Postponed NYC Primaries Resume

N E W   Y O R K, Sept. 25 -- Exactly two weeks after voting was halted by deadly terrorist strikes that forever altered New York City's physical, emotional and political landscape, voters are returning to the polls today to choose a successor to Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

New York City residents, many gripped with uncertainty and reeling fromtheaftermath of the nation's worst terrorist attack, headed to the polls today to choose the candidates who will appear on the ballot in November'sgeneral election.

Officials feared today's primary, postponed after terroristsattacked the World Trade Center Sept. 11, will draw an evenlighterthan usual turnout. Registered voters in each political party will narrowthefield for the upcoming city races for mayor, city comptroller, publicadvocateand the City Council, as well as numerous other borough offices. If nocandidatereceives at least 40 percent of the vote, a runoff primary between thatrace'stwo top vote-getters will take place on Oct. 11.

Two weeks ago, the city's strong Democratic base made it likely that theoutcome of November's mayoral election would rest on whichever Democrat wasvictorious in the primary. But that was before incumbent Giulianiwon such high praise for his handling of the World Trade Center disaster.

Giuliani Undecided

On the eve of the voting Giuliani, who is required by existing term limit laws to vacate hisoffice at the end of the year, indicated he might consider mounting achallenge to the term limit laws so he could seek a third term.

Giuliani is encouraging people to vote, while deflecting questions about his own political future amid pressure for him to find a way to circumvent a term limits law and stay on the job.

"People decide on their own whether they want to vote or they don't want to vote," Giuliani told reporters Monday at a televised news conference. "If they want to vote, then they should choose between and among the candidates that are there on the different lines."

Though a current term limits law would force Giuliani to leave office next year, his strongest supporters and top aides have been pushing him to stay on the job to help the city recover. He had been prepared to leave office quietly when his second term ends Dec. 31. But that was before a terrorist suicide mission destroyed the World Trade Center towers and forever altered the city skyline.