Ballot Proposals

5 Ballot Proposals on Your 2021 Ballot

Don’t forget to flip your ballot to vote for the 5 proposals on the reverse! Here’s a review of those proposals and what a yes vote might mean for us.

Ballot Proposal 1: Amending the Apportionment and Redistricting Process

  • Freezes the number of Senators at 63 (historically, Republicans have changed the number every ten years for their political benefit).
  • Amends procedures for the commission redrawing Congressional and state legislative districts. It would no longer require a commissioner appointed by each legislative leader to approve the maps – in other words, it would no longer require Republican approval of the maps. Also moves up the timeframe for submission of maps to provide more time before the election. Deletes certain obsolete provisions deemed unconstitutional.

Ballot Proposal 2: Right to Clean Air, Clean Water, and a Healthful Environment

  • Establishes the constitutional right of each person to clean air, clean water and a healthful environment. In practice this gives greater legal recourse to NYers in combating pollution and other hazards.

Ballot Proposal 3: Eliminating Ten-Day-Advance Voter Registration Requirement

  • Currently, voter registration ends ten days before an election.
  • This proposal allows for same-day voter registration as exists in a number of other states.

Ballot Proposal 4: Authorizing No-Excuse Absentee Ballot Voting

  • Voters have previously been required to provide a reason for requesting an absentee ballot: illness, physical disability or being absent from their home county on Election Day.
  • This eliminates that requirement, meaning any registered voter can vote absentee. This flexibility exists in a number of other states.

Ballot Proposal 5: Increasing the Jurisdiction of the New York City Civil Court

  • Increases the NYC Civil Court’s jurisdiction by allowing it to hear claims for up to $50,000 instead of the current $25,000 limit.
  • This threshold has not been adjusted since 1983, despite inflation. Raising it would lift some of the burden from the state Supreme Court, which currently hears claims over $25,000 and faces severe backlogs.

Register to Vote!

Registering to vote is simple and takes less than five minutes to complete! At Rock the Vote you’ll find everything you need to know about how to register and how to vote in NY State. You can also contact the Delaware County Board of Elections!

Contact DCNY Dems