05.02 Get That Absentee Ballot!
Absentee Ballots, Artist Jay Lynn Gomez, Ask the Mayor Tryout with Dianne Morales
**Absentee Ballot PSA***
We are roughly 2 months from the June 22 primary (Early voting starts June 12!), so there’s no better time than now to request your absentee ballot!
Request your ballot by any of the following:
🔹 nycabsentee.com
🔹 Call 1-866-VOTE-NYC
🔹 Download and fill out the request form and email it to apply4absentee@boe.nyc
🔹 Print and mail your request or drop it off at your borough’s Board of Elections office
Mark “Temporary Illness” as the reason for requesting your absentee ballot.
It is recommended that you request your absentee ballot by June 7 for the June 22 primary election. You’ll also want to mail it back by June 21 to ensure it gets postmarked by June 22nd.
Voting-by-mail (aka absentee voting) is still relatively new for NYers. In March of last year, NYS legislators passed a bill allowing all NYers to vote-by-mail to help NYers perform their civic duty during the pandemic and Cuomo extended the measure for 2021. What happens after 2021? There’s legislation sponsored by Senator Comerie to make no-excuse vote-by-mail permanent in NYC! If you have the bandwidth, send your Senator a note in support of Senate Bill S360.
Mayor’s Race Special Note: We believe Jean Kim and stand with survivors. We will therefore suspend our ranking of mayoral candidate Scott Stringer. NYC deserves better than to promote the toxic status quo. Besides, we’ve got some amazing women running to be mayor! Let’s do this NYC!
More below, including student debt relief, Gala for Dianne Morales, and Artists on the Future, a conversation between Teresita Fernández & Sir David Adjaye.
Wanna put something on our radar? Leave a comment or email us at softpowervote@gmail.com
ON THE RADAR
WATCH: Monday 05.03 12pm: NYS Senate Hearing on Election Legislation
Pertains to: affidavit ballots; number and location of early voting poll sites; portable early voting poll sites; allow for the chosen name of candidates; among other things.
ALERT: NYS Republicans are trying to introduce voter ID laws
Contact your state reps and let them know you DO NOT WANT voter ID laws.
ACTION: Wednesday 05.05: In The Fight Day of Action for Student Debt Relief
Call your federal reps to #CancelStudentDebt. Register here!
PULL UP: Wednesday 05.05 4:30pm: Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes’ Bday
Come celebrate our NYS Assembly crush’s Bday with Mariachi and Mexican food! Register here!
WATCH: Thursday 05.06 10am: City Council FY2022 Executive Budget Hearing
Watch as the City Council goes over the 2022 budget. (Virtual room 2)
ACTION: Contact your city council member and let them know what kind of budget you want for NYC!
The FY2022 $98.6B Budget includes crucial federal funding
Pros: funds schools and programs for children; universal FREE 3-k for all; funds anti-violence groups to combat gun violence; funds open streets programs a little; some funding for small business recovery.
Cons: Does not go far enough for a real recovery and DOES NOT DEFUND THE POLICE AT ALL!
Remember: the budget reflects our values.
WATCH: Thursday 05.06 7:30pm: NYIC Mayoral Forum on Immigration
See the mayoral candidates ideas and policy platforms on immigration. Register here!
PULL UP: Thursday 05.06 7:30pm: Choose the Future Gala for Dianne Morales
Gala fundraiser for our #1 ranked choice for mayor, Dianne Morales
Socially distant Dj, food, drinks! Register here!
CULTURAL WORK
Special May Day shoutout to the invisible landscape of humans that keep our society chugging along. Completely relevant riff off of the iconic David Hockney painting by Jay Lynn Gomez (she/her).
WATCH: Monday, 05.09, 8 pm EST Artists on the Future: Teresita Fernández & Sir David Adjaye. Presented by Stanford Arts.
SOFT POWER VOTE
Absentee Ballot Explainer via The City
WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Ask the Mayor “Tryouts” with Dianne Morales
She talks to Brian and answers questions from NYers while doing a deep dive in defunding the NYPD and the transformation of the city’s schools.
Get Ready to Vote
Voter Registration
Check to see if your registration is correct: nycvotersearch.com
Register to vote / change address: nycvotes.turbovote.org
Important Dates
05.28 Last Day to Postmark Voter Registration/Last Day To Register In-Person
06.02 Last Day for BOE to Receive Voter Registration Through Mail
06.02 Last Day for BOE to Receive Change of Address
06.07 Recommended Last Day to Request Your Absentee/Mail-in Ballot
06.21 Last Day to Apply In-Person for Absentee/Mail-in Ballot
06.22 Last Day to Postmark/Deliver to BOE Absentee/Mail-in Ballot
06.12 - 06.20 Early Voting for Primary
06.22 Primary Election Day
Soft Power Vote SPV Community Folder is still a thing!