Stronger Than The Bullet

Posted on July 21, 2022 by Debra29

The ballot is stronger than the bullet.

Abraham Lincoln

Party primaries are now the most consequential elections in American politics, especially when one party controls both the governor’s office and the legislative chamber (a trifecta) . This is true whether it is the Republican Party in Texas or the Democratic Party in New York. Primary results tell us what is happening within each political party. What fractions within each party dominate at the poll? Who are voters drawn to? Neither Republican nor Democratic candidates for Congress are seen by most voters as having the right priorities, according to a recent poll. Where do your Congressional candidates stand on the issues that matter to you?

Never have state elections been more important than today. The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will create two Americas when it comes to abortion access — the mostly red states where abortion is illegal in most circumstances, and the mostly blue states where it is mostly available with restrictions. But this sudden cleaving in the United States will go far beyond abortion access, affecting healthcare, the criminal legal system and politics, at all levels, in the coming years. What are the ideas, policies and focus of your state senate candidates?

As political scientist Larry Sabato states, every election is determined by the people who show up. It remains to be seen if abortion rights, reproductive freedom and privacy will drive voters to the polls in the primaries and the general election. Get involved at all levels for GOTV campaigns.

The New York Congressional and State Senate Primary
August 23, 2022

Deadlines 

Friday, July 29 2022 
Voter Registration Deadline
Monday, August 8 2022
Absentee Ballot Request deadline
Saturday August 13 – Sunday August 21 2022
Early Voting

Registration, Absentee Ballots, Early Voting and Election Sites

New York City Register To Vote
New York City Absentee Ballot,
New York City Early Voting
New York City Election Day Voting Sites

Nassau County Board of Elections (for all information)

Suffolk County Board of Elections (for all information)

New York State’s Second Primary August 23

As stated in an earlier post, a court released final maps after Democratic drawn congressional and state maps were tossed by the states highest court. My Congressional District number changed , and my present State Senator is not running again in my State Senate District. Use this link to confirm  what your Congressional, State Senate and State Assembly districts are now.

Congressional Races

New York State has 26 Congressional Districts. Find out who is running in your Congressional District


City & State New York has done an extensive analysis of who is running for Congress throughout New York State . We have some of the country’s hottest primaries, including an open seat on Wall Street, a career veteran showdown in Central Park and three open seats on Long Island. At the same time, two Aug. 23 special elections, in the Hudson Valley and Western New York, could serve as a preview for November.

State Senate Races

New York has 63 re-drawn State Senate Districts. Find out who is running in your State Senate District. Another source lists the status of incumbents and confirmed candidates.

 There are several competitive State Senate races taking place for New York State Senate. Several incumbents are facing tough primary challenges while others have had to adjust to newly drawn district lines encompassing neighborhoods they did not previously represent. Some sitting senators even had to decide whether to shift their residence to continue running in familiar territory or face the unpredictability of their new districts. These races include those in New York City, Nassau and Suffolk County, in addition to upstate counties.

Decision Making Time

I encourage each voter to gather information on the candidates in their district as I did below for my candidates. Explore their social media pages, in addition to public media coverage. Ask questions at public meetings and fund raising events. Research what’s in the news, candidate websites, past history, endorsements, and listen to primary debates to help you decide who would best represent you in the upcoming August 23 Primary.

My Congressional District 10 Candidates (Updated September 12)

Primary Results

Dan Goldman won with 25.8% of the votes He will be facing Republican Benine Hamdan on November 8


Luh-Line Niou was second with 23.7% of the votes
Mondaire Jones came in third with 18.2%

History of this race

There were 10 people running for this position. 

Nine candidates appeared before several Brooklyn political clubs answering questions about pressing issues in the district, their policy platforms, and more. Former Rep Elizabeth Holzman was not in attendance. Attorney Maud Maron was not invited by the political clubs. I’ve linked the candidates below to their campaign sites for more information about their experience and platforms. 

Rep. Mondaire Jones (who currently represents a Hudson Valley district but recently moved to Brooklyn to run in NY-10)
Former small business owner Brian Robinson
Former certified teacher Jimmy Jiang Li
Data Analyst Quanda Francis
Assemblymembers Yuh-Line Niou 
Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon 
City Council Member Carlina Rivera
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Goldman
Former Rep. Elizabeth Holtzman
Attorney Maud Maron

Endorsements: Find out who’s backing who in the competitive open seat race to represent parts of lower Manhattan and Brooklyn in the House of Representatives.

Who is in the lead? As of August 8, two women with local bona fides but little national stature have surged toward the front of the pack, upending early conventional wisdom and scrambling the race. In recent public and internal polling for the Democratic primary, Carlina Rivera, a councilwoman from Manhattan, and Yuh-Line Niou, a Manhattan assemblywoman, are running neck-and-neck with the two well-resourced men considered heavyweights: Representative Mondaire Jones, a recent transplant to the district, and Daniel Goldman, the impeachment investigator, who has never held elective office.

Primary Debates Candidates Mondaire Jones, Carlina Rivera, Brian Robinson, Dan Goldman, Yuh-Line Niou, Liz Holtzman, Maud Maron, Jo Anne Simon, Quanda Francis, and Jimmy Li participated in PoliticsNY’s Democratic primary debate in the race to represent New York’s tenth congressional district. This offers a good opportunity to hear where the candidates stand on important issues.

NY1/WNYC 10th Congressional District Debate was aired on August 10. The top six candidates were able to articulate why they believe their experience and strengths would serve our district well.

“The pandemic put leaders to the test, and voters should take note of who stepped up.” POLITICO asked the top six NY-10’s Democratic primary candidates where they spent 2020 while Covid was shaking the lives of New Yorkers.

NY State Senate District 26 Candidates (updated September 12)

Primary Results

Andrew Gounardes won with 64.15% of the votes He will be facing Republican Brian Fox on November 8


David Yassky came in second with 32.6%

History of this race

Redistricting put two veteran politicians head to head in an uncertain primary race in this newly drawn 26th District. David Yassky had represented the 33rd City Council for seven years and it had included Greenpoint, Williamsburg, DUMBO, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights and Park Slope. Andrew Gounardes has represented the neighborhoods of Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, Manhattan Beach and Marine Park.

State Senator Andrew Gounardes Here are his community leaders and organizations’ endorsements.

Former City Council Member David Yassky He received the endorsement of Independent Neighborhood Democrats. I’m unable to find a list of endorsements from community leaders and organizations on his website. Will update when I do. Yassky was called out for fake endorsements in July.

Both candidates have shared their vision, priorities, and plans in the Gotham Gazette, an online publication covering New York policy and politics.

A primary debate for the State Senate District 26 was sponsored by Politics NY. Each candidate was able to express their point of view on issues such as public safety, property taxation and affordability, education, jobs, health care affordability, water front challenges, and child care crisis.

Next Post: Every Moment

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We Shall Fight

Posted on June 28, 2022 by Debra29

We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender…
Winston Churchill

The 49 year crusade to overturn Roe v Wade was a movement that succeeded by mobilizing a determined minority of Americans. They transformed religious interpretations of prenatal life, embraced medical advancements that gave new understanding of the fetus and helped to build an academic legal movement in the Ivy League universities. A group of law students at Yale, Harvard and the University of Chicago began meeting under the auspices of the Federalist Society in 1982. They were united by the idea that American law had strayed too far from the original intent of the nation’s founders.Most importantly, they nurtured a generation of political and legal leaders who saw in the setbacks of the 1970s to 1990s a defining cause.

How overturning Roe could backfire for Republicans. The party was making headway with suburban women on crime, schools and inflation. Now the abortion debate is front and center. How will the midterm elections reflect how Americans feel about having their rights to abortion, contraception and same sex marriages taken away?

Kansas’s consequential vote on abortion rights

The nation’s first statewide vote on abortion rights, after Roe v. Wade was overturned in June, has upended traditional wisdom about the politics of abortion. Advocates on both sides were looking for lessons as they prepare for similar votes on abortion rights measures this fall. In a Republican-leaning state that preferred President Donald Trump by 15 points in 2020, the outcome was landslide that few expected: Nearly 60% of voters chose to support abortion rights.

Among the states with ballot measures scheduled for November is Kentucky, where voters will consider a constitutional amendment similar to the one that failed in Kansas. Kentucky is more conservative than Kansas — it went for Trump by 26 points — but some dynamics are similar, with a small number of blue counties set in a sea of red.

RESPOND

Act with ACLU to Defend Abortion Access For All.
Center For Reproductive Rights – Seven things you can do right now for Abortion Rights
Become Involved with Planned Parenthood
National Network of Abortion Fund
The Brigid Alliance
Apiary for Practical Support
If, When, How, Lawyering For Reproductive Justice

What message will Americans send on Election Day 2022?

Midterm elections historically favor the party that is not in the White House. Will this devastating decision impacting a woman’s personal freedom and public health invigorate disaffected base voters? Will the moderate suburban swing voters help to keep the Democratic majority in both the Senate and House of Representatives? Will you surrender or will you fight?

Focus on these races. Donate (no amount is too small) Volunteer. Become involved.

The U.S. House of Representatives Races (updated October 7)

Republicans are favored to win back the majority in the lower chamber given both the national mood and historical precedent of a first-term president’s party losing seats in the midterm elections. 

The New York Times #, Washington Post@, Washington Examiner +, Politico* and The Hill% have identified these 33 Congressional House races as the most vulnerable and likely to flip. All ratings of Toss Up or Leans Democrat or Republican are from Cooks Political Report, and University of Virginia’s Sabatos Crystal Ball

28 Toss Up Races Either party has a good chance of winning These Democrats need your help

*+California 22 Support Democrat Rudy Salas
+California 27 Support Democrat Christy Smith
#+Colorado 8 Support Democrat Yadira Caraveo (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
+Illinois 17 Support Democrat Eric Sorensen
@+Kansas 3 Support Democrat Representative Sharice Davids
+Maine 2 Support Democrat Representative Jared Golden
 #+Michigan 7 Support Democrat Representative Elissa Slotkin
  #+Michigan 8 Support Democrat Representative Dan Kildee (considered Leans Democrat by Cook)
@Minnesota 2 Support Democrat Representative Angie Craig
*Nebraska 2 Support Democrat Tony Vargas (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
+Nevada 1 Support Democrat Representative Dina Titus (considered Leans Democrat by Sabatos)
%+Nevada 3 Support Democrat Representative Susie Lee
+Nevada 4 Support Democrat Representative Steven Horsford
+New Hampshire 1 Support Democrat Representative Chris Pappas
+New Hampshire 2 Support Democrat Representative Annie Kuster (listed Leans Democrat by Cook)
+New Mexico 2 Support Democrat Gabriel Vasquez
+New York 19 Support Democrat Josh Riley
New York 22 Support Democrat Francis Conole
#+North Carolina 13 Support Democrat Wiley Nickel (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
*+Ohio 1 Support Democrat Greg Landsman
#%+Ohio 13 Support Democrat Emilia Strong Sykes
%Oregon 5 Support  Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner
@Pennsylvania 7 Support Democrat Representative Susan Wild
Pennsylvania 8 Support Democrat Representative Matt Cartwright
%Pennsylvania 17 Support Democrat Chris Deluzio
#%Texas 28 Support Democrat Representative Henry Cuellar (considered Leans Democrat by Cook)
%+Virginia 2 Support Democrat Representative Elaine Luria
+Washington 8 Support Democrat Representative Kim Schrier (listed as Leans Democrat by Sabatos)

3 Lean Republican These are considered competitive races, but one party has an advantage. These Democrats need your help.

 #*+California 45 Support Democrat Jay Chen (considered Likely Republican by Sabatos)
+Iowa 3 Support Democrat Representative CindyAxne
@+New Jersey 7 Support Democrat Representative Tom Malinowski PLEASE SUPPORT

The Senate Races (updated October 7 )

Democrats are fighting tooth and nail to hold on to their ultra-narrow Senate majority this year in a midterm election cycle that has several of the party’s most vulnerable incumbents facing voters amid rising inflation and surging gas prices.

The New York Times #, Washington Post@, Politico* and The Hill% have identified these crucial races . ^A competitive Colorado Senate race evolved in August. These 10 Senate Races are the most vulnerable and likely to flip. All ratings of Toss Up or Leans Democrat or Republican are from Cooks Political Report, and University of Virginia’s Sabatos Crystal Ball

Focus on these races. Donate (no amount is too small) Volunteer. Become involved.

Toss Up Races Either party has a good chance of winning.
These Democrats need your help.

*@#% Georgia – Support Democrat Senator Raphael Warnock
*@#%Nevada – Support Democrat Senator Catherine Cortez Masto
*#%Wisconsin – Support Democrat Mandela Barnes (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
*#%Pennsylvania – Support Democrat John Fetterman (considered Likely Democrat by Sabatos)

Leans Republican These are considered competitive races, but one party has an advantage. These Democrats need your help.

#Florida – Support Democrat Val B Demmings (considered Likely Republican by Sabatos)
*#%North Carolina – Support Democrat Cheri Beasley
#Ohio – Support Democrat Tim Ryan

Leans Democrat These are considered competitive races, but one party has an advantage.

*#@%New Hampshire – Support Democrat Senator Maggie Hassan
^Colorado – Support Democrat Senator Michael Bennet
*@#%Arizona – Support Democrat Senator Mark Kelly (considered Leans Democrat by Sabatos)

Next Post : The New York August 23 Primary for newly drawn State Senate and Congressional Districts

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The Power of Statehouse Elections

Posted on May 25, 2022 by Debra29

Politics means trying to share power or striving to influence the distribution of power, either among states or among groups within a state.
Max Weber

Inform

As I stated back in 2018 post This Land Is Your Land, never underestimate the importance of state elections. A governor and state legislature make numerous policy decisions affecting health care, education, infrastructure and immigration. In addition, state legislation addresses Medicaid, job training, criminal justice reform, and family leave. Sexual harassment and assault policy, income inequality, and a woman’s right to choose falls under their jurisdiction. Lastly, marriage equality, discrimination on the basis of gender identity, and climate change legislation happens at the statehouse.

Then there is gun reform

The majority of U.S. states have passed laws preserving state authority over firearms policies—and preventing local communities from passing their own—but at the same time have refrained from enacting statewide gun-control policies. Gun violence is a substantial public health problem in the U.S., killing more than 38,000 people each year.

Last June 2021, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law seven measures to expand gun rights, one of which allows people to legally carry handguns without licenses. In sharp contrast to Texas, Governor Kathy Hochul of New York signed stronger gun control measures into law. They are intended to strengthen the state’s gun laws and protect people from gun violence by prohibiting the sale of semiautomatic weapons to those under 21 and banning most body armor sales for civilians. The bills also expand the eligibility for an Extreme Risk Protection Order petition, a court order that prevents someone who has been deemed a danger to themselves or others from purchasing new guns and seizes firearms currently in their possession. This is part of an effort to strengthen New York’s pre-existing red flag laws, which are meant as deterrents to mass shootings and incidents of gun violence.

Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a New York law limiting guns in public. The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday, June 23, that Americans have a broad right to arm themselves in public, striking down a New York law that placed strict limits on carrying guns outside the home and setting off a scramble in other states that have similar restrictions.

The decision is expected to spur a wave of lawsuits seeking to loosen existing state and federal restrictions and will force five states — California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts and New Jersey, home to a quarter of all Americans — to rewrite their laws.

New York lawmakers convened a special session in Albany on June 30 to pass measures that would prohibit concealed weapons in many public places deemed “sensitive”. The ban would apply to places like colleges, hospitals, subways, parks and stadiums.may be an early test of how far a state can go to limit the spread of handguns without violating the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Gun Reform At The Federal Level

On June 23, the Senate passed a bipartisan gun bill with 15 Republicans, including the minority leader, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky after a mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, left at least 19 children and two adults dead, 10 days after another massacre killed 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo.

It would enhance background checks for prospective gun buyers ages 18 to 21, requiring for the first time that juvenile records, including mental health records beginning at age 16, be vetted for potentially disqualifying material. The bill would provide incentives for states to pass “red flag” laws that allow guns to be temporarily confiscated from people deemed by a judge to be too dangerous to possess them. And it would tighten a federal ban on domestic abusers buying firearms, and strengthen laws against straw purchasing and trafficking of guns. It also includes hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for mental health programs and to beef up security in schools.

