Hi, I’m Yves. Today, I want to draw your attention to a significant local race that may serve as a barometer for voter discontent with the entrenched issues of the bipartisan political system. Abigail Field, a candidate and long-time ally from our Occupy Wall Street days, emphasizes the critical nature of the contest in Suffolk County. This district, home to 1.5 million residents—more than some states like Wyoming, Idaho, and Maine—also represents significant wealth. Abigail’s realistic chance of winning reflects a growing frustration among voters with the established political order.
Make sure to share this post with anyone you know in Suffolk County.
By Abigail Field, candidate for Suffolk County Clerk
If you’re anything like me, you’ve likely felt a mix of anger and helplessness in the face of widespread corruption, questioning what we, individually, can hope to change. If you’re a resident of Suffolk County, NY, this election offers you a genuine opportunity to combat corruption.
Many voters in Suffolk County have already rallied around the chance to instigate substantial change within a corrupt political culture rife with backroom deals. They’ve volunteered to support my increasingly viable write-in campaign for Suffolk County Clerk.
Typically, running as a write-in candidate is seen as laughable, a fringe effort to make a statement. However, this year is different. The untenable circumstances created by corrupted party politics have given rise to a growing movement aimed at electing me. Time is of the essence.
Once a Suffolk County voter grasps how party leaders have manipulated their ballot, they usually agree to write me in. I don’t need to convince them; often, just one good conversation seals the deal. Plus, my name—Abigail Field—is easy to remember and spell. With the recent new voting machines, writing me in becomes simpler and less prone to mistakes (although voting by mail is also straightforward). My main obstacle is ensuring voters understand the situation before they cast their ballots. I even had one voter apologize for voting by mail before they were informed.
Dedicated volunteers have already shared my materials with nearly 20,000 people across the county. Additionally, my digital advertisements are reaching an even larger audience, alongside my amazing, all-volunteer social media team producing compelling content. Just yesterday, the Visibility Brigade and the LMN Singers put on a performance to help spread awareness about my campaign that is quickly going viral. Local media outlets are covering my candidacy, along with local podcasts. Candidates and elected officials from across the county have included me in their events and endorsed my candidacy—I’m even recognized as an official candidate by the Suffolk County Democratic Committee. People are writing postcards on my behalf without needing postage; they’re texting my digital materials to their contacts; and I’ve also been included on a candidate billboard for free. Community organizations have invited me to their forums, including the recent gathering held by the NAACP Huntington Branch. Over the past month, I’ve traversed the county attending around 25 events, with more scheduled soon. We are also preparing a creative project involving yard signs.
On Monday, we will receive 2,000 yard signs and aim to install approximately 1,600 by Tuesday evening. Participants will share images of the signs on social media and tag the campaign. The remaining 400 will be placed near early voting locations and polling stations (early voting begins in just a week, starting Saturday, October 24). Anyone interested in obtaining a sign is encouraged to email campaign@writeinabigailfield.com or leave a comment on social media. Transitioning from virtually no signs to a prominent display throughout the county should grab attention and spark conversations, which is exactly what I need. This grassroots momentum is real, and it could lead to a significant victory against the odds.
The Ballot Rigging Fueling Voter Rage and My Campaign
So, why are voters in Suffolk County so fed up?
To provide some context: over the past 19 years of casting my ballot in Suffolk County, I’ve seen one or more races already decided by party leaders before I ever received my ballot. One tactic used for ballot manipulation is “cross-endorsement,” legally permissible in NY, which allows multiple political parties to endorse the same candidate. Most years, all judicial races were settled before my ballot arrived—there was only one name endorsed by the Democratic, Republican, and Conservative parties, leaving me with no real choice as a voter other than to abstain or endorse the party bosses’ choices for patronage jobs. However, due to a debacle involving the Democratic candidate for Comptroller this year, voters will actually face choices for judge, unlike in previous years.
The other method of ballot manipulation involves running “paper” candidates—individuals who do not actively campaign and are essentially guaranteed to lose, yet appear on the ballot to provide an option for party loyalists. While many people have become aware of the manipulation in judicial races, only the politically astute fully understand the concept of paper candidates. Nevertheless, the bottom line is that nearly all Suffolk voters are aware of these behind-the-scenes deals that dictate election outcomes; we don’t need convincing. We all detest it.
This year, Mike Torres, head of the Suffolk County Conservative Party, orchestrated an extreme act of ballot manipulation that is energizing my campaign: he effectively pushed the Democratic candidate off the ballot to pave the way for the incumbent Clerk, Conservative Vincent Puleo, to achieve re-election by default. The Democratic candidate informed Newsday when he exited the race in August that those who remained would face consequences from Jake’s 58/OTB. Given the significant sway party bosses have over many of those positions, the threat was credible. The Democratic Party quickly declared that it would run no alternative candidates, and the opportunity to add a new name to the ballot vanished.
I received an endorsement as a write-in candidate from the dissident faction of the Suffolk County Democratic Party on September 13; a friend of mine created my website on the 14th, and I collaborated with extraordinary volunteers to design campaign literature immediately. We officially launched on the 15th. The past month has been a whirlwind of activity, but voters are united: people want a choice.
Why would Torres go to such lengths as to publicly obstruct a candidate’s path on the ballot? His power comes from the fact that Puleo, in return, provides him a high-paying Deputy Clerk position at $147k/year; it’s rumored Torres rarely if ever shows up for work. Even if he does, the Clerk’s Office is notoriously badly managed, and neither is particularly dedicated to their roles. To be fair, the mismanagement predates Puleo’s tenure; he has simply exacerbated the problems. Regardless, Torres was worried that Puleo might lose due to a potential Democratic wave—last year’s runs by two paper candidates from the County Democrats nearly resulted in victories. If Puleo fails, Torres does as well.
However, voters are frustrated not only because Puleo is incompetent and mismanages taxpayer dollars but also because he is not trustworthy. Puleo owns a shopping plaza and in 2020, he leased space in it to friends for their “K&T Foot Spa.” Newsday revealed that the foot spa operated as an illegal sex parlor after an investigation. Yet, Puleo, claiming he frequents the plaza “all the time,” professes ignorance about any wrongdoing. This is not credible.
So, the party bosses want Suffolk County voters to foot the bill of $220,000+/year for another four years of a leader that is inefficient, provides a lucrative salary to a party boss, and has potential ties to sex trafficking. This has sparked an immediate grassroots movement supporting my candidacy. Moreover, I bring genuine qualifications and an authentic commitment to serving the public.
Though this may seem like a local race, its importance is far from negligible; Suffolk County houses 1.5 million residents, surpassing those in several states. You’ve likely heard of Suffolk County, even if indirectly, as it boasts locations like The Hamptons, which represent a unique yet high-profile segment of the county. The majority of Suffolk’s population resides in close-knit suburbs filled with economic diversity, including areas of affluence and pockets of poverty. Racial and ethnic diversity defines our community, although a history of racism has left many areas starkly segregated.
If I lose this election, it’ll only be because I couldn’t share my message widely enough in time. Despite raising less than $10,000, residents across the county are taking notice and rallying to support my campaign. Voter rebellion against corruption is palpable, and the enthusiasm and breadth of support I’ve experienced are truly inspiring. Against the odds, I actually stand a chance of winning where it normally would be unthinkable.
If you are tired of the status quo and want to be part of a grassroots effort to secure my victory, please share with everyone you know in Suffolk County about what happened to their ballots and how they can write me in. If you can, consider donating $25 (or more or less) to help fund digital ads and yard signs by clicking here.
