It’s Election Day in New York: Here’s what you need to know
For most New Yorkers, it will be a relatively quiet Election Day, with no presidential, gubernatorial or mayoral races this year.
The polling stations are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. you can your polling station online.
Absentee Ballots can still be mailed, but most postmarks are Tuesday. They can also be dropped off at a polling station in your province or at your province’s elections office before 9 p.m. on Tuesday.
What’s on the ballot this year?
Your ballot There could be races for New York City Council, district attorney, judges and the two statewide ballot measures.
The City Council is led by Democrats, and they are expected to maintain control of the legislative body. But some local races are contentious, and Republicans are trying to increase their power in a city that has long favored Democrats.
There are races for district attorney in the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island, but only Melinda Katz, the district attorney of Queens, faces a challenger. The two statewide ballot measures include a debt limit for small-town school districts and the construction of sewer facilities.
Are there close races?
One of the most interesting races features two sitting council members in a bitter battle over a redrawn district in southern Brooklyn. It includes Justin Brannan, a Democrat and chairman of the Council Finance Committee, and Ari Kagan, a council member who recently left the Democratic Party for the Republican Party.
Mr. Brannan, a former punk rock guitarist, is running in a swing district against Mr. Kagan, a former radio and television show host from Belarus. The two have feuded over the city’s handling of the migrant crisis, abortion and other issues.
Another council member, Inna Vernikov, a Republican, is running for re-election after being accused of openly carrying a gun at a pro-Palestinian rally – an event she opposed and observed.
In Queens, Vickie Paladino, a Republican council member, is facing a challenge from Tony Avella, a Democratic former state senator. In the Bronx, Marjorie Velázquez, a Democratic assemblywoman, has strong union support as she faces a Republican challenger, Kristy Marmorato, an X-ray technician. Ms. Marmorato hopes to repeat her party’s performance in 2021, when Curtis Sliwa, a Republican, narrowly won the district in the mayor’s race over Eric Adams, a Democrat whose fundraising practices are now under federal scrutiny.
Why is there a new municipal district?
The city’s redistricting commission, seeking to reflect the growth of the city’s Asian population, created a city council district in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, that has a majority of Asian residents. The so-called Asian opportunity district has no incumbent.
The two leading candidates are Chinese-Americans. Susan Zhuang, a Democrat and chief of staff to a state Assembly member, is running against Ying Tan, a Republican and community activist.
The Republican Party has gained ground among some Asian voters in New York, and Ms. Tan has focused on crime. Her campaign website promises to “bring back law and order!”
A third candidate, Vito LaBella, a former police lieutenant, is taking the Conservative line after losing the Republican primary to Ms. Tan.
What issues are on voters’ minds?
New Yorkers are concerned about many pressing issues: an influx of migrants from the southern border, public safety, the city’s housing and affordability crisis and the recent attacks in Israel.
About 58 percent of New York State voters agree with Mayor Adams that the migrant issue “will destroy New York City,” according to a report Siena College Survey last month.
As for Israel, about 50 percent of voters believe that a “large-scale Israeli attack in Gaza is too risky” but that Israel should “try everything” to rescue the hostages kidnapped by Hamas, the poll shows. Nearly a third of voters said a “large-scale attack” in Gaza was justified.
Steven Greenberg, a Siena College pollster, also noted that a “Republican came within seven points of being elected governor last year,” when Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, defeated Lee Zeldin, then a Republican congresswoman. With Republicans gaining ground in New York state, Mr. Greenberg said the poll showed the “worst” approval ratings ever for President Biden in New York.