TIMES BEACON RECORD NEWSPAPERS
Making Democracy Work: Preparing to Cast Your Ballot in 2026
by Lisa Scott April 8, 2026
We at the League of Women Voters often hear from fellow Suffolk County residents; by phone, via email and in person. With the never-ending media cycle reporting news, but also spreading misinformation and partial information, it’s difficult for responsible voters to sort through it all and prepare to vote. The issues range: What branch and level of government has election authority? Who maintains and updates voter files/data bases? Who controls the voter registration process and verification? Who determines how voting occurs (such as types of voting machines, early voting, absentee voting, mail-in voting)? Who protects voters at the polling places? Who counts the ballots? What are the rules for poll-watchers? We will devote this column, and subsequent ones, to explaining and clarifying these issues and concerns, and help navigate the deluge of confusing, misleading and incomplete information that we’re all experiencing daily.
Please remember that the President has no explicit constitutional authority over elections, and if a president signs executive orders to exert such authority, as has happened this year, lawsuits are immediately filed. These argue that the Constitution grants no explicit authority to the executive branch regarding elections. It does dictate that Congress may pass laws overseeing elections, but grants the states broad authority to conduct elections, including the “time, place and manner.
Voting by mail, in particular, has become a flashpoint from the executive branch. Voting by mail was used by about one in three American voters in the 2024 election. Many of us can recall family members who were frustrated by work or family issues which made them unable to go to the polls on Elections Day, and thus were deprived of casting a ballot. Now (in New York State) we have 9 days of early voting in person, as well as the ability to request an early mail or absentee ballot if needed. Those additional means of making your voice heard via your vote are part of what makes us feel vested in the democratic promise and process in the United States. Any restrictions or roll-backs on these expansions of citizen voting would deprive those with disabilities, illnesses, family responsibilities, work demands, or other burdens from exercising their Constitutional right to vote.
The League of Women Voters is receiving even more questions relating to proof of citizenship in registering and casting your vote. As we write this column, the SAVE Act has been introduced in Congress, and would require voters to present documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC) - chiefly a passport or original birth certificate - in person when registering and/or voting in a federal election, and anytime they update their voter registration. The League strongly opposes the SAVE Act, since it is already illegal for noncitizens to register and vote in federal or state elections. Ten years ago Kansas passed a law requiring a passport, birth certificate of other proof of citizenship to register, but it was struck down after a court found around 31,000 eligible voters had been blocked from voting. Eight in ten married women have changed their surnames, thus don’t possess a birth certificate that matches their current legal name and therefore could not present it as valid proof of citizenship (an estimated 69 million American women would be affected). Rural voters, working-class voters, voters of color and older Americans are less likely to hold a passport or readily accessible birth certificate. Families who have been impacted by natural disasters may have lost original documentation. To express your concerns with the SAVE Act, contact your member of Congress (In CD1, Nick LaLota 631 289-1097 lalota.house.gov)
Educate yourself by expanding your sources of information, in particular, regularly visit the New York State Board of Elections website - elections.ny.gov - as well as the Suffolk County Board of Elections site - suffolkvotes.com. The boards of election are bipartisan; they have equal representation from Democratic and Republican party members, and work together to ensure fair elections.
New York State’s Primary Election day is June 23, 2026, with Early Voting from June 13 through June 21. You must have been registered in a party on or before February 14, 2026 in order to vote in that party’s primary elections in your district. It’s always a good idea to check your voter registration status on the NYS Board of Election website at https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/ well in advance of election day to check on your election district and polling place. Closer to the election, visit VOTE411.org for nonpartisan customized voter and candidate information.
Lisa Scott is president of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Visit https://my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-county or call 631-862-6860.
View the above article on the TimesBeaconRecord Media website here.
Making Democracy Work: Are We Making Any Progress Protecting Our Water?
by Nancy Marr March 26, 2026
In 2017 the Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan (LINAP) warned us that “the levels of nitrogen on Long Island from sewer and septic systems and cesspools and stormwater runoff, are harming both our surface and ground waters,” referring particularly to the nitrogen that is not removed from the more than 360,000 existing cesspools and conventional septic systems before it is released on the ground or waters. As part of a broad, multi-pronged effort to combat nitrogen pollution, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services made changes to the Suffolk County Sanitary Code that close a loophole that has existed for decades. Former Health Commissioner Dr. James Tomarken said, “the use of cesspools in new construction has been outlawed in Suffolk County since 1973 but because the regulations did not address replacement systems, owners of cesspools had been able to replace a failed cesspool with another cesspool rather than adding aseptic tank to comply with the new requirements, which require, at a minimum, a septic tank preceding a leaching structure. Homeowners may now also voluntarily install innovative, onsite wastewater-treatment systems, I/A OWTS, which are designed to reduce nitrogen pollution, as an alternative.