The House passed a wide-ranging package of gun control legislation called the “Protecting Our Kids Act,” . The legislation that passed in the House includes a series of individual bills aimed at preventing gun violence. The measure would raise the legal age to buy certain semiautomatic centerfire rifles from 18 to 21 years old, establish new federal offenses for gun trafficking and for selling large-capacity magazines, and allow local governments to compensate individuals who surrender such magazines through a buyback program. It would create a tax incentive for retail sales of safe storage devices and criminal penalties for breaking new requirements regulating firearm storage on residential premises. The measure would also take steps to strengthen existing federal regulations on bump stocks and ghost guns. The measure is not expected to pass the Senate.

The Red Wave
How Republicans at the State Level
helped to overturn Roe v Wade

The beginning of the end of Roe v. Wade arrived on election night in November 2010. That night, control of state houses across the country flipped from Democrat to Republican, almost to the number: Democrats had controlled 27 state legislatures going in and ended up with 16; Republicans started with 14 and ended up controlling 25. Republicans swept not only the South but Democratic strongholds in the Midwest, picking up more seats nationwide than either party had in four decades. By the time the votes had been counted, they held their biggest margin since the Great Depression.

That year swept in a different breed of Republican, powered by Tea Party supporters, that locked in a new conservatism. While Tea Party-backed candidates had campaigned on fiscal discipline and promised indifference to social issues, and a well-established network was waiting with model anti-abortion laws

The Status of Statehouses Today

Prior to the elections, Democrats hold 14 trifectas (control of the governor’s office and legislative chambers), Republicans hold 23 trifectas, and 13 states have a divided government. These will be the first elections affected by the 2020 redistricting cycle, which reapportioned state legislatures based on data from the 2020 United States census.

As of May 12, 2022, Republicans controlled 54.35% of all state legislative seats nationally, while Democrats held 44.37%. Republicans held a majority in 62 chambers, and Democrats held the majority in 36 chambers. One chamber (Alaska House) was organized under a multipartisan, power-sharing coalition.[1]

On November 8, 2022, 88 of the country’s 99 state legislative chambers will hold regularly-scheduled elections. New Jersey, Louisiana, Mississippi and Virginia do not.

10 Governor Races To Watch (updated October 7)

In some of the most competitive races, the outcome has implications far beyond the governor’s mansion. With many Republican voters embracing debunked theories about former President Donald J. Trump’s loss in the 2020 election and pushing for new voting restrictions, governors in battleground states are at the front line in a fight over American democracy. Many believe the midterms will test former President Donald J. Trump’s role as a G.O.P. kingmaker. Trump endorsed candidates are labeled (t).

Texas – Primary Results
Democrat Congressman Beto O’Rourke will be running against Republican Incumbent Gov. Greg Abbot (t)

Pennsylvania– Primary Results
Democrat Josh Shapiro will be running against Republican Doug Mastriano (t)

Georgia Primary Results
Democrat Stacy Adams will be running against Republican Incumbent Governor Brian Kemp

Nevada Primary Results
Democrat Incumbent Governor Steve Sisolak will be running against Republican Joe Lombardo (t)

Illinois Primary Results
Democrat Incumbent Governor J.B. Pritzker will be running against Republican Darren Bailey

Kansas Primary Results
Democrat Incumbent Governor Laura Kelly will be running against Republican Primary Candidate Derek Schmidt

Arizona Primary Results
Democrat Secretary of State Katie Hobbs will be running against Republican Kari Lake (t)

Michigan Primary Results
Democrat Incumbent Governor Gretchen Whitmer will be running against Republican Tudor Dixon (t)

Wisconsin Primary Results
Democrat Incumbent Governor Tony Evers will be running against Republican Tim Michels (t)

Florida August 23
Democrat Representative Charlie Crist will be running against Republican Incumbent Governor Ron DeSantis

New York State Primary Results
for Governor and Assembly

Your Newly Drawn Districts

A court released final maps for New York’s 26 congressional and 63 state Senate districts in the midnight hour on Saturday morning, setting in motion a flurry of campaign activity as candidates quickly jockeyed for position in critical seats. Have you been redistricted? Use this link to confirm your NYS Senate District, NYS Assembly District and your Congressional District.

Race For Governor and Lieutenant Governor

Democrat Incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul will be facing Republican Lee Zeldin

Democrat Incumbent Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado will be running against Republican Alison Esposito

New York State Assembly Races

The June 28 Primary results have been finalized. See who has won the Primary in your NYS Assembly district.

Response

Join/donate/volunteer for Gun Control Advocacy groups:

Sandy Hook Promise

Everytown For Gun Safety

Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America

Coalition To Stop Gun Violence

Volunteer, Donate & Support Candidates

Get to know the candidates running in the primaries and decide who you would support. I’ve linked campaign websites to leading Democratic candidates and will continue to do so as the primary results pour in. Attend virtual and public town halls, street fairs, and fundraisers. Ask questions. Find out how you can help. Set up a free account with Act Blue which coordinates donations for candidates and causes throughout the nation. 

There are multiple voter registration drives, in addition to Get Out The Vote (GOTV) initiatives to become involved in:

League of Women Voters

Rock The Vote

Here are more top rated organizations protecting voting rights in America.

Helping nationwide. 

Many organizations are asking for support in preparation for the midterm elections, with postcard & letter writing, phone banking, texting and canvassing. 

Vote Forward

Postcard to Voters

Postcards to Swing States

Indivisible

Next Post :

We Shall Fight – The Overturning of Roe v Wade and the Midterm Elections to focus on.

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A Pivotal Point For America

Posted on May 12, 2022 by Debra29

The state controlling a woman would mean denying her full autonomy and full equality.

Ruth Bader Ginsberg

Inform

The Supreme Court Overturns Roe vs Wade

The Supreme Court has overturned Roe v Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that established the constitutional right to abortion.

In the leaked draft majority opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. presents what he sees as his most convincing arguments for permitting legislatures to ban abortion. He does so by repeatedly quoting Sir Matthew Hale, a judge who believed women could be witches, assumed women were liars and thought husbands owned their wives’ bodies. Echoes of Hale’s suspicion of women still reverberate in American law and culture, helping rapists avoid punishment.

The question is whether this decision, as Justice Sonia Sotomayor predicted, will produce a jurisprudential tsunami that could sweep away other precedents, too. The Courts’ reasoning was wrapped around the argument that ” a right to abortion cannot be found in the Constitution or inferred from its provisions.” The same could be said for contraception, gay intimacy and same-sex marriage, rights established by three Supreme Court decisions

The decision eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion after almost 50 years was met with celebration and anger across the country. It could lead to all but total bans on the procedure in about half of the states.

Few Americans support making abortions illegal.

The majority of Americans don’t want to overturn Roe. Americans’ feelings about abortion vary, though. Support for abortion in very Republican-leaning states, especially in the South, is low. Polls have found that support for abortion can change depending on the situation, too. Support for the right to abortion drops after the first trimester. In addition, there’s far more support for legal abortions in the cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother.

The Senate failed to advance bill to protect abortion rights. Democrats control 50 seats in the Senate.This will mark the second time the Senate has attempted to move legislation forward protecting abortion access nationwide. In February, the upper chamber took up the House-passed Women’s Health Protection Act, but failed to advance the measure in a 46 to 48 vote, well short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.

Republican Senators have begun discussing federal legislation to ban abortion nationwide if they win Senate control in the midterms as they’ll be under intense pressure to end abortion even in blue states.

The overturn of Roe v Wade and its effect over key primary and general elections

Democrats, looking to hold on to their slim control of Congress, are hoping that abortion will galvanize their voters in an otherwise tough year for the party — one that has been characterized by low approval ratings for President Biden and frustrations over the economy and inflation.

Pro-life and Pro-choice language is now working its way into campaigns. Some believe the midterms biggest abortion battleground is Pennsylvania where the leading Republicans running for governor want to outlaw abortion. Across the nation abortion is starting to reshape notable midterm campaigns. The Pennsylvania Republican primary race for Governor and U.S. Senate, a Democratic rematch in Texas, and the Arizona Republican primary race for U.S Senate are now generating language and positions in what Arizona Senator Kelly has framed as a “generational fight for freedoms”.

The Midterm Primaries (Updated October 7)

The Trump Variable

The day after F.B.I. agents searched his home in Mar-a-Lago, former President Donald J. Trump yet again illustrated his electoral pull on the Republican Party.
In a series of primaries in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Vermont and Connecticut on Tuesday — and in a newly conceded race from last week’s election in Washington State — Mr. Trump’s candidates scored victories and his enemies drew defeats, with a notable exception.

10 U.S. Senate Races To Watch (Updated October 7)

A single state could shift power in the Senate, where Democrats maintain a tenuous advantage by virtue of having the tiebreaking vote of Vice President Kamala Harris. Thirty-five Senate seats are at stake in 2022, but the list of races considered competitive is much smaller. Most are in states that President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump contested fiercely in 2020. I will update final results, and link campaign sites to the Democrats who prevail.

Ohio – Primary Results
Democrat Representative Tim Ryan will be running against Republican J.D. Vance (t)

Pennsylvania – Primary Results
Democrat Lt. Gov. John Fetterman will be running against Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz (t),

North Carolina – Primary Result
Democrat Cheri Beasley will be running against Republican Representative Ted Budd (t)

Georgia – Primary Results
Democrat Incumbent Senator Ralphael Warnock will be running against Republican Herschel Walker (t)

Nevada – Primary Results
Democrat Incumbent Senator Catherine Cortez Masto will be running against Republican Adam Laxalt (t)

Arizona – Primary Results
Democrat Incumbent Senator Mark Kelly will be running against Republican Blake Masters (t)

Wisconsin – Primary Results
Democratic Mandela Barnes will be running against Republican Senator Ronald Johnson (t)

Alaska – Primary Results
Republican Incumbent Senator Lisa Murkowski had the lead (45%) followed by Republican candidate Kelly Tshibaka (t) (38.6%) , Democrat Patricia Chesbro (6.8%) and Republican Buzz Kelley (2.1%). These top four vote-getters will compete on a ranked-choice ballot in November.

Florida – Primary Results
Democrat Representative Val B. Demmings will be running against Republican Incumbent Senator Marco Rubio (t)

New Hampshire– Sept 13
Democrat Incumbent Senator Maggie Hassan will be running against Republican Donald Bolduc

9 Critical House Races To Watch (Updated October 7)

Only a handful of races in November will determine if Democrats hold onto their slim majority over Republicans in the House of Representatives — an outcome that is critical to the political fate of President Biden.

Ohio’s 13th District – Primary Results
Democrat Emilia Strong Sykes will be running against Republican Madison Gesiotto Gilbert (t)

North Carolina’s 13th District – Primary Results
Democrat State Senator Wiley Nickel will be running against Republican Representative Bo Hines (t)

Texas’s 15th District – Primary Results
Democrat Michelle Vallejo, will be running against Republican Monica De La Cruz(t)

Texas’s 28th District – Primary Results
Democrat Incumbent Representative Henry Cuellar will be running against Republican Candidate Cassy Garcia

California’s 45 District – Primary Results
Democrat Primary Candidate Jay Chen will be running against Republican Michele Steel

New Jersey’s 7th District – Primary Results
Democrat Incumbent Tom Malinowski will be running against Republican Thomas Kean

Colorado’s 8th District – Primary Results
Democrat Dr. Yadira Caraveo will be running against Republican Barb Kirkmeyer

Michigan’s 7th District – Primary Results
Democrat Incumbent Representative Elissa Slotkin will be running against Republican Tom Barrett

Michigan’s 8th District – Primary Results
Democrat Incumbent Representative Dan Kildee is facing Republican Paul Junge

4 Critical New York House Races To Watch (Updated Oct 7)

New York – Primary Results

New York 3rd District
Democrat Candidates include Robert Zimmerman will be running against Republican George Devolder-Santos

New York 18th District
Democrat Candidates Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan will be running against Republican Colin J. Schmitt


New York 19th District
Democrat Candidate Jaime Cheney will be running against Republican Marcus Molinaro


New York 22nd District
Democrat Candidate Francis Conole will be running against Republican Candidate Brandon Williams



The Cook Political Report 2022

What races are worth supporting? The “toss up” races are the most competitive; so either party has a good chance of winning in either the 2022 House Races or the 2022 Senate Races. The new ratings on this site will be issued on a rolling basis as states finalize new redistricting maps. I’ll focus on these races in the posts ahead.

Respond

The overturning of Roe v Wade and its fallout across the nation.

Support, Donate & Rally

Donations go beyond funding abortions, helping patients in other ways
Naral Pro Choice America
The Abortion Care Network
Planned Parenthood
Here are 19 more funds to consider donating to.

Find a local rally location in your state and join.

Midterm Elections: Confirm where your candidate stands in regard to the right to an abortion as established in Roe v. Wade.

Critical Senate and House Races

Volunteer, Donate & Support

Get to know the candidates running in the primaries and decide who you would support. I’ve linked campaign websites to leading Democratic candidates and will continue to do so as the primary results pour in. Attend virtual and public town halls, street fairs, and fundraisers. Ask questions. Find out how you can help. Set up a free account with Act Blue which coordinates donations for candidates and causes throughout the nation.

There are multiple voter registration drives, in addition to Get Out The Vote initiatives to become involved in:

League of Women Voters

Rock The Vote

Here are more top rated organizations protecting voting rights in America.

Helping nationwide.

Many organizations are asking for support in preparation for the midterm elections, with postcard & letter writing, phone banking, texting and canvassing.

Vote Forward

Postcard to Voters

Postcards to Swing States

Indivisible

Next Post

The Power of Statehouse Elections

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The Road To The 2022 Midterm Elections

Posted on March 30, 2022 by Debra29

“When you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country. This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on.”
Thurgood Marshall

We are coming upon the important midterm 2022 primaries and elections against a landscape of COVID recovery, the war in Ukraine, inflation, voting restrictions and political division.  All campaigns will also be addressing infrastructure, the rise in crime, criminal justice reform, the climate crisis, social spending, and taxes.

INFORM

How far have we come since the historic 2020 elections, and where do we need to go from here?

The American Rescue Plan Act (March 2021)

The American Rescue Plan Act included a third economic impact payment, additional unemployment benefits, a child tax credit and a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for small businesses. These programs have since expired. Money also went to state educational agencies, support for low income families, public health, rental assistance and transportation.

Did the $1.9 trillion bill do what Congress and the president intended?  According to financial experts at Moody’s, the Rescue Plan added four million new jobs. In addition, the nation is “currently on track to recover all the jobs lost in the pandemic by the second quarter of 2022.” The $350 billion investment, championed by federal partners, gave state and local leaders a unique opportunity to solve immediate and long-term challenges.   A new report from NewDEAL, provides a repository of how state and local governments are investing in a wide array of initiatives that best meet their needs: from infrastructure to health care, to housing, to workforce development, and small businesses. Other cities used the funds to address the digital divide. Overall, local governments have initiated more than 2,300 projects through the American Rescue Plan, according to the Brookings Institute.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act  

This bipartisan package was signed into law in November 2021 and focused on investments in roads, railways, bridges and broadband internet. The price tag came in at roughly $1 trillion, with $550 billion in new spending over five years. Included are roads, bridges, passenger and freight rail, public transportation, port infrastructure, electric vehicles, power, drinking water, and pollution remediation. The legislation attracted support from 19 Senate Republicans and 13 House GOP members, despite strong opposition from Trump and some GOP leaders.

The final version was a disappointment to many as crucial parts were excluded in the end including investments in housing and education; child care and Medicare expansions; research and development; manufacturing; climate research; and clean energy.

The Build Back Better Act

The Original Version (Oct 2021)

The plan focused on a long list of social policies and programs ranging from education to healthcare to housing to climate.
Social Spending
Included was universal preschool for children, free community college, expanded Medicare services and Medicaid, lower prescription drug costs, tax cuts for families with children and childcare support, 12 weeks of paid family leave, housing investments.
Climate
There would be tax cuts for electric vehicles and other climate incentives. Biden’s bill also included tax credits and grants for businesses and communities working towards clean energy initiatives.  The Civilian Climate Corps, a government workforce dedicated to environment protection and conservation would be launched and funded. Additionally, utility companies would be subject to a system of payments and fines to clean up emissions from fossil fuels. Over time, these companies would be required to phase in renewable energy to replace fossil fuels.
Taxes
New tax plans that will cover its cost. Some of the tax changes include repeals on Trump-era tax cuts for wealthy individuals and corporations, such as: restoring the estate tax and raising the corporate tax rate from 21% to 26% (before Trump, the rate was 35%). Additionally, capital gains taxes will be raised from 20% to 25%.

