Category: elections

ENDORSEMENT 2021

Posted on by Penny

Ulster People for Justice and Democracy is proud to endorse

SARAH RAKOV

FOR ULSTER COUNTY FAMILY COURT JUDGE

Ulster People’s Endorsement Process

Any candidate who wished to seek the group’s endorsement, regardless of party, was asked to complete a questionnaire which was reviewed by the Ulster People screening committee. If the responses showed a strong alignment between the candidate’s views and actions and Ulster People’s platform, candidates were invited to interview with the screening committee, after which, the committee voted to recommend endorsement (or not). The voting members of Ulster People made the final endorsement decisions.

Ulster People Announces 2021 Endorsements!

Posted on by Penny

Our County Government makes decisions that affect our daily lives—from infrastructure, policing, and public health, to our environment, economy, and rights. Ulster People is proud to endorse 13 candidates for local government, who, if elected, will shift the balance of power and make real change possible:

Ulster People for Justice and Democracy is proud to endorse

March Gallagher

for Ulster County Comptroller

and

12 Candidates for the Ulster County Legislature:

What does our County Legislature do? How does it work?

Learn More
  • Aaron Levine — District 1
  • John Schoonmaker — District 2
  • Abe Uchitelle† — District 5
  • Phil Erner — District 6
  • Peter Criswell† — District 7
  • Marissa McClinton — District 12
  • Kelli Palinkas — District 14
  • Tracey Bartels † — District 16
  • Manna Jo Greene† — District 19
  • Eve Walter† — District 20
  • Chris Hewitt — District 21
  • Kathy Nolan — District 22

†incumbent

Ulster People’s Endorsement Process

Any candidate who wished to seek the group’s endorsement, regardless of party, was asked to complete a questionnaire which was reviewed by the Ulster People screening committee. If the responses showed a strong alignment between the candidate’s views and actions and Ulster People’s platform, candidates were invited to interview with the screening committee, after which, the committee voted to recommend endorsement (or not). The voting members of Ulster People made the final endorsement decisions.

Finally!!! Campaign Finance Reform gets a Public Hearing!

Posted on by Penny

Our legislators need to hear from you before they vote on Proposed Local Law No. 10 of 2019: A Local Law Regarding Campaign Finance Reform!

Mark Your Calendars! Please Come!

PUBLIC HEARING ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
Tuesday, November 12th at 6PM
Ulster County Office Building (6th Floor)
244 Fair Street, 6th Floor, Kingston, NY 12401

And PLEASE consider signing up to speak.

The hearing will start a little after 6, but show up by 6 to sign up for a chance to speak. Your comments must be limited to 2 or 3 minutes. (Best to time yourself in advance rather than having your best lines cut.)

This is your chance to let our legislators know how important you think passage of this legislation is for the health (perhaps even survival) of our democracy.

Campaign Finance Reform means that:

  • big donors will have less influence on our elections.
  • pay-to-play corruption in government will be reduced.
  • candidates who couldn’t afford to wage competitive campaigns now can.
  • we are more likely to have a more diverse group of candidates to choose from
  • and elected officials who more accurately represent our communities.

Ulster County could have real comprehensive campaign finance reform for local and county-wide races before the end of the year!

The Numbers

…have not changed since our last update:

Local candidates, having qualified for public funds by raising $500 in individual small donations (under $100), including at least 50 individual donations, will have their contributions matched at a 5:1 ratio up to a maximum of $2500.  Candidates receive their share of public funds as soon as they qualify.  

County-wide candidates must first raise $15,000 in small donations (under $100) from at least 150 individual donors to qualify for the $23,000 in public matching funds available.  

Contribution limits (individuals, partnerships, political committees, labor organizations) are set at $3500 per election cycle for county-wide races and at $650 for local races (both considerably less for those doing business with the county). 

Note: A possible point of contention going forward is the 5:1 ratio at which small campaign contributions are to be matched with public money. 5:1 sounds like candidates will get more money. That’s not true. The maximum amount available to a candidate remains unchanged whether the matching ratio is 10:1, 5:1 or 3:1.

At 5:1, local candidates would receive the entire $2500 in public matching funds available to them as soon as they have raised their qualifying $500 in small donations

At 3:1, they would receive only $1500 when they have raised the initial qualifying $500, leaving $1000 still available. To receive that final $1000, they would have to raise another $333 in small donations ($999).

