Primaries

June Primary: Q&A on Early Voting and Primary Day

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Early voting has begun in a closed Democratic primary election contest in Kingston.  It includes a citywide Mayoral race and seats in Wards 1 and 4.  

In all of Ulster County, those who can vote early in the June primary include (as per the Ulster County Board of Elections): All registered Democrats in: Shandaken, Woodstock, Saugerties, Kingston, New Paltz, Gardiner and Hurley; All registered Republicans in: Shawangunk; All registered Working Families Party in: Saugerties.

Early Voting: June 17 – 25
Primary Election: June 27


If your municipality is not listed, it’s because there is not more than one candidate seeking a spot on the ballot for any given party during the General Election ballot in November.

Here are a few helpful key questions and answers to help you during this primary season.   Get out and vote!

 

  1. What is a primary election? In a primary election, each political party selects its candidates to run for office during the general election in November. The candidates who get the highest number of votes in the primary election go on to run in the general election.

 

  1. Can anyone vote in a “closed” primary? During a closed primary, only voters registered with that party can take part and vote.

 

  1. Do I have a primary to vote in? Not all election districts have a primary.  If there is not more than one person trying to seek a particular party line on the general election ballot, there would not be a primary.

 

  1. What if I am not registered in the party that I want to cast a vote in? In NYS, as a current, registered voter, you must have changed your party affiliation by Feb 12 to the party you want to vote with.  If that is not done,  you will not be registered with that party and you cannot vote because in NYS primaries are closed.

 

  1. Can I vote for a person if I do not live in that municipality in a primary election? A voter may only vote within their local voting district for any election.

 

  1. Can I register today and vote? NYS currently does not have same day registration.  This year, that was only available on June 17 as the last day to register as a NEW voter. Under the current law, only on that one day could you register and vote.

 

  1. What happens if I am not in the voter rolls and I did register to vote? You can vote by affidavit ballot, which is then counted by the Board of Elections.  If you have met the criteria to vote after their investigation your vote will be counted.  If your registration does not fit the criteria, it cannot be counted.  The BOE will then send you a letter explaining why so you can correct it for the next election.

 

  1. Why are there no referendums on the ballot? Referendums appear on the ballot in General Elections in November and not during a primary contest. 

 

  1. Why would I not have a ballot to vote on? In the city of Kingston, there is a citywide democratic primary for Mayor. That means that every registered democrat can vote during this primary election.  If you live in Wards 1 and 4, your ballot will include a primary contest for your democratic representative on the Kingston common council.  

 

For more information, visit: 

Early Voting Information: 
https://elections.ulstercountyny.gov/early-voting/

Frequently Asked Questions:
https://elections.ulstercountyny.gov/frequently-asked-questions/

Find your polling place:
https://vic.ntsdata.com/home/ulster

Voter Registration Deadlines: 
https://www.elections.ny.gov/VotingDeadlines.html

 

 

 

SAMPLE BALLOT. Primary Day is September 13th. Vote!

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By Rebecca Martin

On Thursday, September 13th, the primary election will occur with polls open from 12:00pm – 9:00pm.  FIND YOUR POLLING PLACE.

In the City of Kingston, registered Democrats and members of the Reform party will have the opportunity to choose their candidate for the races listed below.   You may REVIEW the sample ballot in advance as well as to click on the links below to be taken to the webpages of each individual candidate.

Please vote!

Read more…

A Helpful Guide to the City of Kingston 2017 Primary Elections.

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The 2017 primary election will occur on Tuesday, September 12th. The polls are open from noon – 9:00 pm.

We know that primary elections can be confusing, and that’s why we created a guide intended to help City of Kingston residents successfully vote for their candidate tomorrow.  Please be in touch if you notice any errors or to make suggestions in the comment section.

The best of luck to all candidates.  Get out and vote Kingston citizens!

 

 

 

 

Can I vote in in the City of Kingston 2017 primary elections?
In a closed primary a registered voter may vote only in the election for the party with which that voter is affiliated. For example a voter registered as Democratic can vote only in the Democratic primary and a Republican can vote only in the Republican primary.

How can I find what district or ward I live in in the City of Kingston?
Please view the City of Kingston Ward map HERE

How can I find my polling place?
You can find your polling place  HERE

What does it mean if someone is listed on the ballot?
When a candidate’s name is listed on the ballot, it means that they are in an actual primary (such as in the Kingston Common Council race in Ward 8).  The other ward races are OTB primaries, where only endorsed candidates are listed.  The others must be written in.

What does “Opportunity to Ballot” mean? (OTB)
An “Opportunity to Ballot” (or write-in) means voters affiliated with the party that is on the ballot are free to write any individual’s name in. For instance, if you are a Republican and you have the option to write-in a candidate in your ward or district, you may do so instead of voting for the listed candidate.  An opportunity to ballot is the result of petitioning within an election district and if valid petitions are submitted with enough signatures, this opens the ballot for a write-in.

Where can I find information about the party’s in this year’s City of Kingston primary race?
In this year’s 2017 City of Kingston Primary races,  the following party’s are involved (in alphabetical order):

CONSERVATIVE
The Ulster County Conservative party can be found on FACEBOOK.

DEMOCRAT
The Ulster County Democrats can be found HERE.  The City of Kingston Democrats can be found HERE.

INDEPENDENCE
Not to be confused with the “Independent” party, the Ulster County Independence party can be found on FACEBOOK for more information.

REPUBLICAN
The Ulster County Republican party’s website can be found HERE.

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Read more…

Tuesday Primaries

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Are you planning to vote at tomorrow’s primary election?
(polls)

Voters will go to the polls on Tuesday, September 15th to choose candidates that will run in November’s election.

There is a good rundown in today’s Freeman: “Tuesday Primaries will set the stage for November elections”.

There have been many questions as to why some of our candidates are not yet putting up lawn signs. Only candidates who are to be in the primary elections can post lawn signs at this time. They will all have to come down after Tuesday. All candidates running for office will post lawn signs prior to the November election.

You might also call the Board of Elections to confirm your voting location, in the case that something has changed. Their number is: (845) 334-5470. Polls are open from noon – 9:00pm.

Click on the candidates links below, when available, to learn more about their current platforms.

In Ulster County:

COUNTY JUDGE: (Vying for the Independence Party Nomination)
Rep. Donald A. Williams vs. Dem. Deborah S. Schneer

District 5 LEGISLATURE: (Vying for the Independence Party Line). Voters select 2.
Rep. Fred Wadnola vs. Dem. Brian Cahill
Rep. James Maloney has forced an opportunity-to-ballot contest for the ballot.

District 6 LEGISLATURE: (Vying for Democratic line). Voters select 2.
Dem. Jeannette Provenzano vs. Dem. Frank Dart vs. Dem. Mike Madsen

WARD 1: (opportunity to ballot, Republican line)
Andi Turco-Levin

WARD 8: (Vying for Conservative line). Voters select 1.
Dem. Robert Senor vs. Rep. Todd Langon

WARD 9: (Vying for Democratic line).
Dem. Hayes Clement vs. Dem. Mark Halwick