Soft Power Vote—2021 City-Wide General Election

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1		SOFT POWER VOTE LEVEL UP ON VOTING IN NYC
2		POLL SITE & EARLY VOTING LOCATOR + SAMPLE BALLOT >> https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/
3		Soft Power Vote is an independent initiative. Support what we do by throwin a couple $$ our way! Venmo @SoftPowerVote • • Cash App @SoftPowerVote
4		2021 NYC CITY-WIDE MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION EARLY VOTING: October 23 - 31 \| ELECTION DAY: November 2 findmypollsite.vote.nyc
5		Candidates we supported in the primary have their rankings included. (Check out our candidate criteria) The upcoming City Council term is 2 years. Where there is no candidate we like, we urge you to start organizing for 2023. >>BELOW ARE THE BALLOT MEASURES!<<
6		BALLOT MEASURES	VOTE	SYNOPSIS	SOFT POWER VOTE'S POV	LINKS/ARTICLES
7	1	Amending the Apportionment and Redistricting Process	YES	This amendment: • Would cap the total number of state senators at 63; • Require that incarcerated people be counted at the address where they lived before going to jail or prison for the purposes of redistricting — not where they are being detained; • Move up the timeline by two weeks for when redistricting plans must be submitted to the legislature; • Change the vote total needed to adopt redistricting plans from 2/3 to a simple majority; • Allow redistricting commission to appoint 2 executive directors by simple majority without the requirement that they be from differing parties.	This amendment has multiple parts to address redistricting, the practice of drawing district lines every 10 years after the census. Though some claim that this would work to favor NYS Democrats, thus limiting bipartisanship, we feel that this helps to better represent the make-up of NY and would, infact, limit the ability of the small minority of Republicans (remember, we have a handful of Republicans representatives that supported the insurrection) to have outweighed influence on the policies of the state. Capping the total number of state senate seats would actually help limit the ability to slant the sentate in a partisan manner. Requiring that incarcerated people be counted at their prior address would boost downstate population, rather than padding upstate where a majority of state prisons are located. This would help allocate resources for downstate. The timeline for the redistricting plans would be shortened, which would give more time for campaigns to canvas for signatures following redistricting which would help new candidates. Requiring only a simple majority in the legislature to approve redistricting maps would limit outweighed influence of a small group of Republicans. Allowing the Redistricting Commission to appoint non-partisan directors could limit the show of bipartisanship and backroom political deals in the redistricting process.	Ballotpedia NYSBOE League of Women Voters The City Gotham Gazette
8	2	Right to Clean Air, Clean Water, and a Healthful Environment	YES	This amendment: • Would add to the New York States Bill of Rights an explicit "right to clean air and water, and a healthful environment."	This explicit yet simple language would create a constitutional mechanism to combat and reverse generations of environmental racism, lay the groundwork for enshrining further environmental legislation, and could also be used to block environmentally destructive practices such as fracking.	Ballotpedia NYSBOE League of Women Voters The City Gotham Gazette
9	3	Eliminating Ten-Day-Advance Voter Registration Requirement	YES	This amendment: • Would eliminate the requirement that voters register to vote no later than ten days before an election or the close of polls, clearing the way for same day voter registration.	This would remove the constitutional barriers to having same-day voter registration, which the state legislature recently passed (Senate Bill S517). The bill will not be able to take effect until this ballot measure passes. Same day voter registration increases access to voting, allowing first time voters or those that have recently moved the ability to register to vote on election day. This increased access to voting creates a more representative and healthy democracy!	Ballotpedia NYSBOE League of Women Voters The City Gotham Gazette
10	4	Authorizing No-Excuse Absentee Ballot Voting	YES	This amendment: • Allows for no-excuse absentee (mail-in) voting. This would make absentee voting accessible to all after pandemic provisions have ended.	Most NYers first experienced absentee (mail-in) voting during the pandemic in 2020 to provide a safe and effective means of casting their ballots. Absentee voting proved to be effective in limiting the spread of Covid-19 while providing ballot access in one of the most important elections in our lifetime. Removing the need for an excuse to vote, such as Covid-19, would allow all NYers to continue to enjoy this easy and effective method of voting in any election.	Ballotpedia NYSBOE League of Women Voters The City Gotham Gazette
11	5	Increasing the Jurisdiction of the New York City Civil Court	NO	This amendment • Would increase the New York City Civil Court’s jurisdiction by allowing it to hear and decide claims for up to $50,000 instead of the current jurisdictional limit of $25,000. Claims past the threshold are heard by the state's Supreme Court.	This amendment has been kickin' around since the 80s and wasn't passed by voters in 1995 either. Measure 5 is intended to reduce the burden on the higher courts that were backlogged—but so are Civil Courts. The fear is that this would create additional burden on the Civil Courts (already busy!) which could have a negative effect on cases related to housing and small claims which often impact those who are more vulnerable. Ultimately, moving the burden isn't the solution, both courts need more support and funding to get the jobs done. #TaxTheRich	Ballotpedia NYSBOE League of Women Voters The City Gotham Gazette
12		POLL SITE & EARLY VOTING LOCATOR + SAMPLE BALLOT >> https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/
13		Have questions? Hit us up: softpowervote@gmail.com @SoftPowerVote
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