By now, everyone has certainly heard about the presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. The sudden burst of media coverage regarding the 2024 elections have led many to hyperfixate on that contest. But there is more going on that may have more of an immediate effect on you and your community. These are local elections, which are elections pertaining to a specific state, city, borough, even going as specific as districts. Each state in the United States has their own local government, functioning essentially as a mini-government, with legislative, judicial, and executive branches. In the executive branch is those that enforce laws, including state governors, city mayors, and county executives. There are even specific senators for each district of NYC.
According to NYSenate.gov, there are 63 members in the New York Senate, each of them aiming to represent the 19 million citizens of NY. Information about all of these senators can be found here, but you can find your specific senator here, by simply entering your home address. These senators are easily accessible by phone or email, and you can reach out to them for any issues you may have seen in your current neighborhood that are important to you. This is the most accessible way we as citizens, and minors, have to ensure our voices are heard.
These senators do not miraculously appear in office one day; there are elections are held every two years, the people who put them into office are us, the everyday people. The NY Senate is a platform in which every citizen has an opportunity to make their voice be heard. Now, some people may be wondering, how can I do this? It seems as if it’d be a lot of work, but in actuality, it’s a quite simple process.
First, there are some restrictions the state of New York has in place for their voters. In order to qualify for registration, you must be 18 years and older, a U.S. citizen, and a resident of NY for at least 30-days prior to the given election.
If you qualify, there are various ways in which you can register to vote. This can be done online here, or specifically for NY, here. If doing it online is not an option for you, there are additional options to register via mail or in-person.
Via mail:
● Download the National Mail Voter Registration Form. From here, you can either fill it out online and then print it out, or you can print it out and then fill out the information manually. Remember to sign the form before mailing it out.
In-person:
● You can find your local Department of Motor Vehicles office, Armed Forces Recruitment Center, or public assistance offices (such as SNAP/Food stamps), and register there.
In order to register, you will need either a driver’s license, or state ID. While it is possible to register with alternative documentation, these are what’s recommended and encouraged to bring.
More information on how to register for voting can be found at New York‘s official website.
