Elections and Voter Information

We make voting easier through varied voter education programs.

Links to local Board of Elections, Government Services and Information: Who is on the ballot in the next election? How to register to vote? ...and more

Links to Local Boards.  How to Register to Vote, Find a Ballot or Polling Place.  Primary Voter Registration and Enrollment Data.  Voter Service Report.  Fair Campaign.  Explanation of the Primary Process in NYS.  City Council and Town Board Meetings.  Schenectady County Legislature Meetings.  State-Wide Politics and Financial Disclosures. 

Local Boards of Elections

Schenectady County Board of Elections

New York State Board of Elections

How to Register to Vote, Find a Ballot or Polling Place

For the primary election in Schenectady County on Tuesday, February 5, 2008, the POLLS OPEN AT 12 NOON and CLOSE AT 9 PM.

This tool, provided by the League, is a quick and easy way to register to vote.

Voter Registration Tool

The following site is the league's one-stop-shop for election information, including a polling place locater. VOTE411.org

The League of Women Voters of New York State is pleased to announce the introduction of the new Smart Voter campaign information website: <http://www.smartvoter.org/ny/state.>

Primary Voter Registration and Enrollment Data

Voters can now determine their registration status (whether a registered Democrat or Republican eligible to vote in the upcoming primary for example) by clicking on the following State Board of Election Link: https://voterlookup.elections.state.ny.us/votersearch.aspx . The link also provides a voter's AD and ED - vital info when they head to the polls.

The interface can be a bit frustrating since the street name field must be precise (4th Street can only be entered as "4" in the box, not 4th or 4 Street etc.) The site also promises poll site information "in the near future." It's unclear how accurate or up to date the database is, so a phone call directly to a county BOE may clear up questions if questions arise.

Poll Site Locator In New York City, voters can find out their poll site and AD/ED info online at: http://gis.nyc.gov/vote/ps/index.htm . This NYC/NYC Board of Elections site also provides a map of the poll site location. Voters may also call 311 in NYC for registration and poll site info.

Election Day Helpline Broken voting machines? Voter harassment? Voters having trouble finding the right poll site? Each year, thousands of voters face problems at the polls. The non-partisan NYPIRG/Common Cause Voter Helpline seeks to help those voters get the information they need to cast their votes. Voters can call (212) 822-0282 from 7 am to 7 pm on Election Day for assistance.

VOTER SERVICE COMMITTEE REPORT: June 2008

Linda Ward, Voter Service Chair

The LWV was most visible during last November's election season when we held four Candidates' Forums for local and county elections. We received assistance for these from AAUW. Forums took place in Rotterdam, Glenville, Niskayuna, and Schenectady. In addition, a video-tape of each forum was shown a number of times on SACC-TV during the weeks prior to the election. Thanks are given to all members of the League and AAUW who helped make the forums successful.

Prior to the election, we distributed 3,000 copies of the Voters Guide, Parts I and II, published by the LWVNYS. Many thanks to all members who helped distribute this information to the public. Other voter service activities continued during the past year: registration of voters under the able leadership of Elaine Klein; the Take Me to Vote program coordinated by Connie Young and volunteers from the League; continued distribution of the Who's Who,; and oversight of the tenant association elections for the housing units of the MHA.

In the spring, the League held a brainstorming session for members about "getting out the vote." Seventeen members participated in this discussion. As a result, two new committees have been formed. One committee, headed by Joan Elliot, will focus on increasing tenant participation in tenant elections at the MHA. The other committee, headed by Carol Furman, will review comprehensive information from the Board of Elections with a goal of improving availability of information to voters and increasing the percentage of registered voters who actually vote. Participation by League members in Voters Services activities is always welcomed and encouraged.

Fair Campaign Practices for the Capital Region, Inc.---What's it All About?

The purpose of Fair Campaign Practices for the Capital Region, Inc. (FCP) is to promote a climate in which candidates conduct honest campaigns. FCP encourages candidates to conduct campaigns openly and fairly, to discuss issues, to refrain from defamatory attacks on the character of their opponents, and not to use campaign materials that distort the facts.

Each League has been asked to add three hearing panelists to the pool of persons available to hear complaints during the primary and general election campaign seasons. Hearing pool panelists are respected community members who hear and adjudicate complaints of unfair campaign practices occurring within Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady Counties. Five persons usually sit on a hearing panel.

