Election 2018 NY State Primary Guide

Election Day in NYC and NY State is Thursday, Sept 13.  It’s the primary election, the lead-up to the general election in November.  There’s a lot at stake – governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, all  63 seats in the State Senate, all 150 seats in the State Assembly, and civil court judges.

Remember, if you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain about who wins.

Here’s your complete guide to the 2018 elections in New York City and New York State:

When to Vote

Although elections are typically held on Tuesdays, the 2018 primary election has been moved back two days.  Why?

The traditional second Tuesday of September for primary voting in New York is September 11 this year.

That conflicts both with the Jewish High Holy Day of Rosh Hashanah, a well as a conflict for those who may be commemorating the 17th anniversary of 9/11.

In New York City, polling spots are open for 15 hours, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., so there’s plenty of time to cast your ballot before or after work, or as part of your daily errands.

Where to vote

If you are a registered voter, you already should have received a notice in the mail from the New York State Board of Elections.

If you didn’t, or if you misplaced it, you can look up your voting place by inputting your address, on the Board of Elections website.

Or, find your various representative districts, and a link to find your polling site.

Wherever you vote, know that selfies in the ballot booth are against the law. Save the selfie for after you have voted, when you can proudly wear the  ”I voted!” sticker given out at most polling places, while supplies last.

If you need to get an absentee ballot for November, you can apply online, by mail or in person.

Major Races in the 2018 New York State Primary

The Sept. 13 primary is for all three top elected officials in New York State – Governor, Lieutentant Governor and Attorney General.

The independent website BallotPedia has information on each candidate, including who has endorsed them.

Governor:

If you didn’t know that two-term Governor Andrew Cuomo is being challenged by “Sex and the City” actress and activist Cynthia Nixon, you haven’t been paying attention to the news for the last six months, including the issues presented in their televised recent debate.

Here are six takeaways from that debate, as per the NY Times.

The winner of the Democratic primary – widely expected to be Cuomo – will face Republican gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro in the general election in November. Molinaro, who currently serves as the Dutchess County executive, is the only Republican candidate running.

Lieutenant governor:

Incumbent Kathy Hochul is facing off against challenger Jumaane Williams, who currently represents Brooklyn’s 45th district in New York’s City Council.

Williams pitches himself as the more progressive candidate, has campaigned with Nixon on issues including the criminal justice system and universal rent control, and is a frequent critic of Governor Cuomo.

If Williams wins, Cuomo would have to run with a someone who “could be a thorn in the governor’s side as an in-house critic,” according to the New York Post..

Attorney general:

There are four democratic contenders for attorney general.  In alphabetical order, because that’s the only fair way:

Leecia Eve, a lawyer who currently sits on the Port Authority Board of Commissioners;

New York City public advocate Letitia James;

Sean Patrick Maloney, the representative for New York’s 18th Congressional district;

Zephyr Teachout, a Fordham University law professor who ran against Cuomo in the 2014 Democratic gubernatorial primary.

State legislature:

Multiple candidates are challenging incumbent candidates in both the New York state Senate and Assembly.

According to NY Curbed, On the Senate side, some challengers are taking on incumbents who previously counted themselves as members of the Independent Democratic Conference, a group of registered Democrats who caucused separately from the rest of their party. This move effectively gave Republicans control of the New York state senate. Among those challengers are

• Zellnor Myrie, running against former IDC member Jesse Hamilton for the 20th district seat (parts of Brooklyn, including Crown Heights and Sunset Park);
• former comptroller John Liu, running for Tony Avella’s seat in the 11th district (parts of Queens, including Whitestone and College Point);
• and Alessandra Biaggi, who’s battling Jeffrey Klein for the 34th district seat (parts of the Bronx, including Morris Park and Riverdale).

The lone Democrat who still caucuses with Republicans, Simcha Felder, is facing his own challenge for his district—17, covering parts of Brooklyn like Borough Park and Midwood—from Blake Morris, a Brooklyn attorney.

Remember, if you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain about who wins.