Everything you need to know to be an informed voter.

Early Voting Information | NY ERA Proposition 1 |  Nov. Voter Services Report |  In Praise of Early Voting | The Art of Tabling |  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.”  

In case you missed the New York State ERA Panel Discussion on September 19 at Union College, you can watch a Youtube recording of this important discussion.

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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November Voter Services Report

This report by Voter Services Committee reflects the work of our League in this busy and rewarding year of solidifying our long-term connections in the community and finding new opportunities for partnership. Drumroll, please:

In 2024, we held voter registration events at 40 different sites; we registered 136 voters and handed out 128 voter registration forms. We were at the Schenectady Greenmarket, Union College, Schenectady County Community College, YWCA, Sycamore, Ten Eyck, the YWCA and Fulton-Montgomery Community College—more than once. On National Voter Registration Day, we tabled at two area Price Choppers as well as at SCCC.

We created new partnerships and rekindled old ones, tabling at Hillside Crossing Apartments, I am Father Festival, Juneteenth, Caribbean Day, Latin Fest, Carrot Fest, and the Schenectady County Historical Society’s African American Living History event. With Cheryl in the lead, we educated and registered voters at GED classes at the county jail, Steinmetz Houses, SEAT Center, and Washington Irving Continuing Education Center. We held our first-ever voter registration event at Middleburgh Public Library in Schoharie County.

Other education efforts included co-hosting a panel with Union College on Prop 1, the NY Equal Rights Amendment; arranging a talk and Q&A with the Schenectady County Board of Elections commissioners on the topic of election integrity; and attending two church coffee hours to speak with members about the NY ERA.

GOTV efforts included Ellen’s hosting us to write postcards to remind people to vote. We sent 250 cards at $.56 apiece. We went to Steinmetz Houses to leave door-hangers to inform residents about early voting and let them know when and where to vote early. Led by Pauline, a group effort among three leagues got us GOTV ads on CDTA buses in Schenectady, Saratoga, and Rensselaer counties. Our GOTV reminders at local libraries included posters, flyers and revised Vote! signs that now direct people to voteschenectady.com. We made headway in electronic signage, with the Village of Scotia, Schenectady County Community College and Schenectady City School District posting early voting messages.

After being assured there were no contested races in Schenectady, Sandra, Connie, Ellen, Pauline and Cheryl put together a successful candidate forum at Glenville Town Hall, where candidates for Scotia Village Trustee and Schenectady County Family Court Judge spoke to constituents.

And, in a first, a group of us went to the WAMC radio station to take pledges on the first day of its fund drive. We got a nice acknowledgement of our League—and a question about early voting!

Many thanks!

Joan Fucillo, Voter Services Committee Chair

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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 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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