Hey Greenpoint, it’s time to get out the vote! Traditionally, elections are held on Tuesdays but this week’s Gubernatorial Primary will take place on Thursday, 9/13 (TOMORROW) so as not to conflict with commemorations of 9/11.
That means you have a few more days to brush up on your choices: Continue reading
New York got out the vote yesterday, and here in the 12th district, which includes Greenpoint, Williamsburg, a large swath of the East Side of Manhattan, and parts of Queens, Carolyn Maloney defended her seat in the democratic primary against political newcomer Suraj Patel.
Maloney nabbed nearly 60% of the vote throughout the district, running with the endorsement of the New York Democratic Establishment, but Patel, a former Obama campaign staffer who ran to her left, picked up 66% of the vote in North Brooklyn.
Maloney has already served 13 terms in the House of Representatives. She will face Republican candidate Eliot Rabin during the Congressional election in November. You can find out more about Maloney’s platform here, and more about Rabin’s here.
I recently had my first experience as a poll worker right here at the Greenpoint McGuinness Senior Center polling site (715 Leonard St). There was a lot that I enjoyed, and I encourage others to be a poll-worker some day. It is democracy in action.
Unfortunately, my patriotic glow dimmed the next day, when I woke to discover our district had posted some of the worst voter turnout in the city, 18.8%. Having grown up in California where 40% voter turnout is considered low, I began to wonder why New York’s turnout is even lower. Continue reading
Get ready to get out the vote, Greenpoint! New York City’s Primary Elections for the Democratic and Reform parties are next Tuesday, September 12th. This handy voting guide lists all candidates running for Mayor, Public Advocate and Brooklyn DA, and includes each person’s bio and policy positions. And here’s how you find your polling place!
In our district, District 33, we will be voting for citywide Public Advocate, Brooklyn DA, Kings County Judge of the Civil Court and NYC Mayor (Democratic Primary). The Public Advocate incumbent is Letitia James, and David Eisenbach is running against her. For Brooklyn DA there are six candidates: Eric Gonzalez, Ama Dwimoh, Marc Fliedner, Patricia Gatling, Vincent Gentile, and Anne Swern. For Civil Court Judge, you can select five from these choices: Robin K. Sheares, John K. O’Hara, Patrick J. Hayes, Frederick C. Arriaga, David C. Pepper, Connie M. Melendez, Patria Frias-Colon, Sandra Elena Roper, Ellen E. Edwards, Isiris Isela Isaac, and Thomas J. Kennedy. For NYC Mayor there are five to pick from: Sal Albanese, Richard S. Bashner, Bill DeBlasio (our current mayor!), Robert Gangi, and Michael Tolkin. Continue reading
Tomorrow is election day, and no matter who you’re voting for, just get out there and get ‘er done! Make no excuses. From David Leonhardt in The New York Times: “Many people who intend to vote become waylaid — by a traffic jam, a sick kid or a work meeting. Make a detailed plan now, about when and where you will vote.”
Also note, it’s illegal to take photographs in the polling place, and photos of completed ballots, so no ballot selfies! You would be breaking a NY State law, and subject to a $1000 fine.
Find out if you’re registered in NY State. (Hopefully you are!)
Here’s how to find your polling place, in case you’re not sure.
And here’s who’s going to be on the ballot in 11222: Continue reading
(sponsored)
Greenpointers,
Do you care about keeping good jobs in Greenpoint and helping local businesses to be more environmentally sustainable?
Vote for the Greenpoint Environmental Business Stewardship Project!
This project will raise the quality of life in Greenpoint by working with local businesses to prevent pollution; protect workers from exposure to chemicals; cut back on waste, water, and energy use; improve the health of the community; and grow local businesses.
Green Businesses = Healthy Communities
We have an opportunity to win a grant from the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund, but we need your help!
There are three opportunities to vote!
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Polish & Slavic Center 177 Kent St.
Noon – 2:30 pm or 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Polish National Home “Warsaw”
261 Driggs Ave.
10:30 am – 3:00 pm
Visit the “community preferencing” section of www.gcefund.org
You can vote for more than one project!
Check out these great proposals as well: Greenpoint Eco-Schools: Creating a Legacy of Sustainability and Curb Your Litter: Greenpoint.
Sponsored post courtesy of ITAC.
Just the name “Participatory Budgeting” might want to make you hit the snooze button, but it’s actually a unique opportunity to vote on a project that YOU want to see funded in our community. NYC has reserved $14 million in taxpayer dollars for this very purpose and as part of the 33rd District, there are some pretty innovative projects in the running that could potentially affect our parks, schools, and community centers.
The $14 million will be divided by district; the 33rd also covers Dumbo, Boerum Hill, and Brooklyn Heights, so Greenpoint is going to have to step it up at the polls if we want to get some of the bounty for our neighborhood, Hunger Games style (but by peaceful democratic vote, instead of mudering!). Continue reading
If you’ve been reading Greenpointers lately, you’re probably either enraged or sick of hearing about waterfront re-building projects. But, the good news is that a larger media channel has picked up the story and created this handy graphic map, that shows exactly where the future developments will be built. Thanks Wall Street Journal, for showing Greenpoint some love.
Last week we reported on the final approval vote for Greenpoint Landing. Stay tuned because this Thursday (12/19) is the final City Council vote on development at 77 & 65 Commercial St. The vote will determine if the residential buildings are allowed to be 15-stories or 30-40 stories high. Continue reading
Don’t complain that everything sucks in NYC if you don’t take the time to vote today!
Lucky for us the Brooklyn Eagle created this Brooklyn Voter Guide, because I was too busy taking Instagram photos of Kate, my new office buddy.
What you need to know:
“The polls open at 6 a.m. and will remain open until 9 p.m. You must be a registered member of a particular party to vote in that party’s primary. And don’t expect the computerized voting system that has been in place for a couple of years and that New Yorkers were just starting to get used to. Instead, the old pull lever voting machines are back, just for this primary.”
Decide NYC is pretty straightforward if you want to find out who is running for what and for which party. Mayor, Comptroller, Public Advocate, Brooklyn Boro President, and City Council for District 33 (Williamsburg & Greenpoint), which locally is the “Battle of the Stephens” – that’s Stephen Levin and Stephen Pierson.
This is an important election, especially with issues like Greenpoint Landing and
77 Commercial St, two developments on the horizon which will directly impact life
here in Greenpoint. The two recently debated and last week Stephen P. held a Save Greenpoint Rally for “reasonable development.”
Many who attended the debate criticize Stephen P. for being “green” and not very
articulate, and whether he can actually do anything to rezone the waterfront and
prevent the 40 story high rises at this stage in the game is questionable. One area
where he is outspoken is with regards to bike and pedestrian safety. He also was
attacked for not ever voting himself, which he regrets.
Stephen Levin, our current Council Member and brunch hero, can’t live down his association with the vile and corrupt Vito Lopez and during the
debate admitted to funding Vito’s political organization in Ridgewood, according
to contributor Gina P who was there, even though he assures that he has cut ties with him. And while Levin has been an advocate for our local
homeless population and for community safety – he was personally handing
out police sketches of the rape suspect this summer – the question of trust is on the minds of Greenpointers.
So which Stephen is right for Greenpoint? You decide today.
If you need to find out where to vote – visit NYC Board of Elections.
