the right write-in thing for Don Hammond, ensuring official recognition of your ballot.This election is not about party. And it’s not about single issues. This is about the whole of a village – all of the myriad matters that come up and must be dealt with. They are not all glamorous. The vast majority of issues that cross the Village Board dais don’t get a whole lot of press, or a whole lot of debate on Facebook – but they are all vitally important to the healthy existence of the community as a whole. Nyack is the sum of it’s parts – not just some of it’s parts.Folks like Don Hammond and Louise Parker are keenly aware of this. Folks like Don Hammond and Louise Parker are that rare breed that put others’ needs before their own. Folks like Don Hammond and Louise Parker are hard to find. And when you find them, you don’t let them go.Nyack is improving day by day; it’s once vacant storefronts are all but filled, it’s formerly devastated marina is nearly back to 100% operation, the streets are being repaved one by one – this is not a village that needs to be saved. This is a village that is working together as a community, headed up by a Village Board working to do the most they can with the resources they have to make the best living experience for the residents. It does not happen overnight. It takes time, but it is done in a fiscally responsible manner. Don and Louise have been an integral part of all of that.
When you vote, no matter your party affiliation, I hope you’ll vote for experience. I hope you’ll vote for true public servants. I hope you’ll vote for Louise Parker and Write-In Don Hammond.
See Also:

• “What Just Happened?” Nyack’s Surprising Democratic Primary, 9/18/2016
• Jaffee, Parker, Lightfoot Cooper Win Democratic Primary, 9/14/2016
• Will The 2016 Democratic Primary Choose Nyack’s 2017 Mayor? 9/13/2016