LOCALLY SPEAKING.....
Online: For information on registering to vote, including eligibility, registration forms and deadlines,
- CLICK HERE for the New York State Board of Elections website
- CLICK HERE for the Rensselaer County Board of Elections website
Other locations for obtaining information, including registration forms:
- Rensselaer County Board of Elections offices, Rensselaer County Office Building, First Floor, 1600 7th Avenue, Troy, NY
- Public libraries, municipal government offices, and post offices
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Why Vote ?
Because......
- you want to participate, as a free citizen of our democracy, in electing your governmental representatives
- your vote sends a message about the issues you think are most important
- your elected officials make all sorts of decisions that will directly affect your life
- your vote holds local and national leaders responsible for the decisions they make
- you care about your community
- you will just feel good about participating with your fellow citizens
- you know it’s the right thing to do!
(adapted from the votespa. com website)
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League window display in Troy
Check out our window display on the topic of voting. It's located at the Dauchy Building, 279 River Street, Troy (across from Market Block Books). Our aim, as always, is to remind people that a strong democracy depends on the participation of all its citizens. The display will be in place until the general election in November and encourages people to register, to study the candidates and the issues, and finally, to vote.
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73rd Annual Meeting of the League of Women Voters -
Tuesday, May 22, 2012,
5:30 to 9:00 PM
at Pat’s Barn
The meeting site is a lovely restored Dutch barn in the RPI Technology Park in North Greenbush. The
special guest speaker is
Dr. Donald P. Levy, Director of the Siena Research Institute.
Dr. Levy holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Connecticut and a B.A. from Yale. He is a nationally recognized expert on opinion polling. The Siena Research Institute at Siena College conducts the Siena New York Poll, a monthly snapshot poll of voters across New York State on timely political topics.
All League members and their guests are encouraged to attend.
Dinner to be catered by The Arlington House.
Reservations MUST BE RECEIVED by TUESDAY, MAY 15.
For questions, call Diane Bell at 518-273-5172.
After two years of debate the Fort Orange Club of Albany has succeeded in its quest to demolish two 19th century structures adjacent to their main building on Washington Avenue. The Historic Albany Foundation had worked to create a historic district in this area. In its quest to save the buildings, Historic Albany revealed that 118 Washington Avenue had been the home of Beulah Bailey Thull, first president of the LWV of Rensselaer County. She also served as president of the NYS Association of Civil Service Employees (now CSEA) and worked as a speechwriter for Gov. Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
In place of the buildings, the club has installed an expanded parking lot behind a 12-foot brick and wrought-steel wall. A bronze plaque, placed on the site, will present a brief the history of the buildings.
To learn what nearby Leagues are doing, check out their websites:
* Albany
-- www.lwvalbany.org/
* Schenectady
-- lwvschenectady.org/
* Saratoga
-- www.lwvsaratoga.org/
STATE NEWS......
(CLICK HERE for the current LWVNY newsletter)
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Capitol Beat -- Check it Out for the Latest Scoop on the NYS Legislative Session
The LWVNY has announced the
return of "Capitol Beat," an informative
and entertaining column/blog, written by the
LWVNYS Legislative Director Barbara
Bartoletti. It contains timely updates on legislative action pertaining to League concerns and shares a bit of political
gossip, as well. Barbara has also been appointed to Governor Cuomo’s Mandate Relief Redesign Team which will look for ways to reduce the costs of mandated programs on schools and local governments. She will be providing updates on this work in her column/blog. CLICK HERE to reach the blog.
The state League is engaged in discussions about fair elections with state Legislative leaders . The League has also joined a new coalition of state and national organizations striving for fair elections. CLICK HERE for more information on fair elections.
The League has stressed to the State Legislature that any legislation providing for public financing of elections must include: effective enforcement, lower contribution limits, and robust disclosure. CLICK HERE for information on the State League's position on campaign finance reform.
U.S. District Court Judge Gary Sharpe has ruled that the new date -- more than two months earlier than the usual September date -- is necessary to ensure that absentee ballots from overseas military personnel will be sent and received in enough time to comply with the federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act. This act requires that ballots be sent out no less than 45 days before a general election for a federal post. Any primary to determine which candidates will be on that ballot must be set 35 days before the general election deadline.
Election Reform - Improve election processes to extend, encourage and protect voting, including paperless and Election Day registration, better ballot design, improved polling place management/poll worker training, and measures to ensure the integrity of all ballots.
Campaign Finance Reform - Support lower contribution limits, increased disclosure and public financing. In particular, support stronger and effective campaign finance enforcement with increased civil and criminal penalities for violations.
Other Government-Related Positions - Support structural reform to legislative redistricting; support effective ethics enforcement and open and transparent government processes; monitor impact of the property tax cap on localities and schools.
Health Care -- Support affordable and effective health care for all New Yorkers.
The League also has positions on Natural Resources, the Judiciary; State Finances, and Social Policy.
* Project Sunlight - http://www.sunlightny.com/.
* SeeThroughNY - http://www.seethroughny.net/.
Managed by the Empire Center listing 8,250 member items approved for this fiscal year by the NYS Assembly and Senate.
* Open Book New York - www.openbooknewyork.com/.
Gives taxpayers better access to the financial workings of government. Sections include: (1) Track New York's Stimulus Spending, (2) Search State Agency Spending, (3) Search State Contracts, and (4) Search Local Government Spending.
*NYS Legislature:
-- www.assembly.state.ny.us
-- www.nysenate.gov
-- http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/menuf.cgi
NATIONAL NEWS.......
(CLICK HERE for the current LeaguE-Voice: Newsletter of the League of Women Voters)
Voter Suppression -- The League is actively engaged in lawsuits to halt voter suppression laws in four states: Florida, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin. In March, 2012, the League had a big win in a case brought by the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin. The Dane County 9th Circuit Court announced a permanent injunction against implementation of the nation’s most restrictive voter photo ID law.
Voter Registration -- The US Justice Department has objected to new provisions of Florida’s election law that place strict regulations on independent voter registration groups (like the League) and shorten the early voting period. Recent analysis of Florida’s voter registration lists show a dramatic drop in newly registered voters since the state's new law went into effect.
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Money in Elections
The League is supporting the Disclose Act of 2012 that deals with the issue of money in politics. The League is deeply concerned about the current state of campaign financing in our nation. Rather than concentrating on the concerns of voters, candidates and their campaigns are busy raising funds. And too often, they raise these funds from sources that seek and receive special access, consideration and treatment once the candidates are elected to office.
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Redistricting
Shining a Light: Redistricting Lessons Learned in 2011. The League has released this new report on the groundbreaking efforts of Leagues and other advocates around the country to promote more fair and transparent redistricting processes. This publication highlights lessons learned during the 2011 redistricting period and outlines potential areas for reforming the process over the next decade.
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Clean Air
The League and other concerned organizations have commended the Obama Administration on its recent release of rules regulating carbon emissions from new fossil-fuel power plants. These rules are an historic step towards protecting our children and the environment.
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Health Care
The affordable Care Act (ACA) has been in effect now for two years. Already this historic law has made a positive difference in the health of millions of Americans, but recently, the U.S. Supreme Court heard three days of oral arguments on various legal challenges to the law. In addition, there are congressional attempts to destructively amend and defund the law. The League has joined a broad coalition of healthcare, education and child welfare organizations in filing an amicus brief on the Affordable Care Act.