LINAP identified the need for a management district to provide the administrative and legal structure necessary to protect our waters. In 2024, the New York State Legislature authorized Suffolk County to create a water quality restoration fund and a county management district (CWMD). The science-based Suffolk County Subwatersheds Wastewater Plan (SWP), written by the Suffolk County Health Department with the support of a variety of stakeholders and environmental advocates and the CWMD, developed an implementation strategy and timeline for the project. It created an administrative structure for the county’s long-term water quality plan, including the conversion of all cesspools and septic systems to nitrogen-reducing A/I OWTS systems and the merger of all the sewers in the county to one centralized system. In order to be sure that the goals of clean water are met and homeowners can afford to install and maintain the new I/A OWTS systems, the county plans a program to offer financial assistance to homeowners to install and maintain I/A OWTS systems.
Suffolk County Legislators proposed creating the Water Quality Restoration Fund, which could provide grants from the NYS Septic Improvement Program (SIP) and suggested a .0125% increase of the county sales tax. However after much discussion the hearing was closed along partisan lines by legislators who wanted a greater balance between funds for sewers and cesspool replacement, despite the obvious greater need for funds for cesspool replacement. Fortunately, In 2024 the funding referendum was approved with 72% of the vote, and the extra tax was collected starting March 1, 2025.
In order to be sure that homeowners can afford to install and maintain the new I/A OWTS systems, the county plans a program to provide county financing or a New York State loan. During the two-month comment period held by the county when it presented the Wastewater Plan (SWP), many county residents raised concerns and questions. One related to the effect of agriculture, and the over-use of nitrogen fertilizer on lawns and farms. Public education is recommended to inform residents and their landscapers that they should add organic materials to support overall soil health, and not nitrogen-based fertilizer. Carbon-based materials such as organic fertilizers, compost, grass clippings or cover crops provide a range of benefits to both plants and soil and provide carbon to feed soil microorganisms, increase soil organic matter, and improve overall soil health. Adding organic materials to soil also improves water holding capacity in sandy soils and increases drainage and aeration in clay soils. Using organic materials as mulch can suppress weed growth, reduce temperature and moisture fluctuations, prevent transmission of soil-borne plant pathogens, and minimize soil erosion, and incorporating organic materials can actually reduce the need for supplemental fertilizers based on nitrogen.
Since 1973 replacement of existing cesspools or septic systems must meet the new standards and install a septic tank preceding a leaching structure or a new onsite wastewater treatment system which is designed to reduce nitrogen pollution. To find out more, visit www.reclaimourwater.info or call 631-852-5811.
In addition the increase of funding for sewers, which was supported by developers, labor unions, and many of the legislators, would make it possible to build more housing, but would also encourage building projects on land that could be preserved. The SWP cautions that all sewer projects require project-specific feasibility studies and environmental State Environmental Quality Reviews (SEQR) to be sure that they are well situated and planned.
Nancy Marr is Vice-President of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Visit https://my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-county or call 631-862-6860.
View the above article on the TimesBeaconRecord Media website here.
Making Democracy Work: Understanding Immigrant Rights And How To Access Help
by Nancy Marr February 26, 2026
Although the goal of the Federal Government’s ICE program is to find and deport residents who are here illegally and have committed crimes, many people in our local communities are seeing ICE agents take people who did enter legally or have gained legal status through marriage or other means. There is no certainty that they are all guilty of crimes. Many of us have neighbors who fear they will be picked up and detained, especially if they look as though they are Latino or Asian. Fortunately, there are many organizations that exist in Suffolk County that have programs to advise immigrants of their rights and ways to deal with ICE officers safely. A local agency, Sepa Mujer, that serves the Hispanic community with information about health care, jobs, and advocacy, especially for women, has created an Introduction to Safety Planning.
The Brookhaven League of Voters met with Andrea Antonellis, a paralegal advocate from Sepa Mujer, to learn about the training that they share with persons who fear detention by ICE. She reminds them that they should always carry their documentation with them – including their alien number, which they would get when they enter the country, their passport if they have one, as well as their medical records and proof of residence.
The advocate advises them that they may be arrested for various reasons, but if they are, they should not resist, but say that they want to speak to a lawyer. ICE agents might come to their home - it might be for somebody who lived there before but the best thing to do, if they feel safe, is to be cooperative. If they do not feel safe, they should not open their door and if they can find other ways of communicating, do so, or give the immigration officer one of the red cards to read.
The red cards, in English and Spanish, are available from many organizations to help people facing questions from an immigration agent. They state clearly, in English and Spanish, that the holder has chosen to exercise their constitutional rights, that, under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the holder has the right to refuse to speak with the agent or answer his questions, or sign or hand him any documents. It states that the holder does not give the agent permission to enter their home, based on the Fourth Amendment, unless the agent has a warrant to enter, signed by a judge or magistrate with their name on it, and the holder does not give the agent permission to search any of their belongings.
If the officers force their way into their home, they should gather their family in a safe place in one room, put their phone on, and call their lawyer right away. Also, they should not sign anything they don’t understand or is not in a language they understand.
Andrea added – it is wise to make a safety plan. Create a secret word that identifies ICE, “code blue.” If ICE comes to her home, she should text a good friend, “code blue” at my house. Her friend will know that there's an ICE officer at her home so that if she doesn't hear from her within an hour or two, she will start gathering the documentation she will need - her alien registration number, date of birth, full name, and the country of birth.
