An Open Letter to the New York City Board of Elections

Mr. Gregory C. Soumas
Board of Elections in the City of New York
Executive Office
32 Broadway
New York, NY 10004-1609

November 17, 2008

Dear Mr. Soumas:

I would like to publicly apologize for being such a dim-witted dilettante on Election Day. I was under the naïve assumption that I could vote where I voted in the last two elections. Your thoughtful letter pointed out that if I had voted in the recent primary election in September I would have discovered that I was no longer registered in the polling place I have voted in since 2004. Considering your position at the Board of Elections and your deep respect for the democratic process I must assume that my local 14th St. poll worker, Betty J. Williamson's assertion that my name was on the active voter rolls for the primary in September of this year was erroneous and that she must be as confused and wrongheaded as I am. If Ms. Williamson saw my name in the book in September that would mean that you are lying. Certainly you wouldn't lie about a thing like that. That is unbecoming of a man of your bureaucratic stature. And why would anyone in the Board of Elections be eliminating legitimate voters from the rolls in late September and October of 2008? That's just crazy and un-democratic.

I should also apologize for the misguided actions of Justice Paul G. Feinman in issuing a court order on Election Day allowing me to vote on 14th St. He apparently thought that a printed out record from your own Board of Elections computer verifying my polling place as 14th St was justification for issuing the court order. If he had only thought to contact you, you could have helped him understand the logic and wisdom of eliminating my name from the book on 14th St. where I have always voted and leaving my name registered at a place I have never voted.

I must also thank you for sending your letter not to me but to all the major newspapers in the New York area and across the internet. I understand it was your way of clearing up this matter and for that I am grateful. I am particularly appreciative of your sending a copy of my voter registration card with my home address and driver's license number to all the newspapers and, by extension, to millions across the internet. What celebrity dilettante wouldn't want his private information made public? What kind of snob gets angry that his family's safety might be compromised? It comes with the territory, right? I was thinking of returning that favor by publishing your home address in this letter but then I thought that maybe one of the thousands of New Yorkers that were taken off the voter rolls in the last two months might not understand what a patriotic upstanding man you are and might show up at your doorstep with the misguided assumption that you are a petty vindictive corrupt scumbag.

Tim Robbins
New Yorker since 1961
Voter since 1976

P.S. If anyone reading this letter had a similar experience on Election Day it can and should be reported at 866ourvote.org.

cc:
Commissioners of Elections
Marcus Cederqvist, Executive Director
George Gonzalez, Deputy Executive Director
Pamela Perkins, Administrative Manager
Beth Fossella, Coordinator, Voter Registration
Steven H. Richman, General Counsel
Troy Johnson, Chief Clerk
Timothy Gay, Deputy Chief Clerk

Comments

[kassandranobody]

OF ALL PEOPLE TO DO THIS TO?? Tim is so vocal about fraud during the election

the people doing this fraud are idiots!

i think we should look at fraud for: MITCH MCCONNELL 's run i don't think he did win

can se please go to paper ballots???

[linzy]

Mr. Robbins, thank you for stating your case, and unfortunately perhaps many others', with insight, clarity and above all wit. You are duly moved to the top of my favorite celebrity whose address, phone and family status I will never ever reveal even if I come across it on the internet.

[RumiSouth]

Genius.

[shel3364]

SLAM!!!!

This dickhead actually provided Mr. Robbins' personal information to the world???

I believe in Karma. He'll get his.

[cvkathy]

Good on you Mr. Robbins! Very, very, VERY good on you!

[CurtisTalls]

That was awesome!

Sorry you had to go through all that BS in order to Vote.

[bilbob2008]

I generally like Tim's movies and most of his political views. His address and personal information should not have been published.

If he filled out a new registration card with a new address he should have known enough to at least check to see where he was supposed to vote. I'm not nearly as interested in politics as Robbins is and I know if I move that my voting precinct changes.

[robiform]

In Florida, the precinct and the polling place can be changed, even if you DON'T move. I've been living in my home for 22 years, and in that time, my polling place has changed three times. Possibly the same thing happens in New York, which would account (partially) for the mix-up when Mr. Robbins attempted to vote. Nevertheless, it was rather classless to publish Mr. Robbins' personal information for everyone to see. I don't blame him for being upset about this situation, and that's a great letter he wrote!

[IndependentMeans]

OMG, did you even read the letter, you make no sense. Try again.

[bilbob2008]

You need more background than just this letter.

Robbins moved from one address to another. He supposedly filled out a new registration card for the new address. He says he doesn't remember filling out a new registration card.

He went to his old polling place to vote. He wasn't listed at that polling place. That's when he complained. It turned out he was listed at his new polling place, so he wasn't actually completely left off the voters list.

One of his complaints is that he voted at the old location even after he moved. This is where all the problems seem to arise. As I said before they shouldn't have given his personal information to the newspapers, but there are 2 sides to this story.

Do you really think that officials from the City of New York were trying to prevent Tim Robbins from voting?

[ziegz]

Same thing happened to me in Brooklyn along with other friends. Queens as well.
I reported. Thatnks for the link to do so.

[myna]

"a man of your bureaucratic stature"

Priceless. I can't wait to use this.

Hi to Susan!

[HeIsTheOne]

Closing sentence is the cherry on top.

Note to Bloomberg: Get your esquires ready. Tim's got two legs to stand on with Ms. Williamson's testimony.

[Georgia1992]

Way to go! We all need to fight back. The GOP and GOP supporters always have a trick(s) up their sleeves.

[lindaqqq]

Go get him Tim.
This man should be removed from his job asap.

[Dr Independents Day]

Tim, You're awesome. I have always admired that you stand up for your beliefs.

[Babysnake]

Way to stick it to him.

[jeffp26]

Tim Robbins graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1976. David Axelrod in 1972. (Me, btw, in 1971.)

The innate intelligence in this letter, and the sense of moral outrage, are something we came with and learned how to harness. That is why Obama always waited, but punched back hard after McCain took a shot.