By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — The City's Board of Elections has voted to oust its executive director, George Gonzalez, one week before Election Day.
The final vote tally was six in favor, zero opposed and four abstaining.
Gonzalez had been under fire since the city's Sept. 14 primary, which was marred by polling place problems and issues relating to the roll-out of the city's new voting machines. Mayor Michael Bloomberg blasted the board's performance as a "royal screw-up."
The decision is effective immediately, board President Julie Dent said. Deputy Executive Director Dawn Sandow is expected to take the reigns until a new executive director is chosen.
"We thank George for all of the years of service that he has provided to the New York City Board of Elections," Dent said after announcing the board's decision.
She commended Gonzalez's 22 years working with the board.
“Again, we appreciate it,” she said.
The decision was made during a closed executive session called during the board's monthly meeting Tuesday afternoon.
Following the meeting, commissioners refused to disclose what happened during the session and what ultimately drove them to dismissal.
Nonetheless, reference was made to a Department of Investigation investigation into why an incorrect version of the ballot was printed after a different version was approved by the board, counsel Steven Richmond said.
The mistake has since been corrected, he added.
The DOI is currently "reviewing the mater" spokeswoman Diane Struzzi said.
Commissioner Frederick Umane, who voted in favor of dismissal, would not comment on his decision, but said he felt sorry for his former colleague.
"I feel very badly for this whole set of circumstances,” he said.
While he acknowledged that the timing "is certainly not the best," he assured the election will go on.
He said that most of the primary problems were caused by testing delays that prevented machines from being delivered to their sites, but that this time, deliveries are already underway.
“I think we'll all be ready Tuesday morning," he said.
“I don't think it's going to have an impact at all," Dent, who abstained, agreed, adding that the investigation "is ongoing."
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Councilwoman Gale Brewer released a joint statement following the meeting endorsing the board's decision.
"We urge the Board’s commissioners to seize this opportunity to strengthen the leadership of their agency and the Council stands ready to assist in anyway possible," they wrote.
