BOROUGHWIDE — For a so-called “off-year” election, this year’s ballot has plenty for voters to consider.
Here’s a guide to what you’ll find when you show up at your polling place to cast your ballot.
One high-profile race this election cycle is the contest for New York City Public Advocate. Incumbent Jumaane Williams, a Democrat, is running for re-election. His two opponents are Staten Island Councilmember Joseph Borelli, who is running on both the Republican and Conservative party lines, and David Balkind, president of the non-profit Sahana Software Foundation. He is running on the Libertarian party line.
Voters in Brooklyn’s 45th Council District will go to the polls to select a City Council representative. Incumbent Democrat Farah Louis, who won the seat earlier this year after Williams won the race for public advocate, is running for re-election. Her two opponents are Liberal Anthony Beckford and Libertarian David Fite. The district includes Flatbush, East Flatbush and parts of Midwood, Marine Park, Flatlands and Kensington.
The election ballot contains five proposed changes to the New York City Charter.
Ballot Question # 1 would amend the charter to give voters the opportunity to rank candidates in numerical order (instead of voting for just one candidate) in primaries and special elections for mayor, City Council, public advocate, comptroller and borough president. Voters would be allowed to rank up to five candidates.
Ballot Question # 2 seeks to increase the size of the Civilian Complaint Review Board from 13 to 15 members by adding one member appointed by the public advocate and one member appointed jointly by the mayor and City Council speaker. The ballot proposal would give the board the ability to delegate subpoena power to the executive director. In addition, approval of the measure would give the CCRB the ability to investigate false official statements made by NYPD officers under investigation during that investigation.
Ballot Question # 3 would amend the charter to prohibit elected officials and senior appointed officials from appearing before the branch of government they served or the city agency where they worked for a period of two years after they leave city service.
Ballot Question # 4 would allow the city to set up a “rainy day fund” to put money aside in the city budget for use in future years to address unexpected hardships.
Ballot Question # 5 would give local community boards more time to review and vote on land use matters. Boards would have 90 days to review a project once it is certified by the Department of City Planning under the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). The current review period is 60 days.
Voters will also be asked to vote for judicial candidates for Kings County Surrogate’s Court, New York State Supreme Court and Civil Court.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. But for the first time this year, New York State also has an early voting option. Early voting began on Saturday, Oct. 26, and polls will be open each day until Sunday, Nov. 3. Polls will be closed on Monday, Nov. 4 and will be open on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
For information on polling sites and the hours the sites will be open, visit www.vote.nyc.ny.us or call 1-866-VOTE-NYC.