Candidates
Mayor: Stacey Prussman
Public Advocate: Devin Balkind
Comptroller: John Tabacco
Manhattan Borough President: Michael Lewyn
City Council District 4: David Casavis
City Council District 25 (Queens): Suraj Jaswal
City Council District 38 (Brooklyn): Erik Frankel
City Council District 39 (Brooklyn): Matthew Morgan
Look for all of our candidates on Line F.
Ballot Questions
Ballot Proposal 1:
Amending the Apportionment and Redistricting Process
This proposed constitutional amendment would freeze the number of state senators at 63, amend the process for the counting of the state’s population, delete certain provisions that violate the United States Constitution, repeal and amend certain requirements for the appointment of the co-executive directors of the redistricting commission and amend the manner of drawing district lines for congressional and state legislative offices. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?
We recommend: NO
- Reduces representation by capping limit to 63 state senator seats.
- Gives the majority party more power in redistricting.
- League of Women Voters says it would “potentially give more power to the Democratic supermajorities in the state Legislature.”
Ballot Proposal 2:
Right to Clean Air, Clean Water, and a Healthful Environment
The proposed amendment to Article I of the New York Constitution would establish the right of each person to clean air and water and a healthful environment. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?
We recommend: NO
- Will be used as basis to create new environmental regulations.
- Environment regulations can be added without the additional language.
- Will open up the state to costly lawsuits.
- Tom Stebbins of the Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York says the proposed amendment takes environmental enforcement “out of the hands of accountable elected officials and puts it in the hands of private attorneys.”
Ballot Proposal 3:
Eliminating Ten-Day-Advance Voter Registration Requirement
The proposed amendment would delete the current requirement in Article II, § 5 that a citizen be registered to vote at least ten days before an election and would allow the Legislature to enact laws permitting a citizen to register to vote less than ten days before the election. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?
We recommend: NO
- You have the entire year to figure out how to register to vote.
- Adds more provisional ballots and extends the vote counting time.
- Informed voters typically require more than 24 hours to thoroughly research.
Ballot Proposal 4:
Authorizing No-Excuse Absentee Ballot Voting
The proposed amendment would delete from the current provision on absentee ballots the requirement that an absentee voter must be unable to appear at the polls by reason of absence from the county or illness or physical disability. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?
No recommendation (2-2 vote)
Arguments for Yes
- New York is in the minority of states that don’t have no-excuse absentee voting. (16 states require an excuse.)
- Increases voter turnout.
- Little evidence of widespread voter fraud in states that have it.
- People don’t have to take time off work, travel, or wait in line to vote.
Arguments for No
- Limits opportunity for voter fraud.
- Extends time to count ballots.
- Many companies and colleges/universities give employees and students time off to vote.
Ballot Proposal 5:
Increasing the Jurisdiction of the New York City Civil Court
The proposed amendment would increase the New York City Civil Court’s jurisdiction by allowing it to hear and decide claims for up to $50,000 instead of the current jurisdictional limit of $25,000. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?
We recommend: YES
- Gives city more local control
- Reduces case load in the state civil court
- Accounts for inflation
- Amount was last changed in 1983. $25,000 then is $68,666.42 now.
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