League of Women Voters of NYS

 STATE VOTER

July 2016  



From the State Office

Come join us at the New York State Fair! The state League has reserved a table to register voters and provide information to educate and encourage the public to vote this fall! We need your help.

The Fair is held in Syracuse  from August 2 5 through September 5. We need volunteers to help staff the table during these 12 days. We will provide entrance and parking passes. Contact the state office NOW if you're willing to   volunteer for any part of this time - we'll take whatever time you're willing to offer. And, it'll be fun - come see the State Fair! 

Laura Ladd Bierman, Executive Director
League of Women Voters of NYS
Laura@lwvny.org; Tel: 518-465-4162
Facebook: League of Women Voters of NYS
Twitter: @LWVNYS
IN THIS ISSUE
2017 League Day at the United Nations
Travel with the League
Click here  for trips and itineraries.
ElectionInformation
The Elections Continue
Vote 411 will be live later this summer for the September primary.  If you have a primary race in your area, encourage the candidates to respond and join Vote 411. Contact Jennifer (jennifer@lwvny.org) for details and info or go to www.vote411.org to get the information. 

COUNTDOWN TO ELECTION DAY 2016
STATE AND LOCAL PRIMARY - TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13th
  • Register in person by Friday, August 19th
  • Register by mail: Postmarked by Friday, August 19th and received by August 24th
  • Apply for absentee ballot in person by Monday, September 12th
  • Apply for absentee ballot by mail: postmarked by Tuesday, September 6th
  • Deliver ballot in person by Tuesday, September 13th
  • Deliver ballot by mail: postmarked by Monday, September 12th and received by Tuesday, September 17th
 
GENERAL ELECTION-TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8th
  • Register in person by Friday, October 14th
  • Register by mail: Postmarked by Friday, October 14th and received by October 19th
  • Apply for absentee ballot in person by Monday, November 7th
  • Apply for absentee ballot by mail: postmarked by Tuesday, November 1st
  • Deliver ballot in person by Tuesday, November 8th
  • Deliver ballot by mail: postmarked by Monday, November 7th and received by Saturday, November 12th
VOTER SERVICES
Judie Gorenstein, J udiel728@aol.com
We know this continues to be a very busy time for voter services as Leagues prepare for voter registration drives, National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 27, Candidate Nights and try to turn out the vote.  We also are all aware how critical it is that we not only are nonpartisan but are perceived this way by candidates, political parties and the public. Thanks to the eight Leagues who held candidates nights for the congressional primaries: Broome and Tioga Counties, Hamptons, Huntington, Nassau County ILO, Port Washington/Manhasset, Oneonta, Cooperstown, Syracuse. While all had written recording and airing policy, there were still problems and concerns that arose.  Even though it is impossible to enforce our policy, 100% of the time, there are many things we can do to help us remain in control. Local Leagues need to have policies on how to handle these situations; contact me if you want assistance for your local policy.
 
In the meantime, as you help register voters, here are some important things to remember:
  1. If a person is re-registering to change their name, address or party, if they want to be enrolled in a party, even if it is the same one they were previously enrolled in, they must check that box.
  2. Any person who is changing their party affiliation, even if they were not previously enrolled, between now and Oct. 14, 2016, will not be enrolled in that new party until after the general election in November, 2016 (effective for 2017 primaries). 
  3. No longer must a person indicate their sex on a voter registration form.  Questions 6 (phone number) and 7 (email address) were optional.  New voter registration forms now have question 5 (sex) as optional.
  4. We can never be too careful in being nonpartisan.  Do NOT EVER give any indication that you support or oppose a candidate or party. 
Healthcare Committee
Madeline Zevon, madeline.zevon@gmail.com
Lobby Day Update (report missed last month)
On May 24th five members of the Health Care Committee of Westchester travelled to Albany to lobby for the single-payer bill, New York Health. Ruth Goldberg, Harriet Slivka and Madeline Zevon from White Plains, Betsy Rosenthal from Larchmont and Carol Schneebaum of Dobbs Ferry. Lobby Day was coordinated by the Campaign for New York Heath which is made up of many organizations including doctor groups, nurses, unions and the League to name just a few. There were 40 lobby teams, each with four to five members.
 
It was a great, exciting day - democracy in action. As a result of our efforts the Assembly voted 86-53 to pass universal health care legislation in New York, making it the second time the bill passed in the Assembly. In the Senate there are 22 cosponsors making that only 7 votes away from passage in the upper house. (July update: it did not pass the Senate prior to the end of session in June)
 
Coincidentally, we ran into a group from Students Inside Albany with Laura Bierman, Executive Director of LWVNYS. The League was all over the Capitol.
DEVELOPMENT
Kate Jankowski, Kate@lwvny.org
LOCAL LEAGUE NEWS 
LWV of Buffalo/Niagara teamed up with Unyts ( Western New York's only organ, eye, tissue and community blood center) for a voter registration drive.  The registration drive was held July 6th during the Food Truck Rodeo at the Buffalo Historical Society. They are set to hold another drive on September 10th at the Ralph Wilson Stadium.

On July 11th the Health Committee and Government Committee of the Hamptons League held a screening of the movie "Fix It".  The film explores healthcare reform.  After the screening a discussion, about the New York Health Act, was held with NYS Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr
 
LWV of Tompkins County is displaying documents and photos from their League's collection at The History Center in Ithaca during July 2017. The photos and documents will be part of a display entitled Celebrating Women's Suffrage in NYS. This is a wonderful opportunity for the League to educate the public about the important influence the LWV has had in the Suffrage Movement.
   
Albany County League held a voter registration drive on July 9th during the Delaware Avenue Street Fair.
 
Mid-Hudson LWV members, Linda Hackett and Daisy Tyler, welcomed 61 new citizens at the Ulster County Court House on June 10. The new citizens eagerly accepted their voter registration forms along with the LWVNYS publication First Vote. The next Naturalization Ceremony will be held on September 23.
 
 
On Monday, June 13, members of the League of Women Voters of North East  Westchester (LWVNEW) hosted several local officials at a luncheon at La Camelia Restaurant in Mount Kisco. State Assemblyman David Buchwald spoke to the assembled group about his work on corruption in Albany.
 
LWV of Southwest Nassau will hold their Annual Meeting July 31st.  The meeting will be held 1pm-5pm at Da Nicola.  Guest speaker will be John O'Connell, Executive Editor of The Herald Speaker.
 
On Tuesday, July 19, 2016 League of Women Voters of New Castle held their Sparkle for a Cause event at the beautiful Amy's Garden at Crabtree's Kittle House.  Small Bites, Sparkling Wine & Martini Menu were enjoyed by all. Crabtree's Kittle House donated 30% of the evening's Sparkle for a Cause proceeds to the League of Women Voters of New Castle Citizens Education Fund

Don't forget to have your bulletin editor send your local League newsletter to bulletins@lwvny.org so it will be posted on the state League website!
League of Women Voters of New York State
62 Grand Street, Albany, NY 12207
Tel: 518-465-4162;  FAX: 518-465-0812
Website: www.lwvny.org
Facebook: League of Women Voters of NYS
Twitter: @LWVNYS