Carol Sharpe. Jamaican-American. Judicial supervisor for the Civil Court as well as an Acting Judge in the Supreme Court. Well liked. Respected. In the Candidate Forum, she did not organize her talk to stay within the time limit. In the Candidate Forum and at the Convention, she did a riff on how amazing the US is, a place where an immigrant can become a judge. She got 78 votes.
Jennifer Schechter. Respected. Yes. Liked? Maybe. Currently, an Acting Supreme Court Judge. Was Clerk to former Chief Justice Judith Kaye, New York Court of Appeals.. Recently ruled Donald J. Trump could be sued for defamation in the New York State Courts for actions unrelated to his current job. She got 112 votes.
Was ethnicity an issue? Race? Local ties? Familiarity? Sure. Assembly District 70 (North end of Central Park to 145th Street). 17-0 for Sharpe. Assembly District 71 (Northwest tip of Manhattan). 14-2 for Sharpe. Assembly District 72 (Northeast tip of Manhattan) 13-0 Sharpe.
Assembly District 73 (The ones in suits from the Upper East Side, Lexington Ave to the Park) 16-0 Schechter. Assembly District 76 (Our scruffier, Upper East Side district, 3rd Ave to the East River) 16-0 Schechter. Assembly District 67 (West of the Park from 42nd St to 72nd St) 17-2 Schechter.
Was competence an issue? Absolutely. Conversations among delegates — before the convention, at the convention were about Sharpe’s effectiveness as a supervisor of judges, Schechter’s brilliance and potential for appointment to a higher court. District 76 delegates (my delegation) in a caucus the previous week, had agreed to support whichever candidate got a majority vote in the caucus. The caucus vote. Schechter 7-2. (Add the people who had to leave the conversation early, the vote was 7-5). The discussion at the caucus and conversations at the Convention were about competence and brilliance.
A democratic process. Not bad at all.