The House Bill (Nov 2021)

Most of the bill’s spending was to help families with children and health care.
Social Spending
The Child Care Plan
Families with children under age 6 get affordable child care for the first time, subsidizing most or all of the cost of their care at licensed providers. The catch here is that the bill only fully funds this plan for three years — 2025 to 2027.
Expanded Pre-K
The bill also devotes about $109 billion to funding state expansions of pre-K programs — though here too, the federal money will vanish after six years, in 2028
Paid Leave
The federal government, working through private insurers, would help fund paid leave for workers who become new parents or who are seriously ill.
Health care
The biggest-ticket item is about $146 billion for in-home care for seniors and the disabled through Medicaid. Medicare would  expand to cover hearing benefits.
The bill would fund the subsidies that help people pay for Obamacare individual insurance plans for a few more years This would allow the federal government to negotiate some prescription drug prices in the hopes of driving those prices down. Lastly it would pay for coverage for low-income individuals in states that did not expand Medicaid.
There will be also be more money for existing affordable housing programs, and measures to give unauthorized immigrants temporary work permits and increase legal immigration. It would also spend billions on public health, higher education and transportation projects.
Climate
Green Energy
Nearly $500 billion over 10 years (about a quarter of the bill’s spending) is devoted to green energy or other measures meant to fight climate change. The bulk of that money goes to tax credits meant to incentivize clean electricity and transportation as well as energy efficiency for property owners. Unlike social policy programs, Democrats are not setting their new clean energy tax credits to expire after just a few years.
Dirty Energy
The major punitive policy toward dirty energy that remains in the bill is a fee on methane emissions associated with oil and gas production and transmission. They abandoned a carbon tax or a payment system for utilities using clean energy.
Taxes
New tax changes that are projected to raise much more money from the very wealthy and corporations but also a large tax cut for well-off people in high-tax (mostly blue) states. The Build Back Better Act would raise a great deal of revenue from higher taxes on some of the wealthiest people in the country and on corporations.
Trumps tax cut bill made a significant change limiting how much state and local taxes were deductible on federal tax returns. House Democrats representing  high-tax areas demanded a significant portion of the bill’s spending be devoted to rolling back the change of the SALT deduction over the next five years.

The Bill Hits A Wall in the Senate (Dec 2021)

A month after the House passed a version of Build Back Better last fall, Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) came out against the package. With the Senate divided 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans and the GOP united against the package, Manchin’s support was, and remains, critical to any deal. In addition, Senator Krysten Sinema refused to commit to the plan. Discussions between the White House and key senators on what was once a massive climate and social spending package virtually evaporated.

The Status of Build Back Better (March 2022)

Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-W.Va.) latest proposal on a scaled-down version of President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda that would leave out big social spending initiatives like expanded child care, universal pre-kindergarten, national paid family leave and long-term home health care. He is suggesting limiting new spending to climate programs instead of an array of social spending initiatives.  Some Democrats say they are growing tired of the back-and-forth with Manchin, which has dragged on for months, leaving them deeply frustrated over their inability to strike a deal.  
President Biden has tried to resurrect the legislation. Biden’s efforts include ditching the name and rebranding the policies as measures to curb inflation. Senate Democrats are also holding hearings on issues like prescription drug prices to try to keep talks going.

Here are three possible routes Democrats could take as they try to salvage the BBB legislation.

1. A Deficit Reducing Deal – In early March, Manchin effectively put a new offer on the table, saying he’d be willing to consider legislation that focuses on prescription drug prices, tax reforms, and climate investments as long as half the revenue it raises is targeted to paying down the deficit.

Presently, in late March, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) told a group of climate activists and energy executives he’s open to supporting revised Build Back Better legislation narrowly addressing three issues: climate change, prescription drug prices and deficit reduction. Now Administration officials are weighing which policies boosting domestic energy production could help win support from Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) for climate legislation.

2. Lawmakers turn to BiPartisan Bills – Previously, Sens. Wyden and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) had reached an agreement on legislation that would limit the out-of-pocket prices seniors on Medicare would have to pay for drugs. Senator Warnock is also leading a bill that could cap the monthly price of insulin at $35, a proposal that has gotten positive feedback from some Republicans. These agreements, however, are inferior to the original proposals. Wyden and Grassley’s bill did not enable Medicare to negotiate drug prices like the budget bill would, for example. Romney’s child tax credit policy would also impose more work requirements for people to receive the benefit, which Democrats’ proposal did not. In the end, though several of these bills have Republican support, getting 10 GOP members to sign on in the Senate will still be a challenge.

3. No Version of Build Back Better Passes – the darkest scenario. Democrats  have a packed spring schedule and a limited window to get legislation done before this fall’s elections.

Inflation and The War in Ukraine

The global implications of the war in Europe has forced candidates in both parties to adjust their political playbooks to account for a rapidly evolving new issue that, at its core, has united voters in support of aiding the Ukrainian resistance to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression, but also underscored the rigid partisan divide that defines modern American politics. While Democrats see vindication for Biden, Trump’s influence looms over the Republican response. 

Soaring consumer prices are undermining President Biden’s economic approval ratings, making inflation a critical topic for the White House headed into midterm elections — and making fighting it a focus of the administration’s budget, even though the Federal Reserve plays the primary role in countering rapid price increases. Mr. Biden’s administration, in its budget proposal released Monday, emphasized that some of the investments it is making or proposing could lower costs for families. Fed policymakers are hoping that their policy changes, paired with further supply chain and labor market healing, will help them to return annual inflation to 4.3 percent by the end of the year.

House Democrats’ political fate is tied to Biden, whose administration faces record-high inflation and drastically increasing gas prices as the U.S. works to damage Russia’s economy over its invasion of Ukraine. The rise in consumer goods is so challenging that Representative Axne has made combatting inflation a priority. She’s releasing agendas geared towards addressing supply chain bottlenecks, joining working groups in Congress that aim to advance policy solutions to lower inflation, and conceding that rising prices are not so much a blip on the radar as they are a persistent problem that requires multifaceted legislative solutions.

Crime and Criminal Justice Reform

Even as the upcoming midterm elections make for a rocky path to bipartisan reforms, there are plenty of opportunities in 2022 for federal, state, and local leaders to make a more fair and accountable criminal justice system. They include #1 Policing: Responding to a spike in homicides with evidence-based strategies, #2 Pretrial: Bipartisan state-level bail reform, #3 Fines and Fees: Abolishing juvenile fines and fees, #4 Community Supervision: Piloting innovative solutions to reduce probation revocations and #5 Corrections: New standards and practices for the first time in 40 years.

With violent crime rates rising and elections looming, progressive prosecutors are facing resistance to their plans to roll back stricter crime policies of the 1990s. Rising homicide and violent crime rates have even Democrats in liberal cities calling for more law enforcement, not less — forcing prosecutors to defend their policies against their own allies. The criticisms from two prominent Black mayors are particularly biting. These mayors have argued that the minority communities that want racism rooted from the justice system also want more robust policing and prosecutions. 

President Biden will propose more that $32 billion in new spending to fight crime. His budget proposal will include $20.6 billion for the next fiscal year for Department of Justice discretionary spending on federal law enforcement, crime prevention and intervention. The expanded discretionary spending would increase resources for federal prosecutors and give additional resources to state and local law enforcement to put more police on the beat

The Wealth Tax

President Biden proposed raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans and corporations, outlining several initiatives in his 2023 budget aimed at bringing down the federal budget deficit and closing loopholes that allow the rich to lower their tax bills. The “Billionaire Minimum Income Tax” would apply only to the top one-hundredth of 1 percent of American households, and over half of the revenue would come from those worth more than $1 billion. The proposal focuses on taxing unrealized capital gains that are built up over years but are taxed only when sold for a profit. The White House estimates that the new tax would raise about $360 billion in revenue over a decade.

The Voting Rights Bill

History:
The 1965 Voting Rights Act was the most success­ful civil rights legis­la­tion in our coun­try’s history until the Supreme Court gutted the law in Shelby County v. Holder in 2013. Section 4 of the VRA had jurisdictions “preclear” changes to the election rules with the federal gov’t. This step was massively successful at improving voting access. The 2013 Supreme Court decision declared that coverage formal was out of date. The decision in Shelby County opened the floodgates to laws restrict­ing voting through­out the United States.

The Assault on Voting Rights Today:

The Court further weakened the law’s protec­tions against voting discrim­in­a­tion in another case in 2022 in Brnovich v. Demo­cratic National Commit­tee. The decision held that Arizona laws discounting ballots cast out of precinct and banning non-relative neighbors or friends to deliver mail-in ballots did not violate Section 2 of the VRA , despite these laws’ negative effects on Black and brown voters.

The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, were  approved by the House in Fall 2021. The Freedom to Vote Act would expand voter registration, expand voting access with guidelines for mail-in voting and early voting, establish Election Day as a federal holiday, and prevent state lawmakers from redrawing districts so as to disadvantage Black and Brown voters. Additionally, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would restore the Justice Department’s authority to police election laws in states with a history of discrimination.

These measures were blocked by the Senate in January 2022 when Democrats tailed to overcome a Republican blockade or unite their own members behind a change in filibuster rules to pass it. Now Democrats face an electoral landscape in which they will need to spend heavily to register and mobilize voters if they are to overcome the hodgepodge of new voting restrictions enacted by Republicans across the country.

Covid

Democrats could enter the 2022 midterms as the responsible grown-ups who finally tamed a deadly scourge. Or, if Republicans succeed in branding mask and vaccine mandates as nanny-state overreach, voters could punish them in the fall. Most likely, both narratives will compete for attention as the virus itself casts the determining vote.

Governors up for re-election must weigh two uncertainties: how much the public will tolerate the kinds of restrictions they imposed in the pandemic’s early days, and to what extent the shield wall provided by the vaccine will hold. Republican strategists see mandates as increasingly unpopular with suburban women, among other key segments of the electorate.

RESPOND

  1. All House seats are up for re-election. Determine if a Senator is up for re-election in your state.  Donate, volunteer and support your Representatives and/or Senator campaign(s).  Attend town halls, fundraisers, and all outreach opportunities.
  2. There are 36 gubernatorial seats on the ballot, in addition to 88 state legislative chambers in 46 states.
  3. Confirm when primaries are held in your state. Become informed, ask questions and become involved.
  4. Get involved with all GOTV (Get Out The Vote) campaigns nation wide. They often involve writing letters, postcards, text messages, and phone banks. Volunteer for local registration drives.

Vote Forward
Rock The Vote
Contact your local Indivisible group to see what drives they have begun on the federal and state levels.

Next Post:

A Pivotal Point For America

Posted in 2022 Midterm Elections, Criminal Justice Reform, Governorships, The Climate Crisis, The House Race, The Senate Race, Voter Suppression, Voting | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Road To The 2022 Midterm Elections

New Jersey’s Crucial Executive & Legislative Elections

Posted on October 13, 2021 by Debra29

“The state comes into existence for the sake of life, and continues to exist for the sake of good life”

Aristotle

Date & Times To Remember

Election Day
Tuesday November 2, 2021
6 am – 8 pm

In-Person Early Voting
Saturday Oct 23, 2021 – Sunday Oct 31, 2021
10 am – 8 pm
Poll Locations By County

New Jersey will open its first true statewide early voting period, with voters able to cast ballots in person on machines. Gov. Phil Murphy enacted a law mandating this system, which requires between three and 10 polling locations open daily in each county, depending on its population.

All counties have had to buy new voting equipment — including ballot printers, machines and electronic poll books — and are now setting them up and starting to train poll workers how to use them. An estimate from the New Jersey Association of Counties put the additional cost of this first year of early voting at $83 million. An excellent investment in guaranteeing access to the right to vote.

Vote By Mail
Steps, Links & Deadlines

Step One : Complete a Vote-by-Mail Ballot Application.

Then choose either
A. Mail it to your New Jersey County Clerk. If you mail it to your county clerk, a Vote By Mail Ballot will be mailed to your address. 
Residents interested in voting by mail need to make sure their mailed-in application is received by Tuesday, Oct. 26 (no less than seven days before the election). Please note that once you apply for a Mail in Ballot, you will not be permitted to vote by machine at your polling place in the same election. 

OR

B. Deliver your application to your New Jersey County Clerk. It  will be processed and a ballot issued while you wait . You may choose to vote at the time you receive your ballot or take the ballot with you.

Step Two:  How To Complete Your Ballot

1. Look inside the envelope you receive in the mail for these items:
The ballot
An inner envelope with an attached certificate
A mailing envelope


2. Completely fill in the oval next to each of your selections in blue or black ink.
3. Fill in and sign the certificate, keeping it attached to the inner envelope.
4. Place the ballot into the certificate envelope.
5. Then, place the certificate envelope into the mailing envelope.

Step Three  Choose one of three ways to return your ballot:

Mail: It must be postmarked on or before 8:00 p.m. November 2 and be received by your county’s Board of Elections on or before November 8.

Secure Ballot Drop Box: Place it in one of your county’s secure ballot drop boxes by 8:00 p.m. on November 2. Secure Ballot Drop Box locations

Board of Elections Office: Deliver it in person to your county’s Board of Elections Office by 8:00 p.m. on November 2.

Step Four Track Your Ballot

You can check on the status of your vote-by-mail ballot using the Track My Ballot Portal online or you can contact your County Clerk.

First time users have to create an account and will need either a Voter ID, a Driver’s License Number, or the last 4 digits of their SSN Number to validate voter registration status. (If you don’t know your Voter ID number, you can obtain it by going to “Voter Search” or contact your Superintendent of Elections or Commissioner of Registration)

The Two New Jersey Statewide Ballot Proposals

Public Question #1: Allows wagering on postseason college sport competitions held in N.J. and competitions in which a N.J.-based college team participates.

The Assembly approved a resolution, SCR-133, asking voters if they want to allow gamblers to bet on college sports involving New Jersey teams, as well as any collegiate games played within the state. These are currently prohibited under the state’s three-year old sports betting law and would need voter approval. Public Television’s New Jersey Spotlight profiles the public’s opinion on this.

Public Question #2: Allows organizations to use raffle money to raise money for their own organization.

There are a multitude of organizations that use raffles in the state of New Jersey.  Of these organizations, only veterans and senior citizen organizations are allowed to use proceeds from bingo or raffles to support their groups. The other organizations are prohibited from doing so. This would change that limitation.

The League of Women Voters of NJ has done an extensive analysis on the two public questions with reasons to vote “yes” and reasons to vote “no”.

Individualized Election Information

The League of Women Voters Education Fund is a national resource of voter information customized to your exact location. It includes information provided by all candidates for local, state and national races. Divisive politics have entered school board decisions , and it’s important to know where your school candidates stand. Use their resource before entering the polls. https://www.vote411.org

New Jersey Candidates

Governor

Democrat: Phil Murphy

Republican: Jack Ciattarelli

New Jersey’s contest, which along with Virginia’s is one of just two governor’s races in the country before next year’s midterm elections, is seen by some as an early barometer of voter sentiment. The New Jersey governor election is one of the first statewide contests to measure how voters feel about strict coronavirus mandates.  As of today, Oct 13, Gov. Phil Murphy has picked up the first newspaper endorsement of the 2021 governor’s race, winning the backing of the New York Daily News. Jack Ciattarelli has yet to receive a newspaper endorsement.

The last debate between these two candidates was Tuesday October 13. They fought  over COVID masks, school funding, abortion, and white privilege. Another heated argument involved the state budget. Ciattarelli has attacked Murphy for adding $11 billion in state spending over the last four years. And Ciattarelli has vowed to cut $10 billion in spending and reduce property taxes by revamping the state school funding formula.

Lieutenant Governor

Democrat: Sheila Oliver

Republican: Diane Allen

The only debate between these two candidates was Tuesday October 5. The two women seeking to be New Jersey’s lieutenant governor made the policy differences of their tickets clear. They disagreed on issues ranging from vaccine mandates to gun control. Another topic over which they sparred was the Murphy administration’s record on women. Both candidates said they support the bipartisan infrastructure deal, but disagreed over the larger spending package that Democrats are currently debating in Washington, with Oliver in favor of spending more on “human infrastructure” like programs for expanded child and day care.

