Voters in New York City are heading to the polls today (Tuesday Nov. 2) to choose a new mayor.
Democrat Eric Adams, a former state senator, retired police captain and the 18th borough president of Brooklyn, is leading in the polls and is expected to win. Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, head of the Guardian Angels civil protection organization, is challenging Adams for the post.
New Yorkers will also be electing a new Comptroller and a Public Advocate, as well as new Borough Presidents in all five boroughs, District Attorneys in Manhattan and Brooklyn, new judges and City Council Members to represent each neighborhood in the city.
Polls opened at 6am and are set to close at 9pm.
Voters are also expected to decide on five ballot proposals as well that have already been approved by representatives in the State Assembly and State Senate:
- A proposed constitutional amendment that would freeze the number of state senators at 63, change the process for counting the state’s population, provide for incarcerated people to be counted at their place of last residence (instead of prison) for the purpose of redistricting and change the way district lines are drawn for congressional and state legislative offices in 2022, among other amendments
- A proposal to add the right of each person to clean air and water and a healthful environment to the Bill of Rights in Article 1 of the New York Constitution.
- A proposed amendment to delete the current 10-day advance voter registration requirement, thus allowing a citizen to register to vote less than 10 days before the election.
- A proposed amendment to delete the requirement on absentee ballots that an absentee voter be unable to appear at the polls by reason of absence from the county or illness or physical disability.
- A proposed amendment to increase the jurisdiction of the New York City Civil Court by allowing it to hear and decide claims for up to $50,000 instead of the current limit of $25,000.
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New Jersey Votes for Governor
New Jersey voters are voting this time around for a governor to serve the next four years in office; Democratic Governor Phil Murphy is up for re-election, but he is being challenged by Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli.
If Murphy wins, he will be the first Democratic New Jersey governor to win re-election in 44 years.
More than 207,000 residents in the state took advantage of a nine-day early voting period that ended Sunday. Another 495,000 mail-in votes were received as well.
Polls in New Jersey opened at 6am and are set to close at 8pm.