Election season is here and in full effect. Whether you are excited about the candidates on the ballot or begrudgingly going to vote, it is important that you participate in your civic duty for the good of your own personal governance, as well as for your greater community.
Election day is Tuesday, November 4th, however, some New Yorkers have already participated in early voting, which began on October 25 and extends to November 2nd. I like to vote early, not just for the sticker rewarding me for doing so, but as the threat of the franchise gets greater and greater with each passing election, it is important for me to signal to our elected officials and especially the GOP that early voting matters and helps people who have complicated schedules participate over several days as opposed to just election day. In so many states, Republicans are trying to take away early voting because it actually does help a more diverse electorate participate in their own democracy.
This year, there are six proposals on the back of the ballot. For me, the most important is proposal #6, which asks whether or not we want to combine our city elections in the same year as the presidential elections. I disagree with this proposal very strongly and voted ‘No.’ I think it is hard enough for local candidates to get their messages out to voters, and I fear that if all of the elections were collapsed into one election year, many people would be overwhelmed and vote without doing their due diligence on the myriad of races that would appear on the ballot.
Obviously, I care deeply about the Mayoral race and do not believe there is a need for disgraced electeds, who are more concerned with being in elected office than being a public servant. I am willing to think of newer leadership who is interested in thinking about New Yorkers and affordability. Now is not the time to harp on the past or have elected officials who have proven over and over again they are running to fill personal voids.
No matter how you feel about the current electoral field, it is imperative that you exercise your right to vote if you can. Elected officials do look at the participation numbers of communities when making hard choices. That is just a reality.
If you are unsure where your polling station is located, you can go to www.findmypollsite.vote.nyc to receive information about your particular voting location and the hours of operation.
If you are curious as to who is on your ballot (since the ballot differs depending on district and borough), you can go to www.vote.nyc to look at a sample ballot and do a little research before you get into the voting booth.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of the books “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams” and “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.