The current panelists who represent Schenectady County are: Joan Elliott, Helen MacDonald, Jim Miller, Gene Rowland, Faith Weldon, and Jean Wilkinson. Training for new hearing panelists is scheduled for June 10 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the LWVNYS offices at 62 Grand Street, Albany. Betsey Swan, coordinator and former president of FCP will conduct the training. If you are interested in serving as a hearing panelist or would like to recommend a community member, please contact: Julie Burgess at rburgess1@nycap.rr.com or Joan Elliott at isladecalma@msn.com. They serve on the FCP board as directors representing the League of Women Voters of Schenectady County. The current president of the FCP is Joan Elliott.

League members also can help by: · Following up with political candidates to ask them to sign a fair campaign pledge. (Candidates who sign the pledges are listed on the FCP web site.) · Assisting in tasks related to mailing FCP materials to the candidates. · Obtaining the list of political candidates from the county board of elections.

In the fall, the FCP will monitor New York's primary election campaigns for local, county, and state legislature races as part of a pilot project. It has previously operated only for the general elections. The primary election is September 9 and the general election is November 4.

Explanation of the Primary Process in NYS

Presidential Primaries in New York State

The Democratic and Republican primaries in New York State are different in important ways, but have similarities. Both are "closed" primaries; participation is limited to the voters who have registered in the party that is sponsoring the election. While delegates are not bound by any law to vote for any particular candidate at the party's national convention, both parties have "pledged" candidates who vote for the candidate to whom they are "pledged". Both parties also have "un-pledged" and/or "super" delegates, who are not committed to a particular candidate. A certain number of delegates in each party participate because they occupy a particular elective or party position. Before the primary, candidates submit to the board of elections a list of delegates from each congressional district that are committed to them. These delegates actually appear on the ballot in the Democratic primary, along with a statewide presidential democratic candidate, but do not appear on the ballot in the Republican primary.

Details of the Nominating Process

Democrats: "Proportional" Primary, 281 delegates at stake New York Democrats have a total of 281 delegates, 151 of whom are "pledged" and will be elected proportionally based on the results of the February 5th primary within each congressional district. In addition, 45 are automatic and/or chosen from party leaders. The remaining 85 delegates are selected at a state Democratic committee meeting in May.

The Democratic Party in New York always uses a proportional method for awarding delegates. The percentage of delegates each candidate is awarded (or the number of undecided delegates) is representative of the number of primary votes for the candidate.

The Democratic Party primary in New York is really a "dual primary." Candidates for president appear on the ballot and run against each other in a statewide primary, and delegates and alternate delegates run in each congressional district. Delegates and alternates are either committed to a presidential candidate or uncommitted, and males and females are equally represented among the delegate choices for a candidate.

Republicans: "Winner-take-all" Primary, 101 delegates at stake

The National Republican Party, unlike the Democratic Party, allows each state to decide whether to use a "winner-take-all method" or the "proportional" method. In the winner-take-all method, the candidate whom the majority of caucus participants or voters support receives all the delegates for the state. New York is a "winner take all" state.

In New York, the selection of delegates and alternate delegates to the Republican National Convention is determined by a statewide primary of candidates for the office of President. Unlike the Democratic primary ballot, the names of the delegates and alternate delegates do no appear. Based on the results of the February 5th presidential primary, 87 of the state's 101 Republican delegates are allocated to the presidential candidate with the most votes statewide. At a Republican state committee meeting, the remaining 14 unpledged delegates are selected from party leaders.

City Council and Town Board Meetings

Schenectady City Council meets the 2nd and 4th Mondays at the City Hall, 7 p.m.

Glenville Town Board meets the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at the Municipal Center, 7:30 p.m.

Rotterdam Town Board meets the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at Assembly Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Niskayuna Town Board: Call 386-4592 for the schedule

Schenectady County Legislature Meetings

The Schenectady County Legislature meets the 2nd Tuesdays in the County Office Building at 7 p.m.

Local and State-Wide Political Information

Click here for political information about the City and County of Schenectady, the Capital District Area, and Statewide Politics: http://www.schenectadyhistory.org/local/nysgovernor.html

The above is a web-site maintained by the SCHENECTADY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE, a service of the Schenectady County Public Library.

The League of Women Voters Education Fund conducts voter service and citizen education activities. It is a nonpartisan nonprofit public policy educational organization, which:

• Builds citizen participation in the democratic process.

• Studies key community issues at all government levels in an unbiased manner.

• Enables people to seek positive solutions to public policy issues through education and conflict management.

Donations to the Education Fund, a 501(c)(3)corporation, are fully tax-deductible where allowed by law.

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: June 2, 2008 06:26 PDT.

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