On Sept 15, the Democratic Party nominee for Mayor of Nyack was chosen by only eight votes — less than one percent of the ballots cast. Although the margin of victory was later extended after a clerical error was discovered, the September primary serves to remind Rockland residents that Every Vote Counts.
Nyack, Nov 3 – The long campaign trail ends today for Nyack’s Village Board and mayoral candidates. Polls are open from 6a-9p.
Don’t know where to vote? Enter your home address at the Rockland County Board of Elections’ Polling Place Lookup page — they’ll tell you where to go. Sample ballots are also available.
The Nyack Mayoral Candidates are Denise Hogan (running on the Independence and Preserve Nyack tickets) and Richard Kavesh (Democratic).
Candidates for Village Trustee of Nyack are Maureen Dougher (Republican, Independence Citizens Committee lines) and Doug Foster and Jen White (both Democratic).
Ten candidates on Tuesday’s ballot in Nyack, Orangetown, Clarkstown and Rockland County submitted “closing statements” to NyackNewsAndViews. You can find also additional material and links to their websites on the Elections 2009 page. A voter’s guide is also available from the Journal News.
The weather forecast for election day calls for partly cloudy skies, a high of 57 degrees and only a ten percent chance of rain.
There are also three propositions for Orangetown and two statewide questions on the ballot:
- Propositions 3, 4 and 5 extend the term of Orangetown’s Supervisor, Town Highway Superintendent and Town Clerk from two years to four years.
- Proposition #1 is an amendment to the NYS Constitution, in relation to the use of certain forest preserve lands by National Grid to construct a 46 kV power line along State Route 56 in St. Lawrence County.
League of Women Voters Analysis: Before this new power line was built, the village of Tupper Lake had frequent power outages caused by damage to its single electrical supply line, principally from falling tree limbs in forested land along its route. There was no back-up line in the event of power failure, and during the winter alternative shelter had to be provided to village residents. This was considered an urgent situation that could not wait for the completion of the constitutional amendment process for relief, since it affected the health and safety of the villagers. National Grid, the builder of the line, will compensate for the loss of existing preserve land by conveying new forest preserve land to the State. Environmental and civic organizations are supportive of this remedy to what was a serious and persistent public health and safety issue. The League of Women Voters could not identify any organizations or opinions in opposition to this amendment.
- Proposition #2 amends the NYS Constitution to allow prisoners to do volunteer work for non-profit institutions.
League of Women Voters Analysis: The sponsors for the legislation proposing this constitutional amendment argue that prohibiting prisoners from voluntarily performing work for nonprofit organizations denies these often under-funded organizations access to a willing labor force for tasks such as grounds-keeping. They say that many localities have requested that the prohibition be removed. They also say that allowing inmate work crews to provide labor to these organizations will help fill the gaps in funding them, and will give the inmates a sense of ‘€œgiving back’€ to the community. The sponsors also make the point that passing this amendment would only give the Legislature authority to pass a law allowing inmates to do such work. This ‘€œenacting legislation’€ could include restrictions, in the interest of public safety, on which inmates would be eligible to perform this work. Two separately elected Legislatures passed this constitutional amendment with near unanimous votes in favor. The League of Women Voters could not identify any organizations or opinions in opposition to this amendment.
Special thanks to Palisades Hudson Financial Group LLC for their sponsorship of Election 2009 Coverage on NyackNewsAndViews.
