What if the city spent $13 m🀅illion on an election and voters stayed home?
That’s what could happen in Tuesday’s primary runoff for public advocate, which pits Councilwoman Letitia James against state S🀅en. Daniel Squadr🧜on, both of Brooklyn.
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. — but only a⛄ small fraction of the city’s 2.7 mil𓆏lion registered Democrats are expected to cast ballots.
Experts 💟said ꧃turnout is expected to be between 150,000 and 200,000.
The winner will succeed🔯 Bill de Blasio, who is running as the Democratic no𓆉minee for mayor.
The public advocate serves as the city’s ombudsman in an office with limited powersꦜ and responsibilities.
But the post has proven to be a launching pad for de Blasio and the previous occupant, Mark ꦉGreen, to run🦹 for higher office.
The runoff was called because no candidate in the public-advocateꦛ primary won with at least 40 percent of the vote. James got 36 percen♋t to Squadron’s 33 percent.
The bill for the runoff will come to $13 million — even thoug🌃h the total budget for the office is a mere $2.3 million.
Even GOP mayoral candidate Joe Lhota said Monday that the runoff election wasn’ಞt all that important.
“It do🃏esn’t matter who you vote for,” Lhota said, although he encouraged people to get out to the polls. “Public advocate doesn’t mean a whole lot in the schem🎶e of things.”
James has the backing of nearly every major city union while Squadron has the support✤ of his form𓂃er boss, Sen. Charles Schumer.