Everything you need to know to be an informed voter.

Early Voting Information | NY ERA Proposition 1 | In Praise of Early Voting | The Art of Tabling | Voter Services September 2024 Report | 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

2024 Early Voting Information

NY ERA: Proposition 1

Did you know that the NY State Constitution has an Equal Rights clause? Enacted in 1938, it prohibits discrimination by the state and local governments but only if it involves a person’s “race, color, creed, or religion.”

Proposition 1, the NY Equal Rights Amendment, on the ballot this fall, will expand the Equal Rights clause to prohibit discrimination by the government against New Yorkers based on their disability, age, ethnicity, national origin and sex – including women and members of the LGBTQ+ community. If passed, all New Yorkers will enjoy the same protections as those who face discrimination based on “race, color, creed, or religion.”

Under Proposition 1, public schools and government agencies will need to ensure that their offices can accommodate their clients – and their workers – including those who are elderly or who have a disability. The state could not ban birth control or abortion. Government employees could not be fired because of their ethnicity, national origin or for being part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Proposition 1 does not eliminate anyone’s rights. It changes no laws. The “conscience clause” exception for healthcare workers stays intact. Parents retain control over their minor children. Private institutions keep their autonomy. Religious institutions, their clergy and their members continue to have the same anti-discrimination protections they’ve enjoyed for the past 86 years.

The state Constitution’s Equal Rights clause is good. Proposition 1 will make it better. All New Yorkers deserve these protections.

Joan Fucillo

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In Praise of Early Voting

Early voting is the best-kept secret in America. Even though it’s available in 46 states and has been around for years, amazingly few people understand how early voting works, or even know it exists.

Early voting can provide a huge boost to voter turn-out, especially in urban low-income areas. It opens doors to so many people who wouldn’t otherwise vote: the busy, the frazzled, the harassed and overworked and overtired. Who’s got time to vote on Election Day, on a cold and rainy Tuesday in November? If you have kids in day care, if you have a late shift, or two jobs, or no car, voting is a major pain in the neck. On a weekday, by the time you get home from work and make dinner, it’s past 7 o’clock, and the polls close at nine.

Early voting is mostly used by people who are informed, motivated voters who take the time to figure out when and where they need to go to vote early. But our challenge is to get new voters to vote. We want to prod the folks who are unexcited about voting and don’t have time to fuss over the details.

Early voting could make it much more likely that they’ll vote—but only if it’s easy to do so. And being a first-time early voter means they have to take an extra step to figure out how it works. They need to figure out when and where early voting is available.

Our job is to make it easy to take that extra step. But how best to do that?

An organization known as Callhub is a nonpartisan digital platform for getting out the vote used by many campaigns, and they’ve done fifteen years of research on improving voter turnout. According to them, five “touches” as they call it, is the optimal number of times people need to be reminded to vote. A “touch” can be any reminder—a phone call, a postcard, a sign, a text, a social media post, a knock on the door.

Their research suggests that a generic message like Voting is important is much less effective than a message that provides specific information: Early voting starts on Oct. 26 and is available at the Schenectady Public Library on Clinton St.

Some years, elections fly under the radar and people might forget when Election Day is. But this year, people can’t avoid the election hype, with television ads and social media posts galore. They don’t need a reminder that Election Day is rolling around as much they need clear information as to how and when and where to vote.

So that’s our challenge in this busy election year: to think about how we can reach out and touch new voters and nudge them a little closer to the polls--early.

Anita Sanchez

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Registering Voters: The Art of Tabling

One of the League’s most effective ways to get out the vote is to table. It’s funny to think of “table” as a verb, as in “I tabled at the Greenmarket the other day.”

Tabling is an art. It’s a science. It’s a highly effective form of action.

What is tabling, exactly? It’s sitting behind a table on a folding chair—or, better, standing in front of the table—and engaging with passersby. I’ve found by far the most effective way to do this is to put it in the form of a question: Do you plan to vote in November? or are you concerned about the rights of women? or the sixty-four-thousand dollar question: “Are you registered to vote?

Interestingly, I’ve found that the younger the person is, the less likely they are to be registered, or even planning to vote. Sometimes I want to give these young folks a good stern lecture—don’t they know about the suffragettes, for heaven’s sake?

But it’s better, of course, to have a conversation. Ask what their concerns are. Why don’t they think voting matters? Do they care about LGBTQ issues? Or are they concerned about local issues like the lack of public transportation, or school funding?

This is how we get out the vote, one conversation at a time. We gather around a table.

Once you’ve gotten your prey to slow their stride past your table, you’ve got them. For about eight precious seconds. Use them to make a few succinct points (“This election is vitally important…”) If they’re willing to fill out a voter registration form, help them navigate the densely-printed, hard-to-read form.

-- Make sure they put their county (not the state) in the address section

-- Make sure they choose a political party, or check “no party”

-- Make sure they sign and date it

And before they make their escape, be sure to stick a piece of paper in their hand. A LWV membership form, an extra voter registration form, or info on early voting dates and times.

I joined the League of Women Voters especially because we can table at all sorts of places, like schools, that would not allow a partisan organization. The League has a presence at a wide range of venues—colleges, farmer’s markets, the Kids’ Art Festival, Juneteenth celebrations, in front of grocery stores and YMCAs and food pantries.

If you haven’t participated already, consider signing up for a shift. You’ll have a partner to work with, and shifts are usually two hours. There are many tabling opportunities coming up, especially in September, which is Voter Registration Month.

It’s never been more important to get out the vote. Join us around the table.

Anita Sanchez

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Voter Services September Report

 Our committee is busy.

From June 1 through August 17, we held Voter Registration drives at five separate community events, handing out 17 voter registration forms, two absentee applications, and 10 VR forms that were completed at the tabling site. As of this writing, we have a dozen-plus VR dates scheduled – and that is just through October 1. Please periodically check the Voter Registration sign-up sheet (LWV voter registration), and when you do sign up, please add your phone number along with your email address. This way, if there are any time snags or last-minute emergencies, you can contact your shift partners, or they can contact you.

Our Get Out the Vote drive is focused on early voting. We are working with Rensselaer and Saratoga counties on contracting for early voting ads on buses that run from our three counties throughout the capital region. Albany County has its own advertising contract, but we will work together so that our ads have a measure of uniformity.

We also are trying to nail down as much free media as possible, including messaging on town, village and fire station electronic signs, and posting early voting flyers and handouts in libraries and in local businesses that have community bulletin boards.

All presidential elections show an uptick in voter interest – even more so if the race is hotly contested. The onslaught of advertising and news coverage keeps that election top of mind, but the single-minded focus on the top of the ticket does a grave disservice to down-ballot races, particularly those at the local level – like contests for state legislature, town justice and town supervisor, county executive, county legislature and county judge. These offices have a direct effect on the quality of our lives and those of our neighbors.

Our voter-education efforts must include building awareness of the importance of voting in local contests. This year’s races in Schenectady County include two state senate and three assembly seats (two-year terms), one town council position in Duanesburg and two village trustee positions in Scotia (four-year terms), and two judgeships – for family court and county court (10-year terms).

The winners of these seats will have the power to allocate state and local funds and to help determine the fates of those who are facing, or seeking, justice. Our VR tables will now include a list of open offices and the names of the candidates vying for those offices.

Joan Fucillo, Voter Services Committee

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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 Mental Health Disabilities 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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