What's On The Ballot in NYC?

Voting in NYC’s 2024 General Election is about more than selecting a President — it's about making important decisions that affect neighborhoods across New York.

Elected leaders at the local and state levels support policies that impact our daily lives. City and state governments fund our public schools, public transportation, public safety, housing, and more. Our representatives can also make public transportation more accessible, ban racial discrimination, or preserve reproductive rights. 

Offices On NYC’s Ballot In 2024

Not everyone's ballot will be the same — it depends on who's running for Congress, and the State legislature in your district.

The U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives make up the U.S. Congress. On November 5th, voters will elect representatives from each of New York’s 26 U.S. House districts statewide and one senator to the U.S. Senate.

Once you find out who's on your ballot, here's a quick reminder of what the candidates will do once elected to office.

_{NYC's Congressional Districts}

U.S. Senate

U.S. Senators draft, debate, and vote on legislation; confirm Presidential appointments such as members of the cabinet, Supreme Court justices, and federal judges; and conduct oversight of all branches of government.

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Representatives draft, debate, and vote on legislation; and conduct oversight of all branches of government.

Fun Fact: One of New York's longest serving U.S. Senators was Jacob Javits (1957-1981), who the Javits Center in Manhattan is named after.

_{NYC's State Senate Districts}

NYS Senate

NY State Senators write and vote on legislation; approve state spending levels; uphold or  override the Governor’s vetoes; and confirm the Governor's appointments of state officials and court judges.

Fun Fact: There have been 238 NY state senate sessions since 1776.

_{NYC's State Assembly Districts}

NYS Assembly

NY State Assembly Members write and vote on legislation; approve state spending levels; and uphold or override the Governor’s vetoes.

Fun fact: Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt served as a New York State Assembly Member from 1882-1884. He went on to become Governor of New York and then President of the United States. 

NYC’s 2024 Ballot Proposals 

_{A sample ballot for the General Election}

NYC voters will see six ballot proposals on the ballot in the general election on November 5. 

1. Equal Rights Amendment - Adds anti-discrimination provisions to the State Constitution. Covers ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, and sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity and pregnancy. Also covers reproductive healthcare and autonomy.
2. Cleaning Public Property - This proposal would amend the City Charter to expand and clarify the Department of Sanitation’s power to clean streets and other City property and require waste disposal in containers.
3. Additional Estimates of the Cost of the Proposed Laws and Updates to Budget Deadlines - This proposal would amend the City Charter to require fiscal analysis from the Council before hearings and votes on laws, authorize fiscal analysis from the Mayor, and update budget deadlines.
4. More Notice and Time Before Votes on Public Safety Legislation - This proposal would require additional public notice and time before the City Council votes on laws respecting the public safety operations of the Police, Correction, or Fire Departments.
5. Capital Planning - This proposal would amend the City Charter to require more detail in the annual assessment of City facilities, mandate that facility needs inform capital planning, and update capital planning deadlines.
6. Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBES), Film Permits, and Archive Review Boards - This proposal would amend the City Charter across three distinct issues. It would establish the Chief Business Diversity Officer (CBDO), authorize the Mayor to designate the office that issues film permits, and combine multiple archive boards into one.

Ballot Proposal FAQs

Why are these proposals on the ballot? 

The New York legislature passed the statewide ballot proposal’s (1) Equal Rights Amendment in 2 consecutive sessions, which means New Yorkers can now vote on it in this year’s general election.

The 5 other proposals (2 - 6)  were brought to the ballot by the city’s 2024 Charter Revision Commission. The Commission reviewed the New York City Charter to ensure its efficiency and responsiveness to all New Yorkers, held public hearings and conducted outreach to solicit public input, and offered the suggested changes.

Do I have to vote on each one?

It's your choice whether you fill in ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on one or all of the proposals.  But we encourage voters to have your voice counted on everything that’s on your ballot.

What does it mean if they pass?

A ‘yes’ vote passes a proposal. For proposal 1 (the Equal Rights Amendment), this means the additional language would be added to the state constitution. For the citywide proposals (2 - 6), the changed language would be added to the city charter, which is the city’s version of a constitution. 

Does this only affect NY?

Yes, these specific ballot proposals are only on New York's ballot. 

Where can I read the full text on these proposals?

For the full text on proposal 1's equal rights amendment visit the NYS Board of Elections.

For the full text on the citywide proposals (2-6) visit the NYC Charter Revision Commission.

Judges On The Ballot in NYC

This election can also include judges on your ballot: for the Supreme Court, Civil Court, and Surrogate Court. Less information is publicly available about candidates for these offices. There are resources from organizations such as this one which advocate for judicial transparency.

 _{A map of Judicial Districts in New York}

Make a Plan to Vote in NYC 

Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, but New Yorkers can vote early from Saturday, October 26, through Sunday, November 3. 

Our online voter guide available in 14 languages, provides information on candidates, instructions on how and where to vote, along with FAQs about voting in NYC.  

To find your poll site and a complete list of races that will be on your ballot, including candidates, you can visit the Board of Elections Poll Site Locator and enter your address. After you enter your address, click “View Sample Ballot” at the top of the page. 

By voting, you help prioritize your community’s needs and what’s important to you, and other New Yorkers like you. 

Did you know? New York City is one of the most linguistically diverse places in the world. Over 800 languages are spoken throughout the city!