NYC Ballot Measures

Election Day 2019 is right around the corner. In New York City there are over 4.6 million registered voters. Many of these voters will go into the voting booth to vote just for a candidate, but many voters have no prior knowledge of the ballot questions that are included on the ballot. This year in NYC, on November 5th, there are five ballot questions that voters are being asked to vote on that were comprised by the Charter Commission 2019.

Ballot Question #1
This measure is asking NYC voters to decide on rank choice voting for the New York City’s mayoral race and special elections. If this measure passes, voters would have the ability to rank up to five candidates in order of their choice. If this measure is adopted, it would be available for voters to use in the 2021 primaries and special election. It will affect the mayoral, public advocate, comptroller, borough president and City Council races.

Ballot Question #2
This ballot question is seeking to expand the Civilian Complaint Review Board from 13 members to 15 members. New York City’s CCRB is a bureau that investigates, mediates and adjudicates complaints against officers in the New York City Police Department. There are currently 13 civilian employee members on the board. Presently five members of the board are selected by the city council, and the mayor appoints eight members. If the measure passes, the public advocate would assign a member, and the mayor and city council would assign a member that will serve as chairperson.

Ballot Question #3
The third measure involves ethics and government. Voters are being asked to ban former elected senior officials from lobbying the NYC agency where they worked for up to two years after leaving their agency.

Ballot Questions #4
The fourth measure deals with granting the city the ability to set up a “rainy day” fund that will allow the city to use the funds during financial hardships.

Ballot Question #5
New York City voters will have the opportunity to decide to require that the Department of City Planning provide a comprehensive activity report of all land use applications. The Department of City Planning is an agency whose primary goal is to improve the living qualities of New York City.

For the first time in New York State, there is early voting. Early voting began on October 26th and ends on November 3rd. Election day is Tuesday, November 5th, so voters have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the details of these ballot questions that are up for a vote. More information can be found on Charter 2019 NYC.