Everything you need to know to be an informed voter.

 May Voter Services Report | April Voter Services Report | March Voter services Report | New Get Out The Vote Tool | Jan/Feb Voter Services Report | 2025 Candidate Forums Recordings |  The SAVE Act | Running for Political Office |  Voter Publications | How We Elect Our Representatives | Candidate Forum Policy | Links to Local Boards | City Council and Town Board Meetings | Schenectady County Legislature Meetings | State-Wide Politics and Financial Disclosures

May Voter Services Report

More variations on a theme: The most important aspect of Voter Services is engaging with voters and enticing potential voters. It’s not the number of people you register at a tabling event; it’s how many people you talk to. Our presence reminds people of the importance of voting, and our engagement shows them that we are a trusted source for voters.

On April 25, we were at the first annual Earth Fest in Schenectady’s Central Park. We registered one voter, but talked with dozens more, about the school board elections (May 19) and the primaries (June 23), discussed how candidate forums work, the new Post Office rules regarding mail processing and how to ensure your mail-in ballot gets there on time.

For some of us, tabling is hard because it’s uncomfortable to talk to strangers, let alone trying to get them to do something. A few tips:

1.         Be happy. People like to engage with people who like them. Cheerfully ask if they’re registered to vote and whether they know about upcoming elections or proposed legislation that might affect their rights? Offer them candy, a Constitution, a flag, stickers.

2.         Listen. One person was on the fence about voting, but he told us about one (potential) candidate that he really likes. We pointed out that if he registers, he doesn’t have to vote, but if his preferred candidate gets on the ballot, he’ll be ready to vote.

3.         Engage with children. Ask their parents if they can have a flag. If a child sees the candy dish, ask for parents’ permission to let them choose one. This can start a conversation.

4.         Have fun! If you are enjoying yourself, others will enjoy themselves too. And they will leave with a good feeling about our League.

Upcoming Opportunities:

•          Sunday, May 31, Schenectady Greenmarket: 9:30 AM - 1:12 PM or 12 PM - 2:15 PM: 2 volunteers needed.

•          Saturday, June 6, Kids Arts Fest on Jay Street, 12 PM - 2 PM or 2 PM - 4 PM: 2 volunteers needed.

If you haven't registered voters -- no worries. You'll be partnered with an experienced League member.

Here's the signup link: LWV voter registration

Any questions? E-mail me at  lwvschenectady [at] gmail.com ()

Joan Fucillo

Voter Services

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Voter Services Report

On Saturday, March 21, the League of Women Voters of New York held a regional training in Saratoga. One of the main themes was shifting our focus from just talking about voter registration to a greater emphasis on voting information and getting out the vote. Is it too early? No. So many people pass our voter registration tables saying, “I’m registered.” If we leave it at that, we’re passing up a chance to engage with voters. The list of topics we can discuss with voters is long. Here are a few to get started: “SAVE” America Act; changes to mail-in voting procedures; the complexity of this year’s mid-term elections—governor, state legislature, congressional representatives, AND town and village elections, which have moved to even years.

On the last Sunday of April, we will be at First United Methodist Church on State Street to help with their free breakfast program, and to register voters. Homeless people can vote, and being able to offer voter registration in such a welcoming space makes people feel easier about reclaiming their rights. Our visit in January was a rewarding experience for all the League members who were there. Street Soldiers volunteers have space at the church for donations. Right now, people need cool weather clothing (jackets, windbreakers, sweaters, and sweatshirts) and socks.

Upcoming Opportunities:

• · Thursday, April 16, Schenectady High School cafeteria: 11:30 AM-1:15 PM: 1 volunteer needed.
• · Monday, April 20, Mohonasen High School, at cafeteria 1 and cafeteria 2, 10:30 AM-1 PM: 2 volunteers needed.
• · Sunday, April 26, First United Methodist Church on State Street, 8-9:30am: 2 volunteers to help register voters and 3 or more to help serve breakfast. Breakfast volunteers need to wear a cap and/or hair ties.

If you haven't registered voters -- no worries. You'll be partnered with an experienced League member.

Here's the signup link: LWV voter registration.

Any questions? Email me at lwvschenectady [at] gmail.com

Joan Fucillo, Voter Services

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March Voter Services Report

I am writing this Voter Services update a few short hours before the State of the Union address, an event marking a year that ended head-spinningly quickly and drearily slowly.

We do our jobs—inform and register voters, urge people to get involved, cheerlead for the US Constitution. But our efforts may feel small compared to the pressures on our democracy. And it’s gray outside, and it’s still cold. It’s hard to feel enthusiastic.

The only way out of the doldrums is to spread the League tablecloth, put out our literature, and talk to people. Every time we do this, we have an opportunity to meet new people, to make new connections. It doesn’t take much of a sales pitch (we are, after all, in sales) to get people to stop and chat, some just wanted to thank us. (Jolly Ranchers, mints, and flags help.) Being at the Schenectady

Greenmarket this weekend gave some people hope, it gave me hope. Sometimes, you just got to get out there!

