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CNN Live Event/Special

Governor Pataki Reschedules New York's Primary Elections

Aired September 21, 2001 - 16:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOIE CHEN, CNN ANCHOR: And at this hour, Governor Pataki, who you just saw speaking with Bill Hemmer earlier, now speaking with reporters in New York. Let's listen to what the governor has to say today.

GOV. GEORGE PATAKI, NEW YORK: Make sure we get beyond the attack of nine days ago. We're confident this can happen. The city made enormous strides.

And one of the important messages that we want to send is that this is America. And we are a free country and a country of laws. And the elections will go forward with the primaries on Tuesday. And the general election will go forward obviously on November 7.

So again, I want to commend the mayor and his team for the effort they've made, the progress they've made in bringing the city back to where on Tuesday they will be able to hold the primary elections. And of course, it's not just the city. The primary elections were rescheduled across the state. And they will go forward across the state on Tuesday. Any questions?

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) 11 polling places that were destroyed?

PATAKI: First of all, they can vote by absentee ballot. And second of all, there are also alternate arrangements being looked at. The city's in charge of that. And they can get you greater details.

QUESTION: The state or the city board of elections should put on PSAs or something to get the word out.

PATAKI: We're going to try to do everything we can to encourage people to vote. This is -- as I've said numerous times, this wasn't just an attack on the two towers. It was an attack on our freedoms.

And one of those important freedoms is our right to freely choose the elected representatives who lead us. And it's led to -- for two great terms of someone chosen by the people of this city to lead this city. And we would encourage everyone to come out on Tuesday and show that this democracy is strong and they will come out and vote.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) the date could be moved?

PATAKI: No, the November date, November 7 is November 7, period. The election will be held on November 7. QUESTION: What about the whole talk about suspending term limits for Giuliani. Are all...

PATAKI: The mayor's been a great mayor. And I'll tell you if I were a resident of New York City, I'd write him in, but the primary will go forward. The election will go forward. Thank you very much.

QUESTION: Will the law prohibit?

PATAKI: I don't know the legalities of all those things. Those are questions for someone else. You will have to...

QUESTION: Are you going to make an effort to try to see if...

PATAKI: Primary's going forward Tuesday. Beyond that, we'll discuss further. Thank you very much.

CHEN: Governor George Pataki of the state of New York, talking with reporters.

Let's explain what he was talking about. When the attacks happened on the morning of September 11, that was supposed to be an election day of primaries for New York. All across the state, of course, given the circumstances, they moved quite immediately to postpone the primary race, but they have rescheduled that.

The primaries will be held across the state of New York on Tuesday, as had been announced in the first week. And on November 7, the state of New York will have its general elections. The governor saying that there would be no postponement of that, noting from the reporters there, that 11 polling places in lower Manhattan were destroyed in the course of attacks. And the governor saying that the city is going to make other arrangements, to make sure that all those people who want to vote in New York will be able to do that in the primaries on Tuesday.

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