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Election Day is November 5, 2024. This election will be critical, and voting is one of the most direct ways for people to raise their voices and create change.
When you are voting, remember to flip your ballot. In addition to individual candidates, New Yorkers will vote on six ballot proposals that will impact daily life in New York. The first of these measures is at the state level, while items 2-6 are city level charter revision proposals.
These votes are cast individually – meaning that a voter can approve one ballot proposal while voting against others. It’s critical to consider the merits of each before casting your vote.
Before you step into the voting booth, or if you’re already there, keep reading to learn more about what is on your ballot this election season.
Plan ahead before casting your ballot. Head to your poll site between 8 am – 8 pm. Visit FindMyPollSite.vote.nyc, to check your Election Day poll site. Remember, Tuesday, November 5, is the deadline to postmark your early mail or absentee ballot in the mail or drop it off at a poll site.
Proposals in this election are for one amendment to the State Constitution and five edits to the New York City Charter. Remember: ballot proposals are on the other side of your ballot! Here are the proposals for this fall:
Ballot Proposal 1: Adds
Certain Protections to the
State Bill of Rights
Adds anti-discrimination provisions to the State Constitution. Covers ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, and sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity and pregnancy. Also covers reproductive healthcare and autonomy.
A “YES” adds these protections against discrimination to the New York State Constitution.
A “NO” vote leaves these protections out of the State Constitution.
Ballot Proposal 2: Cleaning
Public Property
This proposal would amend the City Charter to expand and clarify the Department of Sanitation’s power to clean streets and other City property and require disposal of waste in containers.
Voting “Yes” will expand and clarify the Department of Sanitation’s power to clean streets and other City property and require disposal of waste in containers. Voting “No” leaves laws unchanged.
Ballot Proposal 3:
Additional Estimates of the
Cost of Proposed Laws
and Updates to Budget
Deadlines
This proposal would amend the City Charter to require fiscal analysis from the Council before hearings and votes on laws, authorize fiscal analysis from the Mayor, and update budget deadlines.
Voting “Yes” would amend the City Charter to require additional fiscal analysis prior to hearings and votes on local laws,and update budget deadlines. Voting “No” leaves laws unchanged.
Ballot Proposal 4: More
Notice and Time Before
Votes on Public Safety
Legislation
This proposal would require additional public notice and time before the City Council votes on laws respecting the public safety operations of the Police, Correction, or Fire Departments.
Voting “Yes” will require additional notice and time before the Council votes on laws respecting public safety operations of the Police, Correction, or Fire Departments. Voting “No” leaves laws unchanged.
Ballot Proposal 5:
Capital Planning
This proposal would amend the City Charter to require more detail in the annual assessment of City facilities, mandate that facility needs inform capital planning, and update capital planning deadlines.
Voting “Yes” would require more detail when assessing maintenance needs of City facilities, mandate that facility needs inform capital planning, and update capital planning deadlines. Voting “No” leaves laws unchanged.
Ballot Proposal 6: Minority
and Women-Owned
Business Enterprises
(MWBES), Film Permits,
and Archive Review
Boards
This proposal would amend the City Charter to establish the Chief Business Diversity Officer (CBDO), authorize the Mayor to designate the office that issues film permits, and combine archive boards.
Voting “Yes” would establish the CBDO to support MWBEs, authorize the Mayor to designate the office that issues film permits, and combine two boards. Voting “No” leaves laws unchanged.
Visit NYC Votes to learn more about each proposal. It’s crucial in this moment for people to make their voices heard, to make their vote count, to help make our government reflective of and responsive to the needs of our communities.