Upcoming Opportunities:

            Sat., March 7—Women’s March. We’re tabling in front of Schenectady City Hall, 9:30-  11am. Then we join the march

            Mon., March 23—Fulton-Montgomery Community College, Books & Bites Café, 11am-2pm

            Tues., March 31—Fulton-Montgomery Community College, Books & Bites Café, 11am-2pm

            Here’s the link: LWV 2025 Voter Registration Drive Sign Up

Joan Fucillo Voter Services

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New Tool to Get Out the Vote

The State League has joined with NYCET(The New York Engagement Table). With this partnership we have access to VAN (Voter Activation Network) providing us with information from voting rolls.

This new tool will allow us to engage with voters to educate and strengthen our GOTV (get out the vote) efforts. It is an online database from public voting rolls. Along with our access to VAN, we have a specialist, Monica, who is working with the state league to help counties across the state to use the database. With this information we could figure out areas in our county that have lower than average voter turnout and focus activities and efforts to increase participation. So for example, we could create a nonpartisan list of voters, (party is not included in the information that we have access to) in a lower turnout district and send postcards or texts to remind them to vote or reminders about early voting, for example.

We do pay a fee for texts sent, as well as postage for postcards. I have taken the training and would love to work with other members of our league that might be interested in this project. We can make this as complicated or simple as we like, I am aiming for simple, but would love to bounce ideas off of other interested members. If you are interested, please reach out to me, Ellen Daviero at lwvschenectady [at] gmail.com 

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Jan/Feb Voter Services Report

If you haven’t heard, the National League has awarded us a grant to register youth voters, focusing on Title 1 schools and community colleges. 

The National League’s zoom training for the grant was excellent. It included tips on data tracking and ways to follow up with students to remind them to vote. LWVUS also shared Tufts University’s informative research on youth voting and polling, from its Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).

The message was that registering a voter is step one. Getting them to vote requires continual and consistent effort: Engage students; get volunteers to help register voters; make sure everyone involved knows that registration is not the goal – it’s just the start.

The highlight of the meeting was listening to grantees from all over the country sharing their experiences – both successful and not so successful. Some school districts deny access to the League; in others, school superintendents strongly support League efforts.

Some can ask the schools to include voting messages and upcoming voting dates in the morning announcements. Others invite students to register at a rally-the-vote event at the local library and to come back for a GOTV drive. Some sweeten the deal with giveaways and drawings for gift cards.

This is the second year we’ve received this grant. In 2025, we had a wonderful experience working and meeting with high school and college students, registering 158 new voters.

In 2026, we are expanding our efforts to GED classes and hope to meet, register, and follow up with many more young people over the next five months.

Here are a couple of links to pique your interest in this project: Tufts University CIRCLE: https://circle.tufts.edu/2024-election

Project of LWV of Fremont-Newark-Union City: https://youthvotermovement.org/

Valentine’s Day is the LAST day you can change your party enrollment. If you want to vote in the June primaries, but you are not registered with a party, or want to change your party, February 14, 2026, is the last day to do so.

Coming up: Voter registration at Fulton-Mongomery Community College, March 25, and April 2.

Please check the Voter Registration sign-up sheet for these and future VR opportunities:   Voter Registration Drive Sign Up                              

Joan Fucillo, Voter Services

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2025 Candidate Forums Recordings

The LWV of Schenectady County is holding candidate forums for the following muniipalities:

Town of Rotterdam, September 25, view the recording

Town of Glenville, Sept 29, view the recording

Schenectady, October 9, view the recording

Town of Niskayuna, October 16, view the recording

All forums are recorded and will be posted as they become available.

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The SAVE Act Makes it Much Harder to Register to Vote

The SAVE Act (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) is up before Congress. The act is based on the idea that noncitizens are voting in droves. They are not; it is illegal; and there is almost no evidence to support this.

The SAVE Act requires proof of citizenship to register, but few IDs qualify

• A valid passport qualifies because it is a government photo ID with proof of citizenship
• No passport? Need government photo ID + birth certificate
• Birth certificate doesn’t match photo ID (changed name upon marriage)? Need government photo ID + birth certificate + name change document
• Only some Real IDs and military IDs qualify; tribal IDs do not

Under the SAVE Act,

• Voters must register in person at a government office
• Voters must re-register in person if they’ve moved
• Voters must re-register in person if they want to change their name
• Voters must re-register in person if they want to change political parties
• Many people in rural areas would have to travel long distances to register to vote
• People who rely on public transportation may find that the closest government office is a mile or more away from the nearest bus stop.
• Private individuals are allowed to challenge election workers, who could face lawsuits or criminal charges
• Upon passage, the SAVE Act would take effect immediately

Say “NO” to the SAVE Act

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Have you ever wondered how to run for political office?  

VOTER INFORMATION PUBLICATIONS:

FIRST VOTE:

English    Spanish

 YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE IN NEW YOUR STATE:

College Students Brochure  

Individuals with Disabilities Brochure

Homeless Individuals Brochure

Individuals with Criminal Convictions and Those Detained in Jail or Prison Brochure

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How We Elect Our Representatives

Do you know how we elect our Representatives?  Why not test your skills.

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