There are other candidates for these two executive offices that represent the Green, Liberal and Socialist Work Parties .

New Jersey State Senate and Assembly Races

The New Jersey Senate has 40 members, and the New Jersey General Assembly has 80 members. One Senator and two Assembly Members will be elected from each of the 40 districts of New Jersey. Assembly members hold two year terms, while Senators hold four year terms.

These are the legislative districts profiled in the last Primary Post.  If your district is not listed below, check who is running in your State Senate and Assembly races. Research what candidate(s) support your values and concerns. Become involved with their political campaigns and donate, volunteer and support in any way you can. 

State Senate Races: Voters pick 1

Assembly Races: Voters pick 2

District 2

State Senate
Democrat: Vincent Mazzeo

Republican: Vincent Polistina (defeated one conservative Republican candidate)

State Assembly
Democrats John Armato & Caren Fitzpatrick

Republicans Don Guardian & Clair Swift

District 10

State Senate
Democrat: Emma Mammano

Republican: James Holzapfel

State Assembly
Democrats: Garitt Tony Kono & Mary Sharon Quilter

Republican:  John Catalano & Gregory McGuckin (Defeated two conservative Republican candidates)

District 16 For friends and family:
These are the general election candidates for both the Assembly and Senate
in the 16th District, which spans parts of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset counties.

State Senate
Democrat: Andrew Zwicker

Republican: Mike Pappas

Note: Mike Pappas defeated Conservative Republican Jeffrey Grant in the Republican Primary.
According to Grant’s website, he gained the following Republican votes in District 16:
Hunterdon County 1,753 votes 40%
Middlesex County 425 votes 46%
Mercer County 219 votes 63%
Somerset County 1,632 votes 30%
Total: 4,029 votes 36%

State Assembly
Democrats: Roy Freiman & Sadaf Jaffer

Republicans: Joseph Lukac & Vincent Panico

District 18

State Senate
Democrat: Patrick Diegnan Jr.

Republican: Vihal Patel

State Assembly
Democrats: Robert Karabinchak & Sterley Stanley

Republicans: Angela Fam & Melanie McCann Mott

District 20

State Senate
Democrat: Joseph Cryan

Republican: None

State Assembly
Democrats: Annette Quijano & Reginald Atkins

Republicans: None

District 21

State Senate
Democrat: Joseph Signorello

Republican: Jon Bramnick

State Assembly

Democrats:  Elizabeth Graner & Anjali Mehrotra
Republican: Nancy Munoz & Michele Matsikoudis

District 26

State Senate
Democrat: Christine Clarke

Republican: Joseph Pennachio

State Assembly
Democrats: Melissa Brown Blaeuer & Pamela Fadden

Republicans: Jay Weber & Christian Barranco

District 30

State Senate
Democrat: Dan Stinger

Republican: Robert Singer

State Assembly
Democrats: Stephen Dobbins &  Matthew Filosa

Republicans: Sean Kean &  Edward Thomson

District 37

State Senate
Democrat: Gordon Johnson

Republican: Michael Koontz

State Assembly
Democrats: Shama Haider & Ellen Park

Republicans: Edward Durfee &  Perley Patrick

Local Elections

For friends and family:
There are the general election candidates for specific areas of Hunterdon County

If you don’t live in Hunterdon County, find out which candidates are running in your County’s Board of Elections.  Some websites will list all candidates, while others will provide pdfs of your actual ballot. Research what candidate(s) support your values and concerns. Become involved with their political campaigns and donate, volunteer and support in any way you can. 

Hunterdon County

County Clerk (vote for 1)
Democrat: None
Republican: Mary Melfi

Board of County Commissioners (vote for 2)
Democrats: Patrick Heller, Mark Pomykacz

Republicans:  J. Matthew Holt, Susan Soloway

Clinton Town

Common Council (vote for 2)
Democrats: John Kashwick, Sherry Dineen


Republicans: Nicholas Bruno, Kyle Perloff

Clinton Township

Council (vote for 2)
Democrats: None
Republicans:Tom Kochanowksi, Marc Strauss

Council (vote for 1)
Democrat: None
Republican: William Glaser Jr. I could not find any information about this candidate. 

An opinion about the lock the present Republicans have on Clinton Township.

Flemington Borough

Council (vote for 2)
Democrats: Caitlin Giles McCormick, Elizabeth Rosetti

Republican: Alan Brewer, Betty Jane Czap

Lambertville

Mayor (vote for 1)

Democrat: Andrew Nowick  – I highly recommend this exceptional candidate whom I’ve known for many years as a brilliant, compassionate and outstanding problem solver.

Independent: Michael Menche

Raritan Township

Township Committee (vote for 2)
Democrats: Barbara Simoncelli, Hope Cohen

Republicans: Jeff Kuhl, Scott Sipos

Readington Township

Township Committee (vote for 2)
Democrats: Marvin Fields, Alan Harwick

Republicans: R. Juergen Huelsebusch, Adam Mueller

Next Post:

The Build Better Back Act – $3.5 Trillion Spending Plan and

The $1 Trillion Infrastructure Plan

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on New Jersey’s Crucial Executive & Legislative Elections

What To Know – The New York State’s General Election 2021

Posted on October 11, 2021 by Debra29

“Justice in the life and conduct of the State is possible only as first
it resides in the hearts and souls of the citizens.”

                                                                                 Plato

Election Day: Tuesday November 2, 2021 6am-9pm

Early Voting: Saturday Oct 23, 2021 – Sunday Oct 31, 2021 Voters may visit ANY of the Early Voting Centers in the county where they reside, except in New York City, where voters are assigned by address to ONE early voting site. More details on New York City, Nassau and Suffolk counties are listed below.

Vote By Mail 

Monday October 18, 2021 – you can request a ballot online, or request one by mail, e-mail, or fax. Your ballot must be postmarked by Tuesday November 2. More details on New York City, Nassau and Suffolk Counties are listed below.

Individualized Election Information

The League of Women Voters Education Fund is a national resource of voter information customized to your exact location. It includes information provided by all candidates for local, state and national races. Divisive politics have entered school board decisions , and it’s important to know where your school candidates stand. Use their resource before entering the polls. https://www.vote411.org

The Five New York Statewide Ballot Proposals

(There may be additional local ballot proposals in your area, please check with your county Board of Elections for more information.)

These are summaries of what each proposal states. More information can be found on the articles provided by the nonprofit news organization The City and WNYC’s The Gothamist.

Proposal #1: Updating the State’s Redistricting Process.

  1. Remove a rule that the commission needs to have co-executive directors comprised of one appointed by Republican commissioners and one by Democratic commissioners.
  2. Move up the timeline by two weeks for when redistricting plans must be submitted to the legislature
  3. Make sure that every person in New York State is counted in the redistricting process
  4. Change the vote total needed to adopt redistricting plans when one political party controls both legislative houses. Allow what’s called a “simple majority” for lawmakers from the Assembly and Senate to approve or reject district maps if 7 of the 10 commissioners agree on the maps.
  5. Require that incarcerated people be counted at the address where they lived before going to jail or prison for the purposes of redistricting — not where they are being detained.
  6. Set the number of state Senate districts to 63, as it currently stands, instead of 50, as it’s currently stated in the constitution. The state senator cap is an attempt by Albany lawmakers to prevent future legislators from creating new districts to tip the partisan balance of the legislature.

Opinions on Proposal #1: Good government groups in the state are split on the measure. New York Common Cause and New York Public Interest Research Group called it an imperfect but necessary change. The League of Women Voters of New York State wants voters to reject the proposal.

Proposal #2  Entitlements To Clean Environment

This amendment proposal would add this line to the state’s Bill of Rights: “Each person shall have a right to clean air and water, and a healthful environment.” The proposal, however, is vague on what happens if the state fails to produce this guarantee for New Yorkers.

In New York, supporters include the League of Conservation Voters, Environmental Advocates of New York, the Adirondack Mountain Club and the NYC Environmental Justice Alliance. Pros and cons to this proposal number 2 is provided by the League of Women Voters.

Proposal #3 Shortening Ten Day Voting Registration

Proposal 3 would remove a current constitutional rule that you must register to vote at least 10 days before an election in New York.  That would give the green light for same-day voter registration in New York — if the legislature approves it down the line. Pros and cons to this proposal is provided by the League of Women Voters.

Proposal #4 No Excuse Absentee Ballot Requests

This proposal would nix a state constitutional rule that says voters must have an excuse, or valid reason, to vote with an absentee ballot. If the proposal gets voter approval, it would clear the way for the state Legislature to make no-excuse absentee voting a permanent option. There are clear pros and cons to this proposal.

Ballot Proposal #5: Expand NYC Civil Court’s Purview

The fifth ballot proposal seeks to change the monetary limit on claims in the city’s civil court, which is regulated by the state constitution. While judges in New York City Civil Court can currently hear and decide claims of up to $25,000, as has been the case since 1983, this proposal would allow them to hear and decide cases double the current maximum. The proposal’s purpose is to reduce the caseload in the court system, especially State Supreme Court.   The added benefit for you is waiting less time to have your case heard at NYC Civil Court when compared to the State Supreme Court, which is often overwhelmed. A criticism of this proposal includes  that it may place an additional burden on the New York City Civil Court by increasing the number of cases they may receive.

Contact your county’s Board of Elections for information including early voting sites and times, mail in ballots, and the candidates who are running for public office.

Election information for New York City, Kings, New York, Queens, Bronx, Richmond,  Nassau and Suffolk Counties are provided below.

New York City’s General Election

Dates & Times To Remember

Early Voting : Saturday October 23, 2021-Sunday October 31, 2021

Election Day:  Tuesday,November 2, 2021 6am-9pm

Early Voting Sites

You must vote early  at your assigned early voting site. Your early voting site may be different from your Election Day poll site, so make sure to check before you go! 

Find your Early Voting and General Election poll site AND view a sample ballot .

Vote By Mail Steps & Links

Step One: Request an absentee ballot online, by mail or by phone.  The deadline to request an absentee ballot for the November 2nd election is  Monday, October 18th.

Step Two: How to complete your ballot.

Step Three: Ways to return your ballot – by mail or in person at a ballot box or Board of Elections office. Your ballot must be postmarked by Tuesday November 2.  Here are the sites of your borough’s  Board of Election offices and ballot boxes.

Step Four: How to track your ballot. The ballot tracker will let you know the status of your ballot after you submit a request. It will also let you know if the Board of Elections has received your completed ballot and whether it’s valid.

New York City Candidates

Mayor

Democrat: Eric L Adams
Republican: Curtis A. Sliwa

Public Advocate

Democrat: Jumaane D Williams
Republican: Devi Nampiaparampil

Comptroller

Democrat: Brad Lander
Republican: Daby Carreras

Borough Presidents

Manhattan

Democrat : Mark D. Levine
Republican: Louis Puliafito

Bronx

Democrat : Vanessa Gibson
Republican: Janelle King

Brooklyn

Democrat:  Antonio Reynoso
Republican: Menachem Raitport

Queens

Democrat:  Donovan J. Richards Jr.
Republican: Tom Zmich

Staten Island

Democrat: Mark Murphy
Republican: Vito Fosella

City Council

District 1

Democrat: Christopher Marte
Republican: Jacqueline Toboroff

District 4

Democrat: Keith Powers
Republican: David Casavis

District 7

Democrat: Shaun Abreu
Republican: None

District 32

Democrat: Felicia Singh
Republican: Joanne Ariola

District 35

Democrat: Crystal Hudson
Republican: None

District 36

Democrat: Chi Osse
Republican: None

District 39

Democrat:  Shahana Hanif
Republican: None

District 50

Democrat: Sal Albanese
Republican: David Carr

Please note:  There are other candidates running against the Democrat and Republican candidate(s) in the General Election who represent the  Conservative, Working Families, Independent and numerous other parties. Here is a full listing for city officials and city council candidates  . All candidates for the Borough President races are found by county: New York, Kings, Queens, Bronx and Richmond.

Judicial Positions & Candidates

The District Attorney’s Office

A district attorney acts as the top prosecutor of whatever county district they’re in. Because each of the city’s boroughs is its own district, each borough has its own district attorney, who is expected to conduct all criminal prosecutions within the county. Each term lasts for a total of four years, and the position is not term-limited, which means district attorneys can continue to run for the office as long as they like.

New York Supreme Court Judicial Districts

The Supreme Court of the State of New York includes 62 courts—one supreme court for each county. These courts are the highest trial courts in New York State, and are of general jurisdiction. The statewide Supreme Court “…generally hears cases outside the authority of the lower courts such as civil matters beyond the monetary limits of the lower courts’ jurisdiction, divorce, separation and annulment proceedings, and criminal prosecutions of felonies.”

The New York Supreme Courts are not New York’s courts of last resort. The Court of Appeals is the highest court in New York.

The Surrogate Court

The Surrogate’s Court hears cases involving the affairs of decedents, including the probate of wills and the administration of estates. It also handles adoptions.

The Civil Courts

Civil court is a government institution that settles disputes between two or more entities. Civil court cases may involve any combination of private citizens, businesses, government institutions, or other parties. The Civil Court of the City of New York decides lawsuits involving claims for damages up to $25,000 and includes a small claims part for cases involving amounts up to $5,000 as well as a housing part for landlord-tenant matters.

The Municipal/City Courts

The City Courts  have criminal jurisdiction over misdemeanors and lesser offenses (that carry a term of imprisonment of no more than one year) as well as civil lawsuits involving claims of up to $15,000. Some City Courts have a small claims part for the informal disposition of matters involving claims of up to $5,000 and/or housing parts to handle landlord-tenant matters and housing violations.

New York County Judicial Races

Manhattan District Attorney

Democrat : Alvin L. Bragg
Republican: Thomas Kenniff

New York Supreme Court 1st Judicial District (2 seats)

Democrat: Margaret A Chan
Democrat: John J Kelly

New York Civil Court – (2 seats)

Democrat: Kim Parker
Democrat:  Jeffrey Zellan

2nd Municipal Court (2 seats)

Democrat: Christopher Chin
Democrat: Betty Lugo

3rd Municipal Court (1 seat)

Democrat: Paul A Goetz

5th Municipal Court (1 seat)

Democrat: Hasa Kingo

9th Municipal Court (1 seat)

Democrat: Barbara Jaffe

Kings County Judicial Races

Kings County District Attorney

Democrat: Eric Gonzalez
Republican:  None

New York Supreme Court 2nd Judicial District (7 seats ) 8 Candidates

D/R/Conservative Lillian Wan
Democrat Dena E Douglas
Democrat Carolyn Walker-Diallo
D/R/Conservative Joy F Campanelli
D/R/Conservative Gina Levy
D/R/Conservative Consuelo Mallafre Melendez
D/R/Conservative Richard J. Montelione
D/R/Conservative Robert Mazzuchin Jr.  (also ran for 46th Council District)

Surrogate Court (1 seat)

Democrat Rosemarie Montablano

Civil Court (3 seats)

Democrat Sharon D Hudson
Democrat Heela Capell
Democrat  Inga Oneale

Second Municipal Court (1 seat)

Democrat Lisa Lewis

Seventh Municipal Court (1 seat)

Democrat Keisha Alleyne  

Queens County Judicial Races

New York Supreme Court 11th Judicial District (6 seats) 9 Candidates

D/R Denis J. Butler
D/R Kenneth C. Holder
Democrat Karen Goopee
Democrat Laurentina McKetney Butler
Democrat Michele Titus
Republican John Spataro
D/R David Kirschner
Working Families Party Deborah Axt
Working Families Party Bob Cohen

Civil Court (2 seats) 3 Candidates

Democrat Andrea Ogle
Democrat Soma Syed
R/Conservative Party/Save Our City Party William Shanahan – only information available is on a judge of this name from North Carolina

Third Municipal Court (1 seat)

Democrat Paul Vallone
Republican Kathy Wu Parrino
R/Conservative/Save Our City Party Joseph Kasper

Fourth Municipal Court (1 seat)

Democrat Cassandra Johnson
R/Conservative Party Daniel Kogan

Bronx County Judicial Races

New York Supreme Court 12th Judicial District (5 seats) 6 Candidates

Democrat Paul L Alpert
Democrat George R Villegas
Democrat Patsy Gouldborne
Democrat Naita Semaj
Democrat Marissa Soto
Republican Anthony Marecki

Second Municipal Court (2 seats)

Democrat Jessica Flores
Democrat Verena Powell

Richmond County Judicial Races

New York Supreme Court 13th Judicial District (2 seats) 4 Candidates

Democrat Charles Trola
Democrat Ann Thompson
Republican Ronald Castorina
Republican Paul Marrone

2nd Municipal Court (1 seat) 2 Candidates

Democrat Maria Novak
R/Conservative Party Brendan Lantry

New York State Special Elections

(Districts located in NYC)

These special state elections will fill vacancies created by the resignation of Victor M. Pichardo in the Assembly, and the resignation of Brian A. Benjamin in Senate. Brian A. Benjamin is now serving as Lieutenant Governor for the State of New York.

