To the editor:

Voter suppression efforts across the country have received much attention in the media, but on the local level we must be vigilant, too. 

On April 23, 2021, there was a Special Meeting of the Sullivan County Legislature during which Nadia Rajsz, duly elected Legislator for District 2, was denied the opportunity both to vote on resolutions and to invoke a rule of the Legislature which would postpone voting on the resolutions. 

The outcome was that Rajsz and thousands of residents in District 2 were not represented.  Chairman Robert Doherty’s justifications for denying Rajsz her vote do not add up.

I quote from Common Cause: “It’s time we build an inclusive democracy where everyone has a voice, can exercise their freedom to vote, and is able to participate in our democracy.”

Editor’s Note: On this occasion, the legislature’s parliamentarian said Rajsz could not take any action because she attended the meeting via telephone and not videoconference.

Martha Scoppa

Liberty