Tag: elections

creativity

New York City’s 2024 election ballot explained

Christa Avampato
nycvotes.org

Early voting starts in New York and New Jersey today, October 26, 2024. In New York City, we have a number of races and proposals on our ballot. Here are informational links about them. Thank you for being a voter, encouraging your friends, family members, and neighbors to vote, and participating in our democracy. 

Early voting days, times, and location

  • Saturday, October 26, 2024 — Sunday, November 3, 2024. Hours vary by day
  • The location of your early voting polling station may be different than your election day polling station.
  • To find the location and hours of your early voting polling site, visit https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/

Election day

  • Tuesday, November 5th. 6am — 9pm. 
  • The location of your early voting polling station may be different than your election day polling station.
  • To find the location of your election day polling site, visit https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/

If you’re voting by mail

Candidates on the New York City ballot this year

We will be voting for candidates for the following offices:
President and Vice President
U.S. Senate
Congressional district
State Assembly
State Senate

You can see the candidates who will be on your ballot and read about them at https://www.nycvotes.org/whats-on-the-ballot/2024-state-and-federal-general-election/

Proposals on the New York City ballot this year

We also have six city proposals on our ballot: https://www.nycvotes.org/whats-on-the-ballot/2024-state-and-federal-general-election/2024-ballot-proposals/. 

Here is the name and direct link to each proposal that explains what it means as well as arguments for and against it. Proposal 1 aims to prevent discrimination and enhance civil rights. Proposals 2 — 6 grant increased power to the mayor and the mayor’s appointees.  

Ballot Proposal 1: Adds Certain Rights Protections to the State Bill of Rights
https://www.nycvotes.org/whats-on-the-ballot/2024-state-and-federal-general-election/2024-ballot-proposals/ballot-proposal-1/

Ballot Proposal 2: Cleaning Public Property
https://www.nycvotes.org/whats-on-the-ballot/2024-state-and-federal-general-election/2024-ballot-proposals/ballot-proposal-2/
 
Ballot Proposal 3: Additional Estimates of the Cost of Proposed Laws and Updates to Budget Deadlines
https://www.nycvotes.org/whats-on-the-ballot/2024-state-and-federal-general-election/2024-ballot-proposals/ballot-proposal-3/

Ballot Proposal 4: More Notice and Time Before Votes on Public Safety Legislation
https://www.nycvotes.org/whats-on-the-ballot/2024-state-and-federal-general-election/2024-ballot-proposals/ballot-proposal-4/

Ballot Proposal 5: Capital Planning
https://www.nycvotes.org/whats-on-the-ballot/2024-state-and-federal-general-election/2024-ballot-proposals/ballot-proposal-5/

Ballot Proposal 6: Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBES), Film Permits, and Archive Review Boards
https://www.nycvotes.org/whats-on-the-ballot/2024-state-and-federal-general-election/2024-ballot-proposals/ballot-proposal-6/

Again, thank you for being a voter!

creativity

Are we thinking about leadership with the wrong metrics?

Christa Avampato
Photo by Steve Leisher on Unsplash

“We don’t elect a president based on policies. We shouldn’t. We should elect them for their character, because we don’t know what’s going to come up.” ~Retired Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster, former National Security Adviser

When we consider hiring (or electing) leaders, we often jump to their experience and policies. General McMaster is asking us to consider who they are. We live in a highly dynamic world. From one day to the next, we’re experiencing dramatic and sweeping changes. New information is widely and broadly disseminated at lightning speed. We need leaders who can operate in this paradigm and help others navigate it, too. 

Rather than looking at a leader’s past experience, what if we think about how they approach the future? Can a leader adapt and adjust? Are they flexible? Do they have a learning-mindset? A grow-mindset? Are they thoughtful? Are they collaborative? Do they care about the people they serve and support? Are they surrounded by bright, eager, caring people? Do they exhibit empathy and compassion? Is love a core value, and how have they demonstrated the use of love in their leadership?

How might hiring (and elections) shift if we embraced General McMaster’s advice? What kind of world might we be able to build together if the strength of someone’s character was consider at least as much as their experience and policies? 

This switch undoubtedly makes hiring and elections more nuanced, complex, and time-consuming. However, given the state of the world and rate of change we’re experiencing, leadership has never been more important to the stability of our planet and society. We deserve to have leaders who are up to the challenges of today and tomorrow. To find and hire these leaders, we need to invest the necessary time and effort to find out who they are, what we care about, and how they can help us move forward together.  

creativity

Campaign communications are bringing the fun and rallying voters

Christa Avampato
Image by Swifties4Kamala.com

Something fascinating and fantastic is happening with campaign communications in 2024 and it warms my story loving heart. In the past, voters have rallied around their political party, social issues, geography, and demographics such as age, race, religion, and ethnicity. This year we’re seeing people rally around their interests, passions, and affinities in support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. From comedy and food to pets and music, there is a group for all of us. These groups and their respective Zoom events are using trusted messengers — people with whom we share a common bond and who make us feel safe—to relate to voters on a personal level. 

This week I went to two online incredible online events: Swifties for Kamala organized by Taylor Swift fans and Cooking for Kamala organized by professional celebrity chefs. (They were both recorded so you can watch them at the links below.) Swifties raised over $144,000 and the chefs raised over $225,000 from event attendees. They got people registered to vote, helped people check their voter registration, talked about issues related to their interests (in these cases, corporate monopolies like Ticketmaster and food security, respectively), provided resources for people to volunteer on the campaign to knock on doors, send postcards, make phone calls, combat disinformation and misinformation, and most importantly activate their friends, family members, and communities to turn out the vote this November. 

Swifties for Kamala has a full website, social media accounts, merch for the cause, friendship bracelets (of course!) and a newsletter called Paint the Town Blue where they are continuing to activate their community after the event. What’s even more impressive about Swifties for Kamala is that it’s organized and run only by fans, not celebrities. Taylor herself is not involved, and they had Senator Elizabeth Warren and Carole King attend the event as special guests.

Collectively, all these affinity events and efforts are also doing the important work of reminding all of us that politics is about people and policies. It’s personal. It’s about who we are and who we want to be. It’s about how we live together in community, in harmony. It’s about the world we’re building for ourselves and future generations. While disagreements will inevitably happen, politics can only be effective if it’s about unity and open, clear communications. These affinity events are putting the heart back into government, and they’re giving us hope. 

Some media outlets have said joy is not a strategy. These events show joy is not only a strategy; it’s also a way of being and doing. And it’s working. 

Swifties for Kamala website, social media accounts, and event rewatch:
https://swifties4kamala.com/
https://linktr.ee/swifties4kamala
https://www.youtube.com/live/r9lQlWzQLPQ

Cooking for Kamala event rewatch:
https://pages.hovercast.live/cooking-for-kamala/live