Bronx 86th Assembly District

Democrat Yudelka Tapia

Manhattan Senatorial District 30

Democrat Cordell Cleare
Republican Oz Sultan
Hope 4 NY Shana Harmongoff

Nassau County

Early Voting

Saturday, October 23 through Sunday October 31. Check here for sites and times.

Vote By Mail
Dates To Remember

Monday October 18 . Last day for Board of Elections to receive application or letter of application by mail, online portal, email or fax for absentee ballot.
Monday November 1. Last day to apply for absentee ballot in person at Board of Elections. Nassau County Board of Elections
240 Old Country Rd (5th Floor)
Mineola, NY 11501
Monday November 1. Last day to postmark absentee ballot. Must be received by the Board of Elections no later than November 9, 2021.
Tuesday November 2. Last day to deliver absentee ballot in person to the Board of Elections or any poll site in Nassau County, by close of polls.

How to Request an Absentee Ballot in Nassau County

1. Electronically through the New York State Absentee Ballot Application Portal

2. By emailing an absentee ballot application to InfoBOE@nassaucountyny.gov

3. By faxing an absentee ballot application to (516) 571-2058

4. By mailing an absentee ballot application to: Nassau County Board of Elections, P.O. Box 9002, Mineola, NY 11501

5. By sending a letter via mail, email or fax.  The letter must include the following information:

Your name and date of birth;
The address where you are registered;
The address where the ballot is to be sent; and
Reason for the request: You may use New York’s Qualifications to Vote By Absentee Ballot

Nassau County Candidates

The Nassau County Board of Elections has provided a listing of candidates for numerous judicial, county executive, council, town clerks, supervisors, and county legislator positions throughout the county.  Confirm what legislative district you live in.  Research what candidate(s) support your values and concerns. Become involved with their political campaigns and donate, volunteer and support in any way you can. 

The candidates of Glen Cove and Long Beach were profiled in the prior Primary post and the winners are listed below.

City of Glen Cove



City Council Race
The Democrats that won the Primary include : Danielle Fugazy Scagliola, Eve Lupenko Ferrante, Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, John L Perrone, Marsha F Silverman, and Roderick Watson. Roco Torino  is on the ballot but  now representing the Common Sense Party.  All of the candidates for the upcoming  City of Glen Cove General Election were profiled by Politics NY.

City of Long Beach

City Council Race
The Democrats that won the Primary  include John Bendo, Tina Posterli and Roy Lester. All of the candidates for the upcoming  City of Long Beach’s General Election was profiled by Politics NY.

Suffolk County

Early Voting

Saturday, October 23 through Sunday October 31. Check here for sites and times.

Vote By Mail
Dates To Remember

Monday October 18 . Last day for Board of Elections to receive application or letter of application by mail, online portal, email or fax for absentee ballot.
Monday November 1. Last day to apply for absentee ballot in person at Board of Elections.
Monday November 1. Last day to postmark absentee ballot. Must be received by the Board of Elections no later than November 9, 2021.
Tuesday November 2. Last day to deliver absentee ballot in person to the Board of Elections or any poll site in Nassau County, by close of polls.

How to Request an Absentee Ballot in Suffolk County

1. Electronically through the New York State Absentee Ballot Application Portal

2. By Mail. Send a completed application or request to: Suffolk County Board of Elections, PO Box 700, Yaphank, NY 11980. If you do not complete an application and send a letter request instead, please include your name and date of birth, the reason for the request, the address where you are registered and an address where you want the ballot to be sent. See New York’s Qualifications to Vote By Absentee Ballot to provide a reason.

3. In Person. Go to the Suffolk BOE at 700 Yaphank Ave., Yaphank, NY 11980 and make a request or complete and submit your application. Depending on availability, you maybe able to get a ballot while you wait! Otherwise you can come back the next day to retrieve your ballot or the Board of Elections will mail it to you. The Board of Elections will remain open until 7:00 PM on Tuesday, October 19th and Thursday, October 21st for absentee ballot requests and submissions. 

4. By Email. Email an application or request for an absentee ballot to Absentee.voters@suffolkcountyny.gov and include your name and date of birth, the reason for the request, the address where you are registered and an address where you want the ballot to be sent. See New York’s Qualifications to Vote By Absentee Ballot to provide a reason.

5. By Fax. Send an application or request to 631-852-4590. If you do not complete an application and send a letter request instead, please include your name and date of birth, the reason for the request, the address where you are registered and an address where you want the ballot to be sent. See New York’s Qualifications to Vote By Absentee Ballot to provide a reason.

Suffolk County Candidates

The Suffolk County Board of Elections has provided a listing of candidatesfor numerous judicial, sheriff, council, supervisor, town clerks, receiver of taxes,  assessor, superintendent of highways, trustee and county legislator positions throughout the county.  Confirm what legislative district you live in.  Research what candidate(s) support your values and concerns. Become involved with their political campaigns and donate, volunteer and support in any way you can. 

The candidates of the towns of East Hampton, Islip  and Southhampton were profiled in the prior Primary post and the winners are listed below.

Town of East Hampton

Democrats that will be on the General Election ballot:
Supervisor – Peter K Van Scoyoc
Council – Kathy Burke-Gonzalez and Cathee A Roger
Trustees – David J Cataletto, Susan F Mc Graw-Keber, William F Taylor, James C Grimes, John M Aldred, Michael L Martinsen, Francis J Bock, Timothy A Garneau, and Benjamin P Dollinger.  

Town of Huntington 

Democrats/ Working Family candidates that will be on the General Election ballot
Supervisor – Rebecca L. Sanin
Council – Jen Hebert and Joseph G. Suchramm

Town of Islip

Republican Andrew T Wittman III won the Republican Primary

Town of Southhampton

Democrats that will be on the General Election ballot
Superintendent of Highways – Thomas F. Neely
Town Justice – Adam B. Grossman, Shari P. Oster
Council – Thomas Schiavoni and Robin L Long

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on What To Know – The New York State’s General Election 2021

The Long Island and New Jersey Primaries

Posted on May 23, 2021 by Debra29

New York

To check if you are Registered to Vote, including your Election District Information, Party Affiliation and Voting Location, Click Here.

Primary Day is June 22, 2021. Remember that New York State has a closed primary. Only enrolled members of a party can vote in that party’s primary elections.

Nassau County

Only voters who are enrolled in the Democratic Party and reside in the City of Glen Cove or the City of Long Beach are eligible to vote in the June 22 Primary Election. All registered voters may vote in the November General Election.

Registration Deadlines

May 28, 2021 Last day to postmark voter registration form.
Must be received by the Board of Elections no later than June 2nd, 2021.
May 28, 2021 Last day to submit voter registration form in person at Board of Elections

You may vote:

City of Glen Cove

Seven Democratic candidates are running for six Council seats. Six incumbents are running; Marsha Silverman, Gaitley Stevensn-Mathews, Rocco A. Totino, Dr. Eve Lupenko Ferrante, John Perrone, and Danielle Fugazy Scagliola. Former Glen Cove City Councilman Roderick Watson is the seventh candidate. The candidates are weighing on the issues of transparency in government, partisan politics, development, infrastructure, including information-technology; and balanced growth.

City of Long Beach

June 2 : League of Women’s Voters of Long Beach,NY and the Long Beach Public Library will sponsor a Virtual Candidates Forum for the City of Long Beach Council Candidates. You can either view afterwards or live stream.

Seven Democratic candidates are running for three Council seats. Incumbent John Bendo joins Tina Posterli, and Paulette Waithe in being supported by the Nassau County Democrats. Three Democrats; Kevin Heller, Leah Tozer, and Bill Notholt are running under the banner of Long Beach United. Roy Lester, a former president of the Long Beach school board, bankruptcy lawyer, and frequent critic of city policies, is running on his own.

Residents of the City of Long Beach are still paying off more than $8 million in debt issued almost seven years ago to cover a budget deficit. An investigation last year by the Nassau County District Attorney found “rampant, longstanding, egregious incompetence by many public officials within the Long Beach government,” but the prosecutor didn’t have enough evidence to bring criminal charges.

Important questions remain on how to generate money for the city, lower taxes and expand the tax base. If that isn’t enough, the candidates are facing issues such as repairing infrastructure, smart redevelopment, earning the city residents’ trust in government, and fiscal responsibility.

Suffolk County

Registration Deadlines

May 28, 2021 Last day to postmark voter registration form.
Must be received by the Board of Elections no later than June 2nd, 2021.
May 28, 2021 Last day to submit voter registration form in person at Board of Elections

You may vote:

By requesting an absentee ballot in writing or online . Deadlines provided by League of Women Voters of Suffolk County
In person at an early voting polling place between June 12 and June 20
In person at your assigned polling place on June 22.

Town of East Hampton

Two Democrats; Jeffrey Bragman and Peter K Van Scoyoc are running for Supervisor.
Three Democrats are running for the two Council seats; John P. Whelan, Cathy A Rogers and Kathee Burke-Gonzalez.
Ten Democrats are running for the nine Trustee positions; David J Cataletto, Susan F Mc Graw-Keber, William F Taylor, James C Grimes, Richard P Drew II, John M Aldred, Michael L Martinsen, Francis J Bock, Timothy A Garneau, and Benjamin P Dollinger.

It has been a contentious primary for the candidates including issues like the wind farm, the pandemic , water quality, housing affordability, building a new senior center and hospital emergency room. Others are focused on historic preservation and town infrastructure improvements.

Town of Huntington

Two Working Family Candidates; Rebecca L Sanin and Marissa Anderson are running for Supervisor.
Three Democrats; Hunter J Gross, Joseph G Schramm Jr, and Jen Hebert are running for two Council seats.
Three Working Family Candidates; Jen Hebert, Robert A Smitelli, and Michael J Oddo are running for two Council seats.

Issues facing Huntington candidates include economic development, affordable housing, restoration of public integrity, the effects of the LIPA Tax Settlement, and the Huntington Station revitalization plan.

Town of Islip

Two Republicans; Andrew T Wittman III and Michael S Siniski, are running for Receiver of Taxes.

Town of Southhampton

Two Working Family Candidates; Thomas F Neely and Marc Braeger, are running for Superintendent of Highways.
Three Democrats; Adam B Grossman, incumbent Barbara L Wilson and Shari P Oster, are running for two Town Justice positions.
Three Conservatives; Barbara L Wilson, Bryan L Browns and Patrick J Gunn, are running for two Town Justice positions.
Four Working Family Candidates; Bryan L Browns, Shari P Oster, Adam B Grossman, and Barbara L Wilson are running for two Town Justice positions.
Four Working Family Candidates; Miranda P Schultz, Sean P Mc Ardle, Robin L Long and Thomas Schiavoni are running for two Council seats.

Issues facing the candidates include traffic congestion, public transportation, blue infrastructure, affordable housing, and preservation of open space.

New Jersey

Primary: Tuesday, June 8, 2021

In Person

Last year’s primary and general elections in the Garden State were conducted primarily by mail because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But Gov. Phil Murphy announced in March that this year’s primary election would occur mainly in person. All regular polling places will be open for residents to cast their votes on voting machines.If you’re unsure where your polling place is, you can look it up using your address on the state Division of Elections website.

Although Gov. Murphy signed a law establishing statewide early in-person voting in March, there will not be any early in-person voting in the June primary. A spokeswoman for the Secretary of State said counties still had to acquire new electronic poll books and train workers in how to use them. The November general election in New Jersey is expected to have early in-person voting.

Under state law, anyone who wishes to vote in the primary must be registered with a political party to cast a ballot. However, anyone unaffiliated with a political party can still vote by selecting that party at their polling site on primary day.

By Mail

If you want to vote by mail in New Jersey’s primary election, you can, for any reason, by applying for a mail ballot with your county clerk. You must apply for it by June 1, seven days before the election. You can also apply for it in person at your county clerk’s office until 3 p.m. the day before the election, Monday June 7.

Once you fill out and seal your mail ballot, there are three ways to submit it for your vote to be counted: A return it by mail or B hand it in at your local polling place or C at your county Board of Elections office, or put it in a secure ballot drop box in your county.

The Governor’s Race

Republican Debate Schedule

Tuesday, May 25, 2021 7pm The WKXW (101.5)/Trenton station will host a one hour debate. The debate format includes questions from listeners who will call in, email, post questions to social media.

Wednesday, May 26, 2021 8 pm A live virtual primary debate between Republican gubernatorial candidates Jack Ciattarelli and Hirsh Singh on NJ PBS. The public is asked to submit questions for the candidates.

The Candidates

Four Republicans have declared their candidacy to oust Democrat incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy. The winner of the primary election will get to challenge the current Gov. Phil Murphy, who is running unopposed under the Democratic ticket. The candidates include Brian D. Levine, Jack Ciattarelli, Hirsh V. Singh, and Philip Rizzo.

Policies and Proposals

Because New Jersey is one of only two states to elect a governor in the year after a presidential election (Virginia is the other), its shaping up as one of the nation’s earliest electoral judgments on the Trump years. Can the GOP frontrunner, Jack Ciattarelli, steer clear of Donald Trump?

Ciattarelli’s platform is centered on relaxing pandemic-related restrictions and reinvigorating the New Jersey economy in the wake of the health crisis. Brian Levine describes himself as  fiscally conservative but not ideologically, maintaining that his occupational background as a CPA would benefit New Jersey’s economic compass. Hirsh V Singh trying to paint himself as the more pro-Trump Republican and Ciattarelli as too moderate. Phillip Rizzo, an avowed supporter of former president Trump, takes a pro-life stance and has never run for political office.

Finances

Ciattarelli and Gov. Phil Murphy are the only candidates to qualify for public funds, which caps candidates at spending $7.3 million during the primary election.

Because Ciattarelli is accepting state matching funds for his campaign and because Singh raised enough money in donations, they are required to debate. Rizzo failed to qualify for the debate as he reportedly missed the deadline to file paperwork and that “deficiencies” were included in the papers he did submit. Rizzo is a former businessman in the construction and real estate industries. A state appellate court ruled May 20 that Rizzo missed the deadline to file, according to the New Jersey Globe.

The New Jersey State Legislature Elections

The New Jersey Senate has 40 members, and the New Jersey General Assembly has 80 members. One Senator and two Assembly Members will be elected from each of the 40 districts of New Jersey. Assembly members hold two year terms, while Senators hold four year terms.

In the past, New Jersey used the decennial Census survey to redraw legislative maps in time for its odd-year state elections. This time, New Jersey delayed redistricting as a result of a constitutional amendment approved by voters last November. This controversial vote guaranteed that districts, last drawn in 2011, would stay in place. ““What we have for [the next] two years now is a map that does not reflect ‘one person, one vote,’ where folks are getting their rightful representation in the legislature”.

Your District’s Candidates

Is your district having a Primary contest? Confirm what your legislative district is. See if it is listed below. These are all of the candidates in the New Jersey State Senate Primary and the New Jersey General Assembly Primary.

Major Legislative Districts Primary Contests

If you live in the districts below, research how each candidate is addressing issues that are important to you . Local newspapers are severely limited and online news sources often have a money wall. Search social media sites and contact the campaigns for more information and volunteer opportunities. These local races in November make up the foundation of this Democracy.

District 2 State Senate Race
Two Republicans are seeking their party’s nod to try to replace GOP Sen. Chris Brown in Atlantic County’s 2nd District. Vincent Polistina, who represented the district in the Assembly nine years ago, is up against Seth Grossman, who fared better than expected in his 2018 loss to Jeff Van Drew for the 2nd Congressional District seat.

