It's been more than a year and a half since the New York City Board of Elections voted to oust its executive director George Gonzalez, after the BOE came under fire for a mangled primary election in Sept. 2010. But the board has never replaced Gonzalez, and commissioners said they simply had not found a qualified replacement. "We just haven't had enough people apply for it," said Commissioner Frederic Umane of the $173,000 a year position.
"We've only gotten a handful of applicants and noone except for Mr. Flacks has been qualified to serve," he said, referring to Alan Flacks, a BOE gadfly. "It's sometimes hard to get the six votes that are necessary in order to do it but we have not had anybody who at least in my opinion has been qualified," Umane said. City Councilwoman Gale Brewer, who as chair of the governmental operations committee tries to ensure efficiency and accountability at agencies like the Board of Elections, said it was time for a new director. "I believe the reason (there isn't a new one yet) is more political," she said. "There isnt a person who's come forward who would get enough votes from the commissioners," Brewer said.
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