Welcome to the online Citizens Union 2014 General Election Voters Directory!
On Tuesday November 4th, 2014 registered voters in New York will head to the polls for the General Election. Citizens Union’s Voters Directory helps voters by providing a comprehensive overview of the 2014 state legislative and statewide general elections, including voting and registration information and listings of every contest for all races on the ballot.
New York voters will find three ballot proposals on the 2014 general election ballot. Please note that your paper ballot is two-sided: on the front are contests for elected officials, and on the back are the proposals to amend the NYS Constitution and to approve budget allocations.
See below for Citizens Union’s recommendations on the ballot proposals.
Have questions about voting and registration?
BALLOT PROPOSAL RECOMMENDATIONS
Proposal 1: Revising State’s Redistricting Procedure – YES
Proposal 2: Permitting Electronic Distribution of State Legislative Bills – YES
Proposal 3: Smart Schools Bond Act of 2014 – Not Evaluated
Read more about Citizen Union’s statements of support as well as the full text of the proposals.
RACES FOR STATE OFFICES
Governor – Citizens Union has not issued a decision in this race. Check back for updates.
Attorney General – Eric Schneiderman endorsed over John Cahill.
Comptroller – Tom DiNapoli endorsed
RACES FOR STATE LEGISLATURE – NEW YORK CITY
Incumbents are marked with an asterisk (*)
Bronx
Citizens Union did not evaluate any State Legislative Races in the Bronx for the General Elections.
For more information on our preferences in the Primary Election Races use this link.
Brooklyn – State Senate Race
Senate District 22 – Martin Golden* endorsed over James Kemmerer
Brooklyn – State Assembly Races
Assembly District 44 – James Brennan* endorsed
Assembly District 59 – No endorsement between Roxanne Persaud and Jeffery Ferretti
Manhattan State Senate Race
Senate District 27 – Brad Hoylman* endorsed
Manhattan State Assembly Races
Assembly District 75 – Richard Gottfried* endorsed
Assembly District 76 – Rebecca Seawright endorsed over David Garland
Queens State Senate Race
Senate District 15 – Joseph Addabbo* endorsed over Michael Conigliaro
Queens State Assembly Race
Assembly District 40 – Ron Kim* endorsed
Staten Island State Assembly Race
Assembly District 64 – Nicole Malliotakis* endorsed over Marybeth Melendez
*VOTING AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION
REGISTERING TO VOTE
You are eligible to vote in municipal, federal and state elections if you are:
- 18 years of age on the date of the election. You can register at 17 if you will be 18 before the election; send your voter registration card in the year you turn 18 and it will be filed on your 18th birthday;
- A United States citizen; AND
- Registered to vote at least 25 days before the election.
APPLYING FOR AN ABSENTEE BALLOT FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION
You may vote by absentee ballot if you are:
- absent from New York City (or your county, if you live outside of New York City) on Election Day;
- ill or disabled, or serve as primary caregiver for an ill or disabled individual;
- a patient or inmate in a Veterans’ Administration Hospital; OR
- detained in jail awaiting Grand Jury action or are confined in prison for an offense other than a felony.
Deadlines for absentee ballot applications and submissions are as follows:
- Mail your Absentee Ballot Application or Letter of Application by Tuesday, October 28th.
- Apply for an Absentee Ballot in Person at your local county board of elections office by Monday, November 3rd.
- Mail in your Absentee Ballot with a postmark by Monday, November 3rd – it also must be received by the local board of elections no later than Tuesday, November 12th.
- Drop off your Absentee Ballot by Tuesday, November 4th to your local board of elections office – a friend or relative can drop it off.
VOTING ON GENERAL ELECTION DAY
Getting to the polls:
- The General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 4th.
- Polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- To find your polling site, visit nyc.pollsitelocator.com or call the Board of Elections at 1-866-VOTE-NYC.
Signing in at the polls:
- Once you enter the poll site, sign in with the poll worker who will give you your paper ballot.
- Under federal law, if you are disabled and choose to vote in person rather than by absentee ballot, you are entitled to assistance. You can rely on the election employees for help.
- If you are not on the voter registration list, it may be because your registration form was not received in time or was filled out incorrectly. If you believe that you are eligible to vote, you can still vote by requesting an affidavit ballot. After the election, the Board of Elections will check its records and your vote will be counted if you are indeed eligible.
Casting your ballot:
- Mark your ballot through one of two means:
- Pen: Go to a privacy booth and fill out your ballot with a pen by marking the appropriate ovals; or
- Ballot Marking Device (BMD): BMDs are mandated to be available at each polling location for those who are in need of assistance. Any voter, including voters with disabilities, may use the BMD to view or listen to the ballot in any of the required languages for that poll site (English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean or Bengali). Voters may use the BMD to complete a paper ballot independently and privately on Election Day by using its ATM-style touch screen, Braille-enhanced keypad, sip and puff device or its rocker paddle.
- Place your ballot in the privacy sleeve, proceed to the scanner area, and insert the marked ballot into the scanner to cast your vote. Your ballot can be inserted in any direction. You can choose to insert the ballot yourself rather than by a poll worker, if preferred.
- Your ballot will be counted after it is inserted into the electronic scanner. The scanner will then be used to count the votes after the polling place has closed at the end of Election Day. You should notice the tally of the number of ballots receive increase after your ballot has been scanned. A bin attached to the scanner will capture and keep the paper ballots as a record of all votes.
- If you make a mistake you can request a new ballot. If you mark your ballot incorrectly by marking more choices for one contest than you are supposed to, the scanner will notify you of an “overvote.” To have your vote count, you must obtain a new ballot and mark your choices correctly before submitting your ballot.
Voting on Ballot Proposals:
- Remember to turn over your ballot to vote on ballot proposals.
- Your ballot is two-sided: on the front is the ballot for elected officials, and on the back is the ballot to vote for proposals to amend the NYS Constitution and to approve budget allocations.
- Like the ballot for elected officials, you must fill out a bubble for your “yes” or “no” response.
- To learn more about this year’s ballot proposals, please turn to page ??.
RESOURCES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
To Obtain a Voter Registration Form or Absentee Ballot
NYC Board of Elections (866) VOTE-NYC www.vote.nyc.ny.us/
*Or go in person to your local county Board of Elections office
To Learn More about the New Voting Process and Ballot Marking Devices
NYC Board of Elections (866) VOTE-NYC www.votethenewwayny.com
To find your polling site
NYC Board of Elections (866) VOTE-NYC nyc.pollsitelocator.com
To Research Campaign Contributions
NYS Board of Elections (800) 458-3453 www.elections.ny.gov
To Research Candidates and Issues
Citizens Union (212) 227-0342 www.citizensunion.org
Gotham Gazette (212) 227-0342 www.gothamgazette.com
League of Women Voters of NYS (518) 465-4162 www.lwvny.org
Project Vote Smart (888) VOTE-SMART www.votesmart.org
To Research Incumbent Records
New York State Assembly (518) 455-4218 www.assembly.state.ny.us
New York State Senate (518) 455-2800 www.nysenate.gov