By: Daniel Friedman

With the results of the 2009 primary elections in, and Supervisor St. Lawrence winning by large margins in both the Democratic and Republican primaries, it is time to analyze where the votes for both candidates came from, and what the turnout figures suggest about the election. An analysis of the election districts that Supervisor St. Lawrence won shows that turnout in those districts was between 50% - 75%. Districts that Bruce Levine won had a higher percentage of turnout, suggesting that in areas St. Lawrence won in, he could have won in much larger numbers had the turnout been as high in those districts as it was in others. As a result, if turnout had been 100% in all areas, Supervisor St. Lawrence would have won the primaries by several times the 2,000-vote margin of victory he had with the low turnout.

Preserve Ramapo has long made the argument that turnout in bloc vote districts is immensely high, contributing to the success of the officials they elect. They have always urged those in other areas to vote in equally high percentages, believing that this would put them over the top. If Tuesday taught us anything, it is the folly of their logic. The district-by-district results demonstrate that in this election, voter turnout was higher in Preserve Ramapo areas than in other areas, but they still lost by about 20%. Their last line of defense was to make this argument, and Tuesday’s election results are a proof to the contrary of their claims, clearly demonstrating their lack of any electoral viability in the future.

Bruce Levine, whose family was a prominent fixture in the Monsey community for decades, suffered staggering losses in Monsey election districts. Levine’s candidacy was seen by many as a façade; an attempt to placate Monsey-area residents and make them more amenable to supporting him. This strategy failed to pay any dividends, as voters overwhelmingly rejected his candidacy.

In Spring Valley, the biggest village in the town, and the village that Levine served for 8 years as village attorney, the results were even worse for Levine. Supervisor St. Lawrence received 1,438 votes to Levine’s 291. That Bruce Levine would get less than 17% of the vote in the village he worked in for so long is perhaps the biggest failure and source of embarrassment for Levine’s campaign this entire year. That the people he served in government for years so soundly rejected him is an indication to the town that those who know him best oppose him the most.

Finally, Assemblywoman Jaffee’s endorsement of Bruce Levine failed to bring votes out for him. The fact that the endorsement could not help Bruce is perhaps the final blow to this campaign. Decimated by the voters on Tuesday, Bruce Levine has promised to continue his campaign, and rejected calls for unity to bring together all residents and support Supervisor St. Lawrence - the candidate who is even recognized by The Journal News to be the certain winner of November’s election. If this campaign has taught us anything, it has been this: The Preserve Ramapo organization has lost its credibility in Ramapo- not only among those who were on the fence, but also on those who know it best, and those who know Ramapo best.