Ocean County’s 10th District Assembly Race
Incumbents Assemblymen John Catalano and Gregory McGuckin received the GOP endorsement. Running as Conservative Republicans are two Toms River residents, Geraldine Ambrosio and Brian Quinn.Word is that Quinn and Ambrosio are running under the ticket led by New Jersey gubernatorial candidate, conservative Hirsh Singh. Neither have websites.

District 16
For friends and family:
There are primary contests for both the Assembly and Senate
in the 16th District, which spans parts of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset counties.

State Senate Race
Two Republicans are vying for their party’s nomination for Senate: Michael Pappas, a former congressman from Branchburg and Jeffrey Grant of Belle Mead. Issues are centered around how the state is handling the pandemic, economic recovery, taxation , “political, ethnic and gender radicalism in our public schools” and preserving the second amendment. The winner will face the Democratic Senate Candidate Andrew Zwicker in November.
Assembly Race
Three Democrats filed for two Assembly slots: Incumbent Assemblyman Roy Freiman of Hillsborough is running with former Montgomery Mayor Sadaf Jaffer. Faris Zwirahn of Princeton is also competing for a seat.

Proposals in this race include an economic recovery that creates green jobs, promotes civil and human rights, and empowers an inclusive public health approach to COVID-19. Another candidate has a focus on policies that impact the most marginalized residents of the state, child care subsidies and restorative justice alternatives. Imagining a future that includes tax breaks for restaurants and small businesses, and expanding access to quality healthcare and mental health services are priorities for a third candidate.

The 18th District in Middlesex County.
Two full slates of candidates are contesting the Democratic primary.

State Senate Race
Two Democrats are running for Senate: Incumbent Senator Patrick Diegnan Jr. and Mohin Patel of Edison. The Democratic party endorsed Senator Diegnan.
Assembly Race
Democrat incumbents Robert Karabinchak and Sterley Stanley are running against Lisa Salem of Edison and Maurice Alfaro Sr. of Metuchen. The new candidates are running under the slogan Middlesex Democratic Party. Two candidates have neither web nor social media sites.

The 20th District
The 20th District that includes Elizabeth and other Union County municipalities has the largest field of any in the state, with crowded Democratic primaries for both the Senate and Assembly.

State Senate Race
Democrat incumbent Senator Joseph Cryan is running against candidate Jamel Holley.
Assembly Race
Incumbent Assembly Member Annette Quijano and candidate Rev. Reginald Atkins received the Union County party endorsement. They are running against Democrat candidates Christian Velez and Diane Murray-Clements of Hillside. Progressive Democrats Ricky Castaneda and Aissa Heath of Elizabeth are also in the race.

The 21st District Assembly Race
Three Republicans are vying for two Assembly seats which encompasses parts of Union, Morris and Somerset counties. Incumbent Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz is running with Michele Matsikoudis with party backing. Jennifer Makar of Roselle Park also running.

The 26th District Assembly Race
Three Republicans are seeking the nod for two Assembly seats in the 26th District, which spans parts of Morris, Essex and Passaic counties. The filings indicate incumbents Jay Webber and BettyLou DeCroce are bracketed together. The third candidate, who got the endorsement in Morris County, the largest portion of the district, is Christian Barranco of Oak Ridge.

The 30th District Assembly Race
Three Republicans are seeking two Assembly nominations in the 30th District, which covers parts of Monmouth and Ocean counties. Incumbents Assemblymen Sean Kean and Edward Thomson are facing a challenge from Alter Eliezer Richter.

The 37th District
Two full slates of Democrats are vying in Bergen County’s 37th District, where Sen. Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg’s retirement has set off an intraparty battle.

Senate Race
Assemblyman Gordon Johnson, who received the Bergen County Democratic Committee’s endorsement, is running against Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, campaigning under the slogan “Real Bergen Democrats”.
Assembly Race
Shama Haider of Tenafly and Ellen Park of Englewood Cliffs are seeking the seats and are opposed by Gervonn Romney-Rice of Teaneck and Lauren Dayton of Tenafly.

The League of Women Voters are sponsoring a candidate’s forum for Democrats running for Senate and Assembly seats in the 37th District primary. The forum is scheduled for May 26 at 7:30 p.m.

The 39th District Assembly Race

Four Republicans are vying for two Assembly seats. Incumbents Assemblyman Robert Auth and Assemblywoman DeAnne DeFuccio are facing John Azzariti and Jonathan Kurpis.

Local Elections

Local Town, Village, and County Primary elections are being held throughout the states of New York and New Jersey. Find out what’s happening in your community. Get involved.

Lambertville, New Jersey – Democratic Primary

After a competitive election in June 2018, former longtime mayor David Del Vecchio and newcomer Andrew Nowick will be running against each other in the Democratic Primary for the nomination to run for mayor of Lambertville in 2021. When asked what the biggest issues he would prioritize if elected mayor, Nowick said encouraging more civic engagement, helping the city recover from the COVID pandemic and focusing on the state of the city’s municipal buildings. Del Vecchio cited his top three issues as being holding taxes and spending; having more consistent services; and meeting climate change goals.

More recently, former mayor Dave Delvecchio and Andrew Nowick answered a range of questions regarding the growth of city debt, keeping property taxes low, protecting the Lambertville water system, and many other issues of concern at a recent Candidates Forum.
I have known Andrew Nowick for many years and can attest to his brilliance and diligence, in addition to his commitment to transparency and accountability.

Flemington Borough Council, New Jersey – Democratic Primary

Incumbents Council Member Chris Runion, and Council President Caitin Giles-McCormick are joined by are running for two Council seats. Mayor Driver has supported Rosetti and Giles-McCormick. Rosetti has also won the support of the New Jersey Young Democrats. I could only find information on Liz Rosetti from her 2020 campaign.

All three candidates had the opportunity introduce themselves to voters, and answer questions gathered from recent news articles and questions contributed by residents at a recent Candidates Forum.

Next Post: Update on NY and NJ Primaries, and ongoing Civic Engagement

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New York City’s Primary Races 2021

Posted on May 6, 2021 by Debra29

New York City’s Races

New York has a closed primary system, where only those with a party affiliation can vote in party primary elections. The Democratic Party holds the majority of the city’s public offices. Sixty-eight percent of registered voters in NYC are Democrats. There are pockets of Republican strength in some sections of Brooklyn and Queens and a large Republican stronghold in Staten Island.

The primary is, in essence, more important than November’s general election for most races. Efforts have been made to encourage Republicans and Independents to switch to the Democratic Party in order to influence the results. In fact, 88K voters shifted from Republican or Independent to the Democratic Party ahead of the primary election.

The offices of Mayor, Comptroller, Public Advocate, Borough President, and City Council are part of this crucial election primary for a city of 8.4 million residents. Listed below are the candidates websites, interviews, finances, endorsements and policy statements.

NYC Residents: Dates to Remember

Friday, May 28: Deadline for voter registration
Saturday, June 12: Early voting begins
Tuesday, June 22 Primary Election Day

Debate Schedule

Thursday, May 13 Mayoral Democratic Debate 7-9 pm Spectrum News NY1
Wednesday, May 26 Mayoral Republican Debate 7-8pm Spectrum News NY1
Wednesday, June 2 Mayoral Democratic Debate 7-9pm WABC-TV
Sunday, June 6 Republican “Leading Contenders” Debate Time TBD WABC-TV
Thursday, June 10 Comptroller Democratic Debate 7-8pm Spectrum News NY1
Wednesday, June 16 Democratic “Leading Contenders” Debate 7-8pm WNBC-TV
Sunday, June 20 Comptroller “Leading Contenders” Debate 9:30-10:30 am WNBC-TV

Absentee Balloting

“All voters may request an absentee ballot, using COVID-19 as an excuse, for the June primary and even the November general election. This means that no voter will need to put their health at risk to make their voice heard in our city elections.”

How to get your absentee ballot in NY?

Apply online
Or call 1-866-VOTE-NYC
Download it. New York State Absentee Ballot application.
Then Email it to apply4absentee@boe.nyc
or print and mail it to your borough’s Board of Elections office
or drop it off at that office

A New Way to Vote in NYC
Ranked Choice Voting

New Yorkers elected to use Ranked Choice Voting in a 2019 ballot measure. It passed with 73.5% support. NYC will use Ranked Choice Voting in primary and special elections for local offices: Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough President, and City Council. The first citywide election with Ranked Choice Voting will be the Primary Election on June 22, 2021

You can rank up to five candidates in order of preference, instead of choosing just one. If a candidate receives more than 50% of first-choice votes, they are the winner. If no candidate earns more than 50% of first-choice votes, then counting will continue in rounds. At the end of each round, the candidate with the fewest votes will be eliminated.

Ranked Choice Voting gives voters more say in who gets elected. Even if your first-choice candidate does not win, you are still able to affect the outcome by supporting your 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or even 5th choice. You can mark as many or as few as you wish. The New York City Board of Elections has mailed each voter a paper packet reviewing this new procedure.

You, the Voter

Become informed. Attend virtual and/or in person campaign events. Follow their social media sites. Watch the debates. Donate. Volunteer. Decide which candidates will receive your support. Create a list of up to five candidates in the order of preference for each public office.

The Mayor of the City of New York

The Mayor is the city’s top executive and gets to set goals, initiatives, and plans of action. She/he is responsible for preparing and administering the City’s annual Expense and Capital Budgets and financial plan. New York City’s budget serving 8.4 million residents is currently $92 billion. The mayor also chooses the heads of every city agency, like the Department of Social Services, Department of Education and the NYPD, and can approve or veto each piece of legislation passed by the City Council. It is a four year term.

Candidates

Four candidates currently make up the top tier of the thirteen Democratic contenders, according to available polling and interviews with elected officials and party strategists. There is Andrew Yang, the undisputed poll leader; Eric Adams, the Brooklyn borough president; Scott Stringer, City Comptroller; and Maya D. Wiley, a former counsel to Mayor Bill de Blasio and a former MSNBC analyst.

The race appears fluid enough for a candidate to break out late. This includes the next four Democrats : Raymond McGuire, former vice chairman at Citigroup; Kathryn Garcia, former Sanitation Commissioner; Shaun Donovan, former federal housing secretary and White House budget director; and Diane Morales, a former nonprofit executive.

Maya Wiley has an extensive and diverse resume, working inside and mostly outside of government. Kathryn Garcia is everyone’s favorite – for second place. Eric Adams has spent his career serving the City – and making controversial moves along the way. Andrew Yang is running for mayor of New York City as a bold thinker and entrepreneur. But his results have been uneven. Diane Morales is an unashamedly progressive candidate who would also be New York City’s first Afro-Latina mayor. There are five things you should know about Raymond McGuire. Shaun Donovan has been a go-to-guy for emergencies. Can he lead NYC post pandemic?

Scott Stringer was recently accused of sexual assault. He denied the allegation. All three major female Democratic candidates have called on Stringer to drop out of the primary. While he has lost crucial supporters in his drive to become mayor, other backers have stood by him.

The remaining 5 Democratic candidates are not as well known until now and include Isaac Wright Jr., lawyer; Art Chang, former managing director at JPMorgan Chase; Paperboy Prince, rapper and Congressional candidate; Jocelyn Taylor, chief executive of a general contracting firm; and Aaron Foldenauer, lawyer.

The two Republicans running for mayor include Curtis Sliwa, radio talk show host and founder of the Guardian Angels, and Fernando Mateo, restaurant operator and former leader of a trade group for cabdrivers

Endorsements

Organizations, labor and public figures have stepped up to endorse Eric Adams, Shaun Donovan, Kathryn Garcia, Ray McGuire, Diane Morales, Scott Stringer, Maya Wiley, Isaac Wright Jr., and Andrew Yang. Public figures and business leaders have also endorsed Raymond McGuire . Women’s groups have backed Wiley and more updates on the leading candidates in the 8 weeks to go before the primary. The Working Families Party has endorsed Wiley, Morales, and Stringer. This is who is endorsing the mayoral candidates as of May 3. Candidate websites list their endorsements as well, often under the Press title.

Political parties and public figures have endorsed the two Republican candidates.

Finances

New York City’s Campaign Finance Board matches small contributions from NYC residents allowing candidates who participate to receive up to $2,000 in public funds per eligible contributor. Numerous candidates have raised enough money to qualify for these public matching funds which can reach into the millions of dollars. In addition, candidate super PACs are flooding money into the New York mayoral election and are raising ethic concerns.

The New York City campaign finance summaries are updated daily. Raymond J. McGuire, Scott Stringer, Eric Adams, Shaun Donovan and Andrew Yang have the highest amount of private funds to date respectively. Candidates with the highest amount of public funds to date include Eric Adams, Scott Stringer, Andrew Yang, Maya Wiley, Fernando Mateo, Diane Morales and Shaun Donovan in that order.

The new mayor will be in charge of a city budget in the billions of dollars. How do they manage their own finances? Seven candidates provided tax information, and one refused.

Policies and Proposals

Documented and City & State asked eight Democratic mayoral candidates about their plans for the city’s immigrant residents. The same Democratic candidates were asked about police reform and lowering crime while raising confidence in the city’s police and law enforcement. Their positions on the economy range from Baby Bonds to a Universal Basic Income. They outlined their priorities on education and the possibility of running the country’s largest school system. The candidates shared their visions and strategies for prioritizing the city’s hundreds of miles of coastline as part of their climate change and economic recovery plan. Campaign websites, linked above, provide policy positions for all thirteen mayoral candidates

Comptroller

The Comptroller manages and audits the city’s coffers, while playing a key oversight role on city contracts — and many of the borough president seats. This money manager prepares audits and oversee how city agencies are spending their money, manages the city’s public pension funds — the largest in the world at $224.8 billion as of October 2020 – and issues bonds to help pay for large projects. The office is responsible for approving public borrowing, serves as the city’s chief auditor and reviews tens of thousands of contracts.

Those roles will be even more important given the financial difficulties caused by the pandemic. The city had a 20 percent unemployment rate, and is still projecting hefty future budget gaps. The comptroller will have an important role in overseeing how $6 billion in federal stimulus is spent. It is a four year term.

Candidates

This year’s comptroller race revolves around five elected Democratic officials: Brad Lander, NYC Councilman; Brian Benjamin, a state senator representing Harlem and the Upper West Side; Kevin Parker, a state senator from Brooklyn; and David Weprin, a state assemblyman from Queens. Lastly, a surprise late candidate, Corey Johnson, City Council Speaker, has clearly shaken up this key NYC election.

Two Democratic candidates still considered to be in the lead include Michele Caruso-Cabrera, CNBC financial journalist; and Zachary Iscol, cofounder of Headstrong and Task & Purpose

The remaining four Democrats include Terri Liftin, attorney and legal compliance expert; Chris McNickle, finance and banking background, author; Alex K. Pan, college student; and Reshma Patel, public finance, e-commerce, and data analytics.

The two Republicans running for Comptroller include Daby Carreras, money manager and John Tobacco, t.v. host on BizTV former Wall Street trader.

Endorsements

Brad Lander has the endorsement of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s in addition to U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, the Working Families Party, Make the Road Action and New York Communities for Change. Other organizations, labor and public figures have stepped up to endorse Brian Benjamin, Corey Johnson, Brad Lander, and David Weprin. Candidate websites list their endorsements as well, often under the Press title.

Finances

Comptroller candidates Brad Lander, Zachary Iscol, Corey Johnson, Brian Benjamin, David Weprin, Michele Caruso, and Kevin Parker have the highest amount of private funds to date respectively. The highest amount of public funds to date include Corey Johnson, Brad Lander, Zachary Iscol, Brian Benjamin and David Weprin in that order.

Policies and Proposals

Seven Democratic candidates shared proposals and goals for their term as Comptroller. Multiple ideas to focus on minority owned businesses, the NYPD budget, an audit of city agencies, a five borough investment strategy, affordable housing, use of the federal infusion of money, an NYC Land Bank, clean energy, and returns on pension investments. But who is the best fit for this fiscal/management/political job? The top six candidates all pitched themselves to the city’s chambers of commerce at a Feb. 2 forum hosted by the Five Borough Chamber Alliance. Campaign websites, linked above, provide more positions and proposals.

Public Advocate

The Public Advocate is an official watchdog for city policies and priorities — as well as for any bad actors the office sees fit to call out. The office of the public advocate looks into complaints from New Yorkers about all kinds of things — from city programs or agencies to tenant gripes about private landlords — and raises awareness on issues through written reports, research studies, news conferences, lawsuits, even rallies and protests. The office-holder has no vote in the City Council, but can introduce bills or co-sponsor them with members. The public advocate is also first in line to City Hall should the mayor become unable to fulfill the duties of the office.

