November 2, 2021
Local government impacts our everyday lives. City and State Representatives make decisions that are directly felt by communities – on matters such as housing, public transportation, healthcare, education, and more. This election, New Yorkers have the opportunity to strengthen our democracy, ensure further inclusivity in our civic engagement efforts, and drastically expand the power of our vote. Today, New York City will hold a General Election for local offices including Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough President, City Council, and District Attorney. Voters will also be voting “yes” or “no” on five ballot proposals regarding proposed changes to the New York State Constitution.
This election season, the Arab-American Family Support Center has joined forces with United Neighborhood House (UNH)’s “GOTV” working group to support inclusive, multi-lingual voter engagement efforts across the five boroughs of NYC. Through our “Communicate” priority area, AAFSC works to amplify the voices of the marginalized and under-resourced communities and give a platform to the communities who are often excluded from conversations about their rights. In September, we kicked off our GOTV efforts testifying in favor of Intro 1867, a bill that, if passed, could expand municipal voting rights for over 900,000 non-citizen New Yorkers. Throughout election season, we held voter registration clinics to ensure community members know their rights and feel empowered to participate in our democracy. We amped up our digital communications campaign with two IG Live Q&A discussions on civic engagement and advocacy efforts, partnering with local community organizers working on the ground, and we organized six phone-banking sessions to reach voters during the critical early voting period to support them in making a voting plan.
While our voter empowerment efforts are ever-present, election days present communities with the power to speak directly to our leaders and shape our City’s future. Get to the polls, drop off your absentee ballot and make your voice heard in NYC’s 2021 General Election! Polls are open until 9:00pm today.
To find your polling site: Find My Poll Site/View Sample Ballot (vote.nyc)
To read more on the five ballot proposals: 2021 Ballot Proposals | NYC Votes (voting.nyc)
