To the Editor: Aug. 23 is a voting day as important as Nov. 8. On this special election day, Pat Ryan and Marc Molinaro vie to fill Democrat Antonio Delgado’s congressional seat for the remainder of the 2022 term. Ryan will follow Delgado as a fervent advocate for New York’s District 19 roads, bridges, broadband, healthcare, negotiated drug pricing, toxic cleanup, alternative energy, marriage and women’s equality, fair taxes, voting rights, gun safety and the Inflation Reduction Act.

What Republican Marc Molinaro will do is not clear. He refuses to tell us where he stands on the Supreme Court’s decision to allow states to criminalize women, denying them freedom and respect to make decisions about their own bodies.

We do know from his record in the New York State legislature that Molinaro was AGAINST extending health benefits; AGAINST marriage equality; AGAINST prohibiting wage discrimination based on gender, race, and national origin; AGAINST prohibiting guns from domestic violence offenders; AGAINST extending worker’s rights to farm workers; and AGAINST requiring license renewals for pistols and revolvers. The NRA gave him a 92 percent endorsement. We also know the extremist party Molinaro represents has no plans or platform for America’s future except to promote the lies and absolve the crimes of Donald Trump

Every vote counts in local elections, and often fewer than 100 votes determine the winner. It’s crucial to go to the polls on Aug. 23 (early voting, Aug. 12-21), particularly if you want to live in a fair, just, safe, healthy, humane America.

Lyn DelliQuadri

Kingston