Washington – A District rabbi is suing the city’s elections board, claiming that observant Jews will be precluded from voting in an upcoming special election.
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The April 26 election, to elect an at-large D.C. Council member and two State Board of Education members, falls on the last day of Passover. Observers of the holy day would be prohibited from voting until 8:40 p.m. Polls are set to close at 8 p.m.
Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld, leader of Ohev Sholom — The National Synagogue, asked a federal judge Wednesday to change the date of the election or extend the hours to 10 p.m. or later.
By setting the election when it did, his lawsuit claims, the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics “infringe[d] on the ability of the observant Jewish community to fully participate in this election.”
In response to Herzfeld’s concerns, the board voted last week to offer additional early voting at its downtown headquarters on Sunday, April 17, from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Affected voters also can apply for an absentee ballot.
But those options, according to Herzfeld’s suit, still requires “more of observant Jewish voters . . . than of other voters.” Thus, he argues, the election remains unconstitutional.
A hearing before U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan is set for noon Friday.
This Rav has been a great asset to D.C. and has energized many younger unaffiliated jews but on this matter he is 110 percent wrong. We’ve all fought for years to have early voting and not have to line up on election and primary days to deal with dysfunctional volunteers. The city elections board has offered early voting for the small number of yidden who are shomer yom tov. He kicks sand in their face and says NO, we want a different day. They should ignore him and continue with the elections as planned. D.C. has enough problems without his focus on trivial issues which have already been dealt with.
This is crazy. Just use an absentee ballot!!
We are in golus, for crying out loud. Stop suing for your “rights.”