New York State’s general election is rapidly approaching with Election Day on Nov. 8. There’s a wide range of state and federal offices on the ballot this year with Democratic incumbents, like Gov. Kathy Hochul and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, pulling out all the stops to get re-elected.
Early voting kicks off on Oct. 29 and goes to Nov. 6. The absentee ballot request deadline is on Nov. 7. Polls open on Election Day, Nov. 8, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The gubernatorial race sees Gov. Kathy C. Hochul and Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado running for reelection and their first full term after the scandals of their predecessors put both of them in office. Other major races include State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli who is running for his fourth full term, State Attorney General Letitia A. James for her second full term, and Schumer for his fifth six-year term.
The bungled congress, assembly, and senate redistricting process this year split the primaries into separate affairs in June and August while creating a few new open seats that are up in general elections. Because of accusations of gerrymandering, a special master was eventually brought in for the assembly and senate maps.
For congress, candidates such as U.S. Reps Daniel Goldman in District 10, Adriano Espaillat in District 13, and Jerry Nadler in District 12 are running in Manhattan. Nadler and Goldman were in exceptionally heated primaries since their seats were part of the redistricted seats.
For the state senate, candidates like Sen. Cordell Cleare in District 30 and longtime Sen. Robert Jackson in neighboring District 31 are running for reelection, also in Manhattan.
And in the assembly, State Assemblymembers Eddie Gibbs, Inez E. Dickens, Alfred Taylor, and Manny De Los Santos are hoping to hold onto their seats in Harlem and the Bronx. Dickens has recently considered going back to the city council in the next elections for District 9 in Harlem because of tensions with current Councilmember Kristin Richardson Jordan.
Additionally, there are state supreme court, civil court, surrogate court, and ballot proposals to vote on. There are a total of four proposals.
The first is about combating the impact of climate change under the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022, which authorizes the sale of state bonds to fund environmental protection and clean energy projects. The second adds a statement of equitable values to the city charter to remedy “past and continuing harms and to reconstruct, revise, and reimagine our foundations, structures, institutions, and laws to promote justice and equity for all New Yorkers.” The third establishes a permanent citywide Racial Equity Office to advance racial justice in the city’s planning process. The fourth proposal amends the city charter to create a “true cost of living” measure to track the actual cost in New York City of meeting essential needs.
Visit nycvotes.org for more info. To check voter registration, visit nycvotes.turbovote.org/. Find your poll site at findmypollsite.vote.nyc/.
Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about culture and politics in New York City for The Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting: https://tinyurl.com/fcszwj8w