Candidates

Jumaane Williams (D) has been public advocate since 2019 and previously served as the City Council representative for Brooklyn’s District 45. Theo Chino (D) is a French-born bitcoin entrepreneur and system engineer who joined the Democratic Socialists of America in 2018. Anthony Herbert (I) is is a longtime anti-violence activist and media consultant from Brooklyn. Devi Nampiaparampil (R) is a physician and professor at the NYU School of Medicine and television health commentator.

Policies and Proposals

As public advocate, Jumaane Williams introduced legislation to the City Council on housing and criminal justice issues as well as published reports on topics such as the mental health crisis and the chronic underfunding of CUNY. Theo Chino would support efforts to fix the MTA and improve housing for New Yorkers. Anthony Herbert will focus on affordable housing, sex trafficking, and criminal justice. Devi Nampiaparampil wants to prioritize jobs, incentive pay and Covid 19 recovery. Candidate websites, linked above, provide more information.

Endorsements

Candidate websites list their endorsements as well, often under the Press title.

Finances

Public Advocate candidates are listed on the NYC Campaign Finance Board. Jumaane Williams leads with the most amount of private funding, followed by Anthony Herbert, Theo Chino and Devi Nampiaparampil respectively. No candidates have used public funds.

Borough President

The Borough President largely serves as an ambassador for their borough with a direct line to the mayor or even governor to discuss prevailing issues impacting their corner of New York City. She/he appoints half the members to a borough’s community boards; one member to the Panel for Educational Policy to decide on school-related matters; and one member to the City Planning Commission that reviews zoning applications. Like the public advocate, a borough president can propose legislation through a Council member who then introduces the bill “at the behest of the borough president.” They have influence over land use and development projects in their borough. They are empowered to offer an advisory vote during what is often a lengthy public review process. And they can do this by holding public hearings on any proposed rezoning, using it as an auxiliary bully pulpit to make the case for or against a rezoning.

Brooklyn (pop. 2.6M) 14 Candidates

Robert Cornegy (D); Kimberly Council (D); Khari Edwards (D); Robert Elstein (D); Mathieu Eugene (D); Pearlene Fields (D); Anthony T. Jones (D); Trisha Ocona (D); Shanduke McPhatter (D); Menachem Raitport (R and C); Robert Ramos Jr. (D); Antonio Reynoso (D); Jo Anne Simon (D); and Lamor Whitehead-Miller (D)

Joanne Simon, Robert Cornegy, Antonio Reynoso, Khari Edwards and Kimberly Council are the leading private fund and public fund raisers to date respectively. The top tier include Council members and an Assembly member and have received numerous endorsements. The candidates in this highly competitive race offered specifics on Brooklyn’s lack of affordable housing, the future of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), large-scale re-zonings, criminal justice, transit infrastructure, coastal resiliency, and more. Specific policy proposals on candidates’ websites.

Queens (pop. 2.3M) 7 Candidates

Elizabeth Crowley (D); Danniel Maio (R); Stan Morse (D); Donovan Richards (D); Diana Sanchez (D), Jimmy Van Bramer (D); Thomas Zmich (R and C),

Jimmy VanBramer, Donovan Richards and Elizabeth Crowley have the highest amount of private funds to date respectively. Elizabeth Crowley, Jimmy VanBramer and Donovan Richards have the highest amount of public funding in that order. Donovan Richards, the present Queens Borough President, has received a large number of endorsements. Van Bramer has won support from the progressive wing of the party, while Crowley considers herself a moderate. Transportation, infrastructure, public safety and affordable housing remain a priority in this race. The candidates present what they believe are the top three most pressing issues facing the borough of Queens.

Manhattan (pop 1.6M) 9 Candidates

Lindsey Boylan (D); Elizabeth Caputo (D); Brad Hoylman (D); Benjamin Kallos (D); Mark Levine (D); Michael Lewyn (L); Guillermo Perez (D); Louis Puliafito (R); Kimberly Watkins (D)

Mark Levine, Brad Hoylman, Benjamin Kallos, Lindsey Boylan and Elizabeth Caputo have the highest amount of private funds to date respectively. Candidates with the highest amount of public funds to date include Brad Hoylman, Mark Levine, Benjamin Kallos, Elizabeth Caputo and Linksey Boylan, in that order. Candidate websites list their endorsements as well, often under the Press title. Hunter College offered a forum on April 6 which offered a chance for the leading candidates to discuss the issues of affordable housing, education, economic justice, transportation, and environmentalism.

The Bronx (pop. 1.4M) 7 Candidates

Fernando Cabrera (D); Nathalia Fernandez (D); Vanessa Gibson (D); Samuel Ravelo (D and C); Luis Sepulveda (D)

Fernando Cabrera, Nathalia Fernandez, Vanessa Gibson, and Luis Sepulveda have the highest amount of private funds to date respectively. Candidates with the highest amount of public funds to date include Fernando Cabrera, Vanessa Gibson, Nathalia Fernandez and Luis Sepulveda , in that order. A Republican leaning police union and the the Northwest Bronx Democrats have endorsed Fernando Cabrera. City & State recently spoke with Cabrera about why he is running for the Bronx’s top job. Nathalia Fernandez accused Cabrera of being a bigot in an editorial. Vanessa Gibson received endorsements from major union and public officials . Candidate Luis Sepulveda was arrested on a charge that he choked his estranged wife. The leading candidates were asked what the three most pressing issues their borough is facing, and their opinions on housing, health care, crime and economic development. News 12 offers extensive video interviews with each.

Staten Island (pop. 476K)

Lorie Honor (D); Mark Murphy (D); Steven Matteo (R); Radhakrishna Mohan (D); Leticia Remauro (R and C); Brandon Stradford (D); Cesar Vargas (D) and Jhong Kim (R);

Steven Matteo, Leticia Remauro, Mark Murphy and Lorraine Honor have the highest amount of private funds to date respectively. The four candidates with the highest amount of public funds to date include Steven Matteo, Lorraine Honor, Leticia Rermauro and Mark Murphy , in that order. Staten Island political committees did weigh in. Right now, City Councilmember Stephen Matteo and author and business owner Leticia Remauro are vying for the Republican nomination for borough president. Leticia Remauro sparked an uproar by invoking Hitler at a rally against Gov. Cuomo’s pandemic restrictions on small businesses. History suggests Republicans will easily retain the Staten Island borough presidency, an office they have held since 1989. But Lorie Honor, one of three Democrats in the borough president race or considering it, says she thinks the seat is winnable. Michael Murphy, another Democrat has been endorsed by the Staten Island Democratic Party. Leading issues in Staten Island include housing, transportation, and public safety.


District Attorney

A District Attorney is the top prosecutor for a town, city, county or state. In New York City, each borough, which are each a separate county, has its own district attorney. The DA has wide latitude on what and how to prosecute, whether to seek bail and in what manner plea bargains are made. The DA election will NOT use the much talked about ranked choice voting. 

Manhattan District Attorney

Candidates

Eight Democratic candidates are competing to become the borough’s top prosecutor. It’s the only competitive DA race in the city this year. Tahanie Aboushi , a human rights attorney; Alvin Bragg , chief deputy attorney general for New York State; Liz Crotty, previous assistant district attorney, Tali Farhadian Weinstein, previous  general counsel for the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, Diana Florence, Manhattan DA prosecutor; Lucy Lang, previous prosecutor at Manhattan District Attorney’s Office; Eliza Orlins , public defender for Legal Aid Society, and Dan Quart, State Assembly Member. Thomas Kenniff , a military Judge Advocate General, is the one Republican in the race.

Endorsements & Financial Statements

Endorsements can be found on the candidates’ websites. The latest financial information I could attain for everyone was back in January. More recently questions have been raised about Tali Farhadian Weinstein’s $2.2 million war chest which is far more than her rivals in the Manhattan district attorney race. Her opponents, legal ethicists and good government advocates have raised questions about that support, pointing out that the Manhattan district attorney, by virtue of geography, has jurisdiction over a large number of financial crimes.

Platforms and Proposals

Whoever wins this election could transform law enforcement in America’s biggest city with policies aiming to imprison fewer people. The winner will also inherit one of the nation’s most politically fraught cases: a criminal investigation into former president Donald Trump’s business dealings. Nearly all said they would jail fewer people for minor crimes and address systemic racial bias. Most would eliminate or curtail cash bail, which they argue disproportionately impacts poor defendants. The election is being watched as a test of what a borough considered to be a liberal bastion wants from its head prosecutor, and just how deeply voters want the criminal justice system to change. Aboushi, Orlins and Quart have argued that the core work of the district attorney’s office needs to be revamped, shifting toward reducing incarceration and cutting back prosecution of low-level crimes. Bragg, Lang, Weinstein and Florence largely agree. But they have pitched themselves as occupying a middle ground, focused on less sweeping changes. Crotty has been less vocal in calling for systemic change.

Brooklyn District Attorney

Eric Gonzalez, the Brooklyn district attorney, will run again for his seat. So far, no challengers have declared in the race, state campaign records show.

City Council

All 51 Council district seats in the New York City’s legislative body have an election this year. City Council members are responsible for proposing and voting on bills relating to all aspects of civic life. Bills passed by the Council go to the mayor for to be signed into law. It can override a veto from the mayor with a vote of at least two-thirds of the members. The Council also negotiates with the mayor to pass the city budget every year. Each member has his or her own discretionary budget to fund local projects and groups. The Council holds oversight hearings through its many committees. And, critically, the body votes to approve or reject development projects that need public approval.

The League of Women Voters and/or the New York City Council website will help you determine what district you live in. This is a map of candidates running in each Council district in the city.

I’ve profiled a few Council races. Feel free to use this model to inform your own decision. Once you’ve determined who your candidates are, research newspaper stories on that race. Use their websites to see where they stand on the policies important to you. The New York City Campaign Finance Board will give you a daily profile of their fund raising efforts to date.

District 1 – Manhattan – all Democrats

Christopher Marte, Jenny Low, Maud Maron, Susan Damplo and Gigi Li have the highest amount of private funds to date, respectively. The candidates with the highest amount of public funds, in order are Maud Maron, Gigi Li, Jenny Low, Christopher Marte, and Susan Lee. The leading five candidates websites provide endorsements and platforms for issues facing the district. Development in lower Manhattan, a planned jail and socioeconomic recovery will be front and center in this crowded race for lower Manhattan.

District 4 – Manhattan

Incumbent Democrat Keith Powers is running unopposed for re-election. The NYC Campaign Finance Board reports his private funds to date. His focus will be on navigating a fiscal crisis, strengthening the social safety net, securing housing protections for tenants, and addressing the continued disparities in this city. He is a member of the NewDEAL, a selective national network of exceptional, rising, pro-growth progressive state and local elected leaders.

District 7 – Manhattan – all Democrats

Marti Allen-Cummings, Shaun Abreu, Daniel Cohen, Raymond Sanchez, and Stacy Lynch have the highest amount of private funds to date, respectively. Four candidates; Daniel Cohen, Maria Ordonez, Marti Allen-Cummings and Shaun Abreu, are in a tie for substantial public funds. This is followed by Luis Tejada, Stacy Lynch, Corey Ortega and Raymond Sanchez in that order. Candidates’ websites provide endorsements and platforms for issues facing the district. Eight candidates addressed long-standing issues like housing inaccessibility, environmental concerns, and education reform to the Columbia Daily Spectator.

District 32 – Queens

Kaled Alamarie, Felicia Singh, Shaeleigh Severino, Michael Scala, and Helal Sheikh have the highest amount of private funds to date, respectively. Felicia Singh and Kaled Alamarie are in a tie for first place in public funds, followed by Michael Scala, Helal Sheikh, Joanne Ariola and Kenichi Wilson. Candidates’ websites provide endorsements and platforms for issues facing the district. The candidates discuss issues such as economic recovery, infrastructure, education, environmental resilience and public safety.

District 35 – Brooklyn – all Democrats

Crystal Hudson, Michael Hollingsworth, and Curtis Harris have the highest amount of private funds to date, respectively. Crystal Hudson and Michael Hollingsworth are in a tie for first place in public funds, followed by Curtis Harris and Regina Kinsey. Candidates’ websites provide endorsements and platforms for issues facing the district. Crystal Hudson is in a tight race with fellow progressive Michael Hollingsworth, a tenant activist. Affordable housing, increasing development, education and police reform are among the issues facing these candidates.

District 36 – Brooklyn – all Democrats

Chi Osse, Henry Butler, Robert Waterman and Tahirah Moore have the highest amount of private funds to date, respectively. Chi Osse and Henry Butler are in a tie for first place in public funds, followed by Robert Waterman and Tahirah Moore. Candidates’ websites provide endorsements and platforms for issues facing the district. The candidates discussed the issues facing the district including the crises of gun violence, a lack of affordable housing, deed theft, struggling small businesses, and deteriorating conditions in public housing.

District 39 – Brooklyn – all Democrats

Briget Rein, Shahana Hanif, Brandon West, Justin Krebs, Douglas Schneider and Mamnunul Haq have the highest amount of private funds to date, respectively. Douglas Schneider, Justin Krebs and Shahana Hanif are in a tie for first place in public funds, followed by Brandon West and Mamnunul Haq in a tie in second place, followed by Briget Rein. The six leading candidates have a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. They discussed the issues of affordable housing, infrastructure, economic recovery and land use to the Brooklyn Paper.

District 50 – Staten Island

Marko Kepi, David Carr, Sal Albanese and Sam Pirozzolo have the highest amount of private funds to date, respectively. David Carr and Marko Kepi are in a tie for first place in public funds, followed by Sal Albanese and Sam Pirozzolo. Candidates’ websites provide endorsements and platforms for issues facing the district. Some candidates discussed their platforms on economic recovery, education, public safety and taxes.

How Important Are Endorsements?

It varies. For neighborhood-based races like the City Council, an endorsement from an influential political club, progressive coalition or popular community leader can make all the difference. I have often been informed by the United Federation of Teachers endorsements as they scrutinize the candidate education policies. As a CUNY alumni, I also trust the judgement of the Professional Staff Congress . The Scott Stringer accusation has changed the most recent mayoral endorsements . In the end, it’s my own decision to make based on the candidates’s policies, experience and community involvement.


Next Post: Nassau, Suffolk County, NY and New Jersey races.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on New York City’s Primary Races 2021

Staying Engaged with My Legislators

Posted on March 23, 2021 by Debra29

The Logistics:

  1. My state senator once told a town hall group of constituents they’d be surprised at how a small group of citizens can affect policy change. Your phone call, email, letter and participation will make a difference. Common Cause will help you identify who your federal, state and local legislators are. Click “find your representative” on the top bar.
  2. List your representatives names, addresses, and phone numbers on a desktop document with links to their contact email. Save this information in your Contact List. It’s far easier to respond when contact information is easily accessible.
  3. Locate their Facebook, Instagram and website pages for updated information. Many use live broadcasts from social media sites.
  4. Find out what’s happening in your state and locality. Stay informed through newspapers, advocacy groups, webinars, zoom meetings, and newsletters. Social media sites often alert you to upcoming events.
  5. Create a message that’s simple and to the point.
  6. All legislators need to hear your opinion, regardless of party affiliation.
  7. Find out how local and statewide candidates stand on the issues of importance to you.

Climate Change

New York City

I plan to urge Governor Cuomo not to approve the repowering of The Gowanus Fracked Gas Plant, operated by Astoria Generating Company. Activists at a recent rally feel that the repowering does not fit in with the city’s ambitious climate goals. The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) pledges New York to 100% zero-emission electricity by 2040.  Present at the rally was State Senator Brisport who recently introduced a bill, known as the Pollution Justice Act of 2021, that would bar all “peaker” plants in New York State from renewing their license unless they commit to 100% renewable energy.The repowering proposal brings up environmental justice concerns. Patrick Houston, organizer with New York Communities for Change, said, “we can no longer sacrifice, black communities, and Latinx communities, and all communities of color, and their health and their well being and their dignity.” The plants currently contribute to pollution in South Brooklyn, specifically Gowanus and Sunset Park which are primarily working-class communities of color.

