2021 NYC Election Information and Calendars
"Voting is how we participate in a civic society - be it for president, be it for a municipal election. It's the way we teach our children - in school elections - how to be citizens and the importane of their voice." -Loretta Lynch
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Join in the massive virtual town hall and musical celebration with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. It's on Wednesday, June 16 @ 7:30pm.
This town hall is about the For The People Act, which will protect and expand our democracy. We’ll hear the latest update on where the legislation stands in the Senate, get answers on how the bill impacts you, and talk about its connections to the civil rights movement.
By joining this event, you are helping us combat mass voter suppression and strengthen our democracy!
The For the People Act (HR1/S1) is the most critical voting rights legislation of our lifetime, and its fate will be determined in the next two months.
The bill seeks to prevent partisan gerrymandering, strengthen the right to vote, lessen the influence of big money in our politics, and restore ethical norms.
It’s a desperately needed response to decades of voter suppression (including the current legislative efforts in many states right now) and other assaults on democracy, like those that led to the Jan. 6 Capitol uprising.
VOTER INFORMATION
Meet Your 2021 Mayoral Candidates - Find the candidates who say they’ll build the future NYC you want by (article by The City.com).
Can You Vote in New York City’s June 22, 2021 Primary Election? - What you need to know to ensure you can cast your ranked-choice ballot for everything from your local City Council contest to the citywide race for mayor.
Ballotpedia - The encyclopedia of American Politics. Find info on national and local primaries, elections and political resources.
Contacting Elelected Officials - Learn how to get in touch with your federal, state, and local elected leaders.
NYC CHARTER - Information and dates of hearings to develop the 2019 City Charter, our local constitution.
NYC Poll Site Locator - Information on where to register or vote and links to forms, district maps and election results.
NYC Votes - extensive resource information about where and how to vote, voting rights and voter registration forms.
We Vote - a digital voter guide informed by issues you care about and people you trust. Through our nonpartisan, open source platform, we'll help you become a better voter, up and down the ballot.
MAYORAL CANDIDATES
Sixteen Democrats and three Republicans are running in the primary elections for mayor of New York City on June 22, 2021. The winners will advance to the general election on November 2, 2021.
The primary election will feature the first use of ranked-choice voting (RCV) for a mayoral primary in the city's history. Voters will be able to rank up to five candidates on their ballot in order of preference. A candidate must receive a majority of votes cast to win the election, and votes for eliminated candidates are redistributed based on the next preference on the ballot. Click here to learn more about RCV in this election. Official tabulations are not expected until the week of July 12, due to the deadlines for voters to submit absentee ballots and fix ballot issues.[47]
Among the Democratic candidates, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, former New York City Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia, former Wall Street executive Raymond McGuire, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, former mayoral counsel Maya Wiley, and entrepreneur Andrew Yang have received the most media attention and noteworthy endorsements.[48][49][50]
Adams, who served in the New York Senate for six years, has emphasized public safety and affordable housing.[51] Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr., Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), and more than a dozen state legislators backed Adams.[52]
Garcia was the New York City commissioner of sanitation for seven years and led the city's emergency food program during the COVID-19 pandemic. She proposed streamlining permits for small businesses and launching a zero-interest microloan program to restart the economy. The New York Times endorsed Garcia.[53]
McGuire, a former vice chairman of Citigroup, worked on Wall Street for nearly four decades. His recovery plan included financial support for small businesses, a wage subsidy to bring back jobs, and major infrastructure improvements. He was backed by Rep. Gregory Meeks (D) and state Sen. Leroy Comrie (D).
Stringer highlighted his experience in New York politics and public service, including as a state legislator, Manhattan borough president, and city comptroller. He called for universal affordable housing. The United Federation of Teachers endorsed him. Following allegations of sexual misconduct, which Stringer denied, he lost endorsements from the Working Families Party, New York Communities for Change, and Reps. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) and Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.).[52]
Wiley worked as counsel to Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) before joining the New School in 2016. She proposed a $10 billion, five-year spending plan that she said was inspired by the New Deal to stimulate the city's economy. She received endorsements from Reps. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) and Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) and EMILY's List.[52]
Yang ran for president of the United States in 2020 and founded several organizations, including Manhattan Prep and Ventures for America. He proposed a basic income program for New Yorkers living in extreme poverty and emphasized small business recovery following the pandemic. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) and the New Era Democrats endorsed Yang.[52]
The three Republicans are the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers founder Fernando Mateo, retired NYPD officer William Pepitone, and financier Sara Tirschwell.
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) is not running for re-election. De Blasio was first elected in 2013 and won re-election in 2017 with 66% of the vote. Including de Blasio, four of the previous six mayors were Democrats.
RESOURCE: BALLOTPEDIA.COM
RANKED CHOICE VOTING
A ranked-choice voting system (RCV) is an electoral system in which voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots. If a candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, he or she is declared the winner. If no candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated. First-preference votes cast for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the second-preference choices indicated on those ballots. A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won a majority of the adjusted votes. The process is repeated until a candidate wins an outright majority.[1][2]
HIGHLIGHTS
- As of 2021, one state (Maine) had implemented RCV at the state level, eight states contained jurisdictions that had implemented RCV at some level, and another five states contained jurisdictions that had adopted but not yet implemented RCV in local elections.
- In November 2020, Alaska approved a ballot initiative to establish ranked-choice voting and top-four primaries with 50.4% of the vote. Voters in Massachusetts defeated a ballot initiative to establish ranked-choice voting for state-level elections with 54.9% of voters voting against it.
- In March 2021, voters in Burlington, Vermont approved a measure to implement RCV for city council elections after repealing RCV for mayoral elections in March 2010.
- In November 2020, Maine voters were the first to vote for president using ranked-choice voting.
- The Maine Legislature approved a bill in 2019 (LD 1083) to extend the state's RCV system to the presidential election. The Maine Republican Party filed a veto referendum to suspend LD 1083 and let voters decide whether to approve it. On September 22, 2020, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court ruled that not enough signatures were submitted for the veto referendum to qualify it for the ballot, which meant LD 1083 was not suspended.
- In November 2019, New York City voters approved a measure to enact ranked-choice voting for primary and special elections beginning in 2021. This made NYC the most populous jurisdiction in the U.S. to employ the ranked-choice voting election method.
POLITCAL CALENDAR: SIGNIFICANT DATES
June 22nd, Primary Election
- Election Day is Tuesday, June 22, 2021. Polls are open from 6am to 9pm.
- Early Voting Period is June 12, 2021 - June 20, 2021.
LOCATIONS OF POLLING/VOTING SITES IN FOREST HILLS
1. PS 144 — 93-02 69 Ave.
2. PS 101 — 2 Russel Pl.
3. PS 196 — 71-25 113 St.
4. PS 175 — 64-35 102 St.
5. JHS 157 Stephen Halsey — 63-55 102 St.
6. American Legion Post 1424 — 107-15 Metropolitan Ave.
7. Queens Community House — 108-25 62nd Dr.
8. Forest Hills Library — 108-19 71st Ave.
9. Beaverbrook Apartments — 77-35 113 St.
10. PS 303 — 108-55 69th Ave.
11. JHS 190 — 68-17 Austin St.
12. Forest Hills High School — 67-01 110th St.
13. North Forest Park Library — 98-27 Metropolitan Ave.
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