This week- Cheekgowaga VRA, Early Voting Underway, Suffolk Village Mayor Off the Ballot, Reinvent Albany Suggests Election Law Changes, Citizens Union on Even Year Voting, Reinvent Albany Suggests Election Law Changes, VRA Preclearance Action, Around the Nation: Will Texas Redraw for Partisan Gain, Events
LITIGATION
Erie County: Young v. Cheektowaga (N.Y. Voting Rights Act)
On June 11th, the Town of Cheektowaga filed a reply memorandum (“memo”) in further support of their motion to strike certain documents from the court’s consideration. The memo argues that the Young plaintiff’s “improper submissions” do not correct the record because the Town’s original opposition/cross-motion papers are not the operative pleadings (i.e., current and legally binding positions of the party) and the Town did not conceal the state of the 2024 Ward Efforts.
Additionally, the Town argues that its amended affirmation and counterstatement of material facts do not justify the improper submissions because it is irrelevant to Young’s opposition to the Town’s cross-motion for summary judgment. As a result, the Town requests for the submissions to be stricken as prejudicial to the Town.
On June 11th, the Town also filed an affirmation from Daniel A. Spitzer (counsel for the Town) in support of their motion to strike, which details the timeline of events and additional reasoning as to why Young’s submissions are improper and prejudicial.
ELECTIONS
Early Voting is Now Underway
On Tuesday, June 24 2024, New Yorkers will return to the polls to vote in the city’s primary elections. There will be citywide elections for Mayor, Public Advocate and Comptroller this year, as well as borough presidents and all City Council districts.
New York is a closed primary state, so voters must register with a political party participating in the primary to vote. The deadline to register to vote, update your address or request an absentee ballot online or by mail was Saturday, June 14th.
Early voting runs from Saturday, June 14th to Sunday, June 22rd. To find your early voting and Election Day polling location, click here.
The general election is set for November 4th.
For more information, visit the Board of Elections site here. Voters can view sample ballots here.
Suffolk Village Mayoral Candidate Won’t Be on Ballot
Centre Island mayoral candidate Andrew Woodstock won’t be on the ballot in tomorrow’s election. Supreme Court Justice Randy Sue Marber denied his motion to appear on the ballot because he failed to file a challenge against the village’s rejection of his candidacy in a timely manner. He was three days too late in filing his arguments on why he should appear on the ballot. The village rejected his candidacy over eligibility reasons. Centre Island’s population is about 400 people.
Citizens Union Reports NYC Candidates Support Even Year Elections
Citizens Union announced last week that a majority of candidates running in the 2025 local city elections indicated support moving New York City’s municipal elections to even-numbered years. In addition, a City Charter Revision Commission is considering whether to ask voters if they support this move through a question that could be added to the November election ballot.
According to Citizens Union, “87% of City Council candidates expressed support for the reform, including candidates and incumbents running in 26 Council Districts across the five boroughs. This figure combines Council candidates who responded to Citizens Union candidate questionnaires (36 out of 43) with sitting Council Members who have co-sponsored a resolution supporting even-year municipal elections.
“Additionally, 7 out of 8 Mayoral candidates interviewed by the organization say they support the calendar change, as did all of the Comptroller, Public Advocate, and Manhattan Borough President candidates surveyed by Citizens Union. This strong showing of support from candidates across the political spectrum demonstrates that aligning city elections with higher-turnout federal and statewide contests is not a controversial idea—it’s a practical, popular, and urgently needed reform.”
You can read the complete report here: https://bit.ly/4kEBGRj
Reinvent Albany Proposes Election Law Changes
In testimony before the New York City Chater Revision Committee, Reinvent Albany made several suggestions to improve voter turnout and improve unaffiliated voter rates:
- Even-Year Elections, which would vastly increase voter turnout in local elections.
- Semi-Open Primary in which unaffiliated voters can vote in the party primary of their choice. Involves the fewest and simplest changes for voters and the political system to absorb and is the least politically difficult, while offering substantial benefits.
- Top Four RCV General Election for citywide offices based on RCV open primary. Others are describing benefits of this approach, which is used in Alaska.
- Top Two General Election based on RCV open primary. We believe this is clearly superior to the status quo, but not as good as Top Four because it will be as politically difficult to pass, without all of the benefits. We are concerned that winnowing to two intensifies the power of Independent Expenditures funded by special interests.
To learn more about Reinvent Albany’e suggestions, see: https://bit.ly/45HZzDd
VOTING RIGHTS ACT PRECLEARANCE
N.Y. Attorney General’s Office Preclearance Updates
421 Monroe Co. Boardof Elections- poll site locatiohns- -preliminarily granted
526 Orange Co. Board of Elections- poll site locations-preliminarily granted
561 Nassau Co Board of Elections-early voting hours-granted
461 NYC Board of Elections- poll site locations- preliminarily granted
523 Onondaga Co. Board of Elections- poll site locations- preliminarily granted
651 Erie Co. Board of Elections- poll site locations- preliminarily granted
Numbers refer to submisson numbers
All submissions can be viewed at: https://nyvra-portal.ag.ny.gov/
AROUND THE NATION
Texas Re-redistricting Deja Vu? Republicans in Texas are debating whether to push a new congressional map through the state legislature to help strengthen the GOP’s hold on the U.S. House majority. A special session of the legislature is apparently being urged by President Donald Trump’s political operatives. A new map would involve moving GOP voters from safe red districts into blue ones, making such moves risky in a Democratic election year. While redistricting is usually restricted to a once-a decade process or where courts require a redrawing to correct legal infirmities, the U.S. Supreme Court has not prohibited states to redraw maps in mid-decade unless state law prohibits it. Texas re-redistricted for partisan gain- and no other reason- in the mid 2000s decade. Any action to enact a new map is likely to face prolonged litigation, making changes of having a new plan in place in 2026 questionable.
UPCOMING EVENTS
NYC Charter Revision Commission
The NYC Charter Revision Commission is considering including a proposal on the city ballot to open its closed primary system to independent voters who currently cannot vote in party primary elections. Public hearing are being held for comment:
- Staten Island, Mon 6/23: Main Hall in Building B at Snug Harbor Cultural Center, 1000 Richmond Terrace 10301
- Manhattan, Mon 7/7: Langston Hughes Auditorium at Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Boulevard 10037
Comments can also be sent to: https://www.nycopenprimary.com/take-action-crc
Even Year Voting
Monday, June 16 from 3:30 to 4:30 PM – Let New York Vote and the New York BIPOC Democracy Table will host a virtual briefing on the status of this campaign and latest developments.
RSVP here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/srzrdp9QRGKatwQ2X9kWJQ#/registration
INSTITUTE RESOURCES
The New York Elections, Census and Redistricting Institute has archived many resources for the public to view on our Digital Commons Page.
Our Redistricting Resources page contains resources on the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act. You can access the page
here: https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/redistricting_resources/
Archived Updates can be accessed
here: https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/redistricting_roundtable_updates/
Please share this weekly update with your colleagues. To be added to the mailing list, please contact Jeffrey.wice@nyls.edu
The N.Y. Elections, Census & Redistricting Institute is supported by grants from the New York Community Trust, New York Census Equity Fund and the New York City Council. This report was prepared by Jeff Wice and Alexis Marking.