New Jersey

New Jersey citizens must reach out to Senator Booker, Senator Menendez and Congressman Malinowski to express your distress with the Biden Administration’s decision in supporting the Penn East pipeline before the U.S. Supreme Court. Environmentalists were dismayed by the Biden administration’s move. Maya K. van Rossum, head of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, said the Justice Department’s decision to support PennEast in the case “is an abuse of power and trust and a failure of the current administration to do its duty to protect people and our environment.” The NJ Sierra Club and every municipality in Hunterdon County is on the record as opposing the proposed PennEast natural gas pipeline. The NJ Sierra Club is concerned that the route would destroy open space, farmland, and historic sites; that the fracking gold rush is leaving NJ crisscrossed by unnecessary pipelines; and that the emphasis on extraction of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is steering us away from sources of clean, renewable energy.

Criminal Justice Reform

Federal

My Congressional Representative Lydia Valazquez will hear about my approval of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. I will contact my NY Senator Charles Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand about their support. Senate Democrats will have to sway at least 10 Republican members for the bill to pass. The bill that would ban chokeholds and alter so-called qualified immunity for law enforcement, which would make it easier to pursue claims of police misconduct. The wide-ranging legislation would also ban no-knock warrants in certain cases, mandate data collection on police encounters, prohibit racial and religious profiling and redirect funding to community-based policing programs.

New York City

The second phase of the City’s police reform was announced today with the aim of undoing the legacy and harm of racialized policing. The New York City Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative hopes to bring greater accountability to the NYPD, make New York City residency a more significant factor in hiring officers, and end the poverty-to prison-pipeline. I plan to add my comments to the draft plan.

Last June, the New York State Legislature and Governor Cuomo repealed a section of the civil rights law known as 50-a as it had prevented the public from seeing most law enforcement disciplinary records. Unions had opposed a new state transparency law on the grounds that it would unfairly taint the reputations of police officers, endangering them and affecting their future employment. An Appeals Court, however, approved the release of such records. Last week the NYPD released these secret records. Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Dermot F. Shea have said that releasing the records would allow the nation’s largest police department to respond to public demands for accountability and transparency by showing it has a strong disciplinary system.

Legislators to contact: Mayor, City Council Representative, Governor, State Senator and State Assembly Representative. I communicate my support of specific local police reforms.

Nationally

Why do grand juries decline to indict police officers? What happens in a court of law? I will contact my state legislators and ask them to raise the standard for the use of lethal force by police from “objectively reasonable” to “necessary,”. They should also create a special unit within the state attorney general’s office to handle the investigation and prosecution of killings by police officers in order to address the conflict of interest that local prosecutors necessarily face in handling cases. Finally, legislators should make it easier to sue police officers by eliminating the qualified immunity doctrine, which is a defense that enables rights-violating police to escape liability if it was not “clearly established” that the particular misconduct they engaged in was unlawful at the time they committed it. In addition legislators should require all officers to carry professional liability insurance.

Legislators to Contact: Your Governor, State Senator and State Assembly Representative and request these reforms.

New Jersey

New Jersey police have new guidelines on when they can hit, chase or shoot suspects under the first overhaul of the state’s use-of-force policy in two decades. The position of attorney general is uniquely powerful in New Jersey because the duties of the office include direct oversight of all the state’s law enforcement officers, from neighborhood cops to county prosecutors. The process of rewriting the policy was announced a year ago and included input from law enforcement groups, civil rights and religious organizations and more than a thousand comments from the public. These new rules are following a comprehensive Excellence In Policing Initiative which includes the major components of Professionalism, Accountability and Transparency . Multiple webinars around the state are informing communities about the policy which includes de-escalating situations of citizen resistance, and mandating conflict resolution tactics before exerting forceful methods of restraint.

Legislators to Contact: Contact Governor Murphy, State Senator and your Assembly Representative and show your support for these guidelines.

Disinformation Campaigns

Nationally

Statehouses around the nation are seeing the rise of the “Stolen Election” myth as a smoke screen to to change the rules of voting and representation — and enhance their own political clout. The national Republican Party joined the movement this past week by setting up a Committee on Election Integrity to scrutinize state election laws, echoing similar moves by Republicans in a number of state legislatures.

New Jersey

A local county official who attended the “Stop The Steal” rally before the riot in Washington DC has heard from her constituents on a regular basis, asking her to step down. Now is the time to hold your representatives accountable when falsehoods are stated. Let them know by attending virtual meetings, writing letters to the editor, emails and so on.

New York City

A bipartisan, community-based political action committee against Congressmember Nicole Malliotakis has quickly gained traction since it went public on Jan. 30. “The overall goal and mission of the organization is to hold her accountable, particularly on votes”. This newly elected Congressional Representative found herself embroiled in controversy after she voted against certifying the electoral votes in Pennsylvania and Arizona because of alleged voter fraud on her third day in office.

Legislators to Contact: Contact and hold your representative accountable on all levels of government if you find them participating in this misinformation campaign.

Public Education

Federal

The recent $1.9 trillion pandemic rescue law included $2.75 billion dollars for private schools. Democrats had railed against the push by President Donald J. Trump’s education secretary, Betsy DeVos, to use pandemic relief bills to aid private schools, only to do it themselves.

Legislators to Contact: President Biden, Senator Schumer, in addition to Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. I will express why I disagree with this.

Single Payer Health Care

New York

Is the pandemic a game changer for a New York single payer bill? The The New York Health Act, a single-payer system, will guarantee that all New Yorkers regardless of income or job status can focus on their health and health care, not medical bills. “This bill must be central to a just and equitable recovery from this pandemic and brought to a vote this year, ” said the codirector for the Campaign For New York Health.

Its passage, despite large Democratic majorities in both chambers of the state legislature, still remains unlikely. Business organizations, which have formed a coalition opposing the bill in recent years, pointed to the tax increases needed to help pay for it. Others, however, feel now is the time for the New York Health Act.

Legislators to Contact: Governor, State Senator and State Assembly Representative and explain why I support the New York Health Act.

Income Inequality

Federal

It looks like the federal minimum wage won’t be increased anytime soon — news that will hit women harder than men. Senate Democrats dropped the $15 minimum wage provision from the latest $1.9 trillion stimulus package after the Senate parliamentarian last week decided that the policy couldn’t be passed through budget reconciliation. Then the Democrats abandoned the backup plan to increase the minimum wage through a corporate tax penalty.

There is a disconnect between wealth growth for the ultrawealthy and wealth growth for most Americans. Consequently, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Brendan Boyle introduced legislation that would tax the net worth of the wealthiest people in America. It would apply a 2 percent tax to individual net worth — including the value of stocks, houses, boats and anything else a person owns, after subtracting out any debts — above $50 million. It would add an additional 1 percent surcharge for net worth above $1 billion. Polls have consistently shown Ms. Warren’s proposal winning the support of more than three in five Americans, including a majority of Republican voters. Wealth at the top, particularly among billionaires, has grown in the two years.

Legislators to contact: The President, my Senators and My Congressional Representative. I will express support for the $15 minimum wage and an increased tax on the wealthiest of this nation.

LGBT Rights

Federal

The House of Representatives passed the Equality Act, a bill that would ban discrimination against people based on sexual orientation and gender identity.The legislation, passed 224 to 206 almost entirely along party lines. It was the second time the Democratic-led House had passed the measure, known as the Equality Act, which seeks to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to add explicit bans on discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in both public and private spaces.

President Biden said on the campaign trail that this bill would be one of his top legislative priorities for the first 100 days of his presidency. But it’s also controversial — while the Equality Act has broad support among Democrats, many Republicans oppose it, fearing that it would infringe upon religious objections. The bill would need 60 votes to avoid a filibuster in the Senate.

Legislators to contact: My U.S. Senators and explain why I expect their support for this Act.

Nursing Home Reform

The COVID-19 pandemic has swept the nation, killing more than 174,000 residents and staff of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. The roots of the long-term care industry’s problems are deeply tangled,The institutions that serve so many older and infirm Americans were created based on rules and laws passed decades ago, when needs and expectations were different. Nursing home funding and oversight come in large part from government budgets. But most nursing homes are privately owned, meaning there is little transparency into their finances and operations. Are they, as they claim, pinching pennies to survive, or are they profiting at the expense of quality care? AARP has done extensive reporting and analysis of this nationwide problem and has come up with Ten Steps To Reform and Improve Nursing Homes.

Legislators to Contact: The Governor, your State Senator and State Assembly Representative. I will advance the AARP recommendations.

Federal

Those of us who have researched the best nursing homes for our loved ones have come to use the rating system run by the U.S. Center For Medicare/Medicaid services. The Covid 19 pandemic, however, has exposed how nursing homes had manipulated the influential star system in ways that masked deep problems. Despite years of warnings, the system provided a badly distorted picture of the quality of care at the nation’s nursing homes. Many relied on sleight-of-hand maneuvers to improve their ratings and hide shortcomings that contributed to the damage when the pandemic struck. The findings of this investigation included the fact that much of the information submitted to C.M.S. is wrong. Almost always, that incorrect information makes the homes seem cleaner and safer than they are. In addition, some nursing homes inflate their staffing levels by, for example, including employees who are on vacation. In one sign of the problems with the self-reported data, nursing homes that earn five stars for their quality of care are nearly as likely to flunk in-person inspections as to ace them. But the government rarely audits the nursing homes’ data. Health inspectors still routinely found problems with abuse and neglect at five-star facilities, yet they rarely deemed the infractions serious enough to merit lower ratings.

Legislators to contact: The President, my Senators and my Congressional Representative Express your concerns regarding the U.S. Center For Medicare Medicaid ineffective and misleading rating system and oversight.

New York

The New York State Senate will be advancing legislation to improve oversight and care at nursing homes. This legislation includes patient care ratio reporting, publication of nursing home ratings (see the above article as to whether this is accurate), a long term care task force, a long term care ombudsman (patient advocate) reform act, and more.

Advocates, like Voices for Seniors, fear these bills won’t fundamentally change life for residents. They fear the proposals don’t go far enough to address the most pressing issues — low staffing levels, state funding, and lax oversight — much less incorporate innovative approaches to redesigning how communities manage end-of-life care.

Legislators to Contact: The Governor, my State Senator and State Assembly Representative. I will support the legislation,l but ask for a more comprehensive bill.

New Jersey

With support from AARP, the state is taking steps to overhaul its long-term care system. In September Governor Murphy signed a bi-partisan legislative package of six bills dealing with the long-term care industry. It included wage enhancements for frontline staff, improved response coordination, data reporting procedures and staffing ratios. The New Jersey Task Force on Long-Term Care Quality and Safety was also created. It is made up of 27 government and public members and will recommend improvements in several areas, including staffing levels and capital investments.

Legislators to Contact: Your State Senator and State Assembly Representative for further improvements as recommended by the Task Force and/or AARP.

Voting

Nationally

At least 250 new laws have been proposed in 43 states to limit mail, early in-person and Election Day voting. It is crucial that you become informed, aware and involved in state and local voting legislation.

Federal

The U.S. Senate is getting ready to debate the S1 bill – the furthest-reaching attempt at federal election reform. The HR1 bill, also known as the For the People Act, was passed for the second time in two years this past February. This bill includes reforms such as national automatic voter registration, online registration, 15 consecutive days of early voting, voting sites opened for at least 10 hours, removal of restrictions for vote by mail, the prohibition of voter roll purging and more. It also includes Campaign Finance reform including the public financing of campaigns, and a constitutional amendment to end Citizens United. This ruling allowed unlimited election spending by corporations and labor unions and fueled the rise of Super PACs.

Legislators to contact: Your U.S. Senators Let them know you want their support of the For the People Act and why it is important to you.

Nationally

The redistricting of state legislative and Congressional districts occurs every ten years following a census. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Census Bureau has said it won’t release detailed population data needed to draw maps until late September — a delay of several months. As a result, legislatures will probably be called into special sessions to draw maps toward the end of the year, and the window for legal challenges will be exceedingly narrow.

Whoever controls the map-drawing wields enormous and long-lasting power over the U.S. political system.The GOP has complete control of the redistricting process in 18 states — including the growing states of Texas and Florida — giving it the power to redraw boundaries for 181 U.S. House seats, according to a report from the Brennan Center for Justice, which advocates for a redistricting overhaul.

Legislators to Contact: Your Governor, State Senator and State Assembly Representative regarding your state’s redistricting plan.

New Jersey

Governor Murphy signed bills into law safeguarding voting rights. One law requires county boards of election to establish ballot drop boxes in each county at least 45 days before election and also revises procedures concerning mail-in ballots for 2020 general election. Another, The Ballot Cure Act, requiring election officials to notify voters within 72 hours of receiving their ballot – or within 48 hours of Election Day – to provide an explanation for the potential rejection and an opportunity to repair the defect. Another extends deadlines and use of voting by mail.

Legislators to Contact: Governor Murphy, your State Senator and State Assembly Representative. Express your support for the new laws.

Redistricting in New Jersey is unlikely in 2021. The state Constitution requires that legislative districts be reconfigured every decade to reflect the population based on census data. A New Jersey constitutional amendment approved by voters in November dictates that if the state does not receive U.S. Census data by Feb. 15, it will delay redistricting. It is unlikely that the New Jersey Apportionment Commission will be creating boundary lines to be used in this year’s state elections.

This does not sit well with Jesse Burns, executive director of the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, which opposed the constitutional amendment. Burns and other good-government advocates note that New Jerseyans have moved around the state over the last decade, and that the state’s Latino and Asian populations have grown by 20%. They suggest the old maps, last redrawn in 2011, need an update sooner rather than later.
“What we have for [the next] two years now is a map that does not reflect ‘one person, one vote,’ where folks are getting their rightful representation in the legislature,”.

The New Jersey Constitution gives each head of the state’s two major political parties the authority to appoint five members to the N.J. Apportionment Commission. The members chosen this year are mostly male, mostly white political insiders. This is despite the fact that New Jersey’s population has diversified: Non-Hispanic whites made up about 55% of residents in 2019, down from more than 59% in 2010, while the proportion of Asians increased from 8% to 10% and Hispanics from roughly 18% to about 21%.

Legislators to Contact: Your Governor, State Senator and State Assembly Representative in supporting the Fair Districts Coalition’s goals in Redistricting Reform. Demand that the N.J. Apportionment Commission represents New Jersey’s diverse population.

New York

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York Democrats once welcomed the creation of a nonpartisan redistricting commission that would redraw congressional maps free of political influence and avoid contorted gerrymandering.But now that the commission is stepping up its work, New York Democrats seem to be having second thoughts. Some Democrats want to make it easier to overrule the commission.

One of the first acts of the Democratic legislature this year was to place on this November’s ballot a measure that would make it easier to override the nonpartisan maps, requiring only simple majority vote.

Advocates of the nonpartisan commission have been alarmed for months as the Cuomo administration failed to release the $1 million the commission was owed. Then, more recently, Democratic and Republican commissioners agreed that the language providing the $1 million was so unacceptable they would refuse to take it.

Legislators to Contact: My Governor, State Senator and State Assembly Representative in support of a properly funded independent nonpartisan redistricting commission.

The American Rescue Plan

Federal

This law is much more than a $1400 stimulus check and expanded unemployment insurance. Billions are going to coronavirus testing, vaccinations and the public health workforce. State and local governments, territories and tribes will get extensive support for budget shortfalls, transportation and infrastructure. Included is financing to open schools safely, and child care block grants to prevent hunger and homelessness. Assistance for food, rent, and mortgages is included in addition to business relief and retirement security. Lastly it reduces health care premiums for low and middle income families, and provides COBRA subsidies. Become informed as to how your state and locality will be supported.

It has provided a way to reduce child poverty by half. The centerpiece of the child poverty plan is an expansion of the child tax credit, up to $3,600 a year for young children. This is transformative for many low-income families. One reason to think that this would be so successful is that many other countries have used similar strategies to cut child poverty by large margins. Canada’s parallel approach cut child poverty by 20 to 30 percent, depending on who’s counting, and Britain under Tony Blair cut child poverty in half.

Legislators to contact: Your U.S. Senators and U.S. House Representative. Let them know why you support this law and thank them for their vote. Hold them accountable if they did not support the Plan.

Next Post:

The NYC races for Mayor, Comptroller, Public Advocate, District Attorney, City Council and Borough President . The New Jersey races for Governor, State Senator and State Assembly

Ongoing and/or new legislation

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