By 6 p.m., nearly 2.2 million New Yorkers and counting had turned up to vote in Tuesday’s election—many saying they were motivated by the chance for change and hopes for unity following a divisive presidential campaign season.
“Ballot measures are an opportunity for voters to directly weigh in on policies that affect their day-to-day lives and the future of our state. When incomprehensible ballot language forces voters to cede this opportunity, their voices are effectively silenced.”
Voter education is one hurdle. But a bigger one, advocates say, is the cumbersome voting process itself for people behind bars. “There are impediments and obstacles that create real and serious concerns about the viability of an absentee ballot,” said Cesar Ruiz, associate counsel at LatinoJustice.
According to the New York State Board of Elections, 329 candidates registered for the first state-level public campaign finance program, which aims to curb the influence of big money in politics by matching small, local donations with public funds.
“At a time when Americans’ faith in our government is at an all time low, outsourcing the functions of our democracy to a machine with a history of issues and little ability for verification is a risk that New York cannot afford.”
Much of the fresh cash came from real estate developers, large-scale landlords and heads of speculating private equity firms, along with a slew of billionaires, attorneys, Eric Adams-aligned political action committees, sports gambling execs and the New York Yankees.
The legal battle over redistricting this year resulted in two primaries for New York, including Tuesday’s rare August contests for State Senate and Congress. City Limits spoke to city residents about what they’re looking out for this second summer Election Day—or if they’re looking at all.
New York’s procedure for candidates to get their names on the election ballot is one of the more onerous in the country, critics say. Candidates running for office this summer told City Limits that while they enjoyed hitting the streets to speak with voters, they likewise described the petitioning process as “archaic,” “exhausting,” “grueling” and a “burden.”
A federal court approved the terms of a settlement agreement that requires the NYS Board of Elections create a statewide remote mail-in system so that voters who are blind, or have other print disabilities, can read and mark their ballots independently.
The outcomes of two competitive primary races that concluded with recounts are expected to be certified on Tuesday, the city Board of Elections said.
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