If she is detained she will need an attorney to assist her to sign guardianship papers to protect her dependents, and to arrange for one of her friends to withdraw money from her bank account if she needs it for necessities like medicine or food.
But it's always very important for her to ask if she is being detained or not. If they say yes, she is being detained, then she has to stay there in the situation and just let them do their job. If they say no, she is not being detained, she can say, okay, am I free to go? If they say yes, then she can walk away.
Red cards can be obtained from many organizations. Go to the New York Immigrant Coalition www.nyic.org) which has information about many issues faced by immigrants in New York.
Nancy Marr is Vice-President of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Visit https://my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-county or call 631-862-6860.
View the above article on the TimesBeaconRecord Media website here.
Making Democracy Work: What Do We Do Next in the Fight for Affordable Health Care?
by Elise Antonelli January 26, 2026
On January 22nd the House voted to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA, or Obamacare) subsidies. Recognizing the need of our communities to have access to affordable health care, 17 Republicans sided with Democrats in voting for the extension. But why was the extension necessary in the first place? As is being uncovered on a daily basis, the provisions of the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA, or H.R.1) which the president signed into law on July 4, 2025, have such egregious cuts to health care that even those vehemently opposed to Obamacare recognize the need for subsidies until the current administration can come up with a better plan. The Congressional Budget Office reported the OBBBA will make low-income people poorer and wealthier people richer. Distributional Effects of H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Congressional Budget Office letter dated 6/12/25).
Recognizing the need for more information on this topic, the League of Women Voters Huntington, in cooperation with the Healthcare Education Project, sponsored a webinar centered on the effects on health care of H.R.1. Panelists Mark Hannay of Metro NY Health Care for All, Vanessa Baird-Streeter of the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island, and Anna Barone of Grace Group Medicare Consultants – with an introduction by Cynthia Ngombe of the Healthcare Education Project who coordinated the event - led us through some alarming facts and statistics. H.R.1 cuts over $1 trillion from Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act, strips Medicaid and Essential Plan coverage from millions of New Yorkers, and slashes hospital and nursing home funding. Effects of these cuts mean premium tax credits for buying coverage on ACA marketplaces will be discontinued, people will face large increases in private health care premiums, and copays and deductibles will rise. An estimated 1.5 million New Yorkers will become uninsured, including 30,000 Long Islanders.
One scenario might play out like this. As people are forced to let their insurance lapse because they are either excluded from various public programs or because they can no longer afford private insurance premiums, they will forgo doctor visits and instead wait until they are sick enough to go to hospital ERs. With cuts in Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement and potential staff shortages, hospitals facing staffing shortages and funding cuts may be forced to dramatically scale back services or close. The Health Education Project (HEP) estimates New York hospitals will lose $8 billion in annual funding and 34,000 New Yorkers could lose their hospital jobs. The closure of local hospitals or reduction in their ability to serve their communities will have negative effects on people of all income levels and all political affiliations.
It is important for all of us to understand these changes and cuts and how they may affect each individual and family. Even those fortunate enough to be able to withstand premium increases may know people who are less able to do so. HEP’s online calculator can help in understanding potential increases in out-of-pocket costs and eligibility impacts: https://healthcareeducationproject.org/one-big-bill.
What do we do next? Now that the extension for ACA subsidies has been approved by the House, the vote goes to the Senate. Call US Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and tell them you want the subsidies extended. On the State level, the New York Health Care Act (Assembly bill A.1466) proposes a comprehensive, single-payer health care system for all New Yorkers. The legislation is currently in committee in the New York State Assembly. Contact your state assemblymember to express your advocacy for that bill. The League of Women Voters Vote 411 website (www.vote411.org) is always a great resource to find any of your elected officials.
The wealth disparity in America is widely recognized. Some people have concierge doctors and some are forced to choose between groceries and going to the doctor. Some have multiple homes and some risk foreclosure on their homes because of staggering medical bills. Many have limited access to affordable health care and the OBBBA has made it even less accessible. The common thread is that it benefits ALL of us to have a healthy population. Fighting for affordable health care is one way to achieve that goal.
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Please share these free resources with those who may need them:
- Health and Welfare Council of Long Island
- People who are presently receiving Medicaid and may be eligible for assistance with addressing social care needs (i.e. housing insecurity, food insecurity, transportation barriers, etc.) can contact HealiHelp [at] hwcli.com () or 516-505-4434.
- For Health Insurance Enrollment assistance with public programs like Medicaid, CHIP, and ACA : https://hwcli.com/work-we-do/direct-services/.
- SNAP Enrollment: https://hwcli.com/work-we-do/direct-services/snap/.
- Medicare Rights Center has a free telephone hotline staffed by trained counselors: 800-333-4114.
Elise Antonelli is Co-Chair of the Issues and Advocacy Committee of the League of Women Voters of Huntington, a nonprofit nonpartisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Visit https://my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-county or call 631-862-6860.
View the above article on the TimesBeaconRecord Media website here.