But the maximum amount available to each candidate remains unchanged.

For County-wide candidates, the ratio (5:1 or 3:1) makes no difference at all.  They must first raise $15,000 in small donations (under $100) from at least 150 individual donors to qualify. Either a 3:1 or a 5:1 matching ratio gets them well over $23,000, which is the maximum amount they can receive in public funds.  

Now is the time!

The numbers may not have changed since our last post about the progress of this legislation, but the number of supporters in the Legislature may yet change when all of the absentee ballots are counted. That could work in our favor– or not.

Campaign Finance Reform is something we all care about.

Let’s make sure it happens during this legislative session!

Read our past coverage on campaign finance reform in Ulster County:

Comprehensive Campaign Finance Reform (Sept. Update)

Posted on by Penny

We’re SO Close!

But our work is not done! The sub-committee has completed its work on the proposed 2019 Comprehensive Campaign Finance Reform law. It has been to the lawyers and now will go to the legislators. A Public Hearing will be scheduled, the legislators will vote and, assuming it passes, it will go to the County Executive.

There is no guarantee that he will sign. We have to keep the pressure on!

The Need

Ulster People would like to see a closed system, in which all campaigns are publicly financed and all candidates bound by the same spending limits. That’s not happening now, but passing this law is certainly a step in the right direction.  

New candidates, whose limited resources kept them from running in the past, will take advantage of public matching funds to run competitive campaigns.  The undue influence of large contributors and the corruption they invite will be curtailed. Our democratic processes will be supported.   

The Numbers

Local candidates, having qualified for public funds by raising $500 in individual small donations, will have their contributions matched at a 5:1 ratio up to a maximum of $2500.  Candidates receive their share of public funds as soon as they qualify.  

If legislators push back and insist on a 3:1 ratio in the final bill, it actually makes very little difference. Candidates would receive only $1500 when they have raised the initial qualifying $500, leaving $1000 still available. To receive that final $1000, they would have to raise another $333 in small donations ($999). The maximum amount available to each candidate remains unchanged. It just takes a little more effort to get there.

For County-wide candidates, the ratio (5:1 or 3:1) makes no difference at all.  They must first raise $15,000 in small donations to qualify. Either a 3:1 or a 5:1 matching ratio gets them well over $23,000, which is the maximum amount they can receive in public funds.  

Contribution limits (individuals, partnerships, political committees, labor organizations) are set at $3500 per election cycle for county-wide races and at $650 for local races (and considerably less for those doing business with the county). 

The Public Hearing 

has yet to be scheduled. The date and time will be posted here as soon as it’s on the Legislative Calendar and we will suggest possible talking points at that time.

This may be the most important issue the legislature has taken up this session. It’s been years of promises and finally there’s an end in sight!  Whether or not you decide to speak, your presence is evidence of support and the legislators care.

Please watch for the hearing date and consider showing up!

The Prize!

Passage of this local law in the Legislature–and the County Exec’s signature– means that Ulster County could  have real comprehensive campaign finance reform for local and county-wide races before the end of the year. 

In the meantime, please put pressure on our County Executive and Legislators every chance you get.  Send an email. Make a phone call. If you are in a meeting with Pat Ryan or any of our legislators, ask about their position on Campaign Finance Reform.  Make sure to let them know how important it is to you–– to all of us. Give a speech. Tell them it’s time–– past time–– for Ulster County to have real Campaign Finance Reform.  Finally! No more delays!    

Let’s make sure that happens! 

Read our past coverage on campaign finance reform in Ulster County:

Update on Campaign Finance Reform (post 7/8 meeting)

Posted on by Penny

This legislation appears to be moving forward! 

The Need

The document clearly states the need for reform, citing the undue influence of large contributions on our democratic processes, and “the specter of quid pro quo corruption, even more so when the contributor is involved in government contracts.” 

The Issues Considered

The list of issues still to be resolved before this legislation moves to a vote of the full legislature continues to shrink.   The lawyers have weighed in where necessary, and tentative agreement has been reached by the subcommittee on the vast majority of specifics, including:

  • Candidate pathways to qualification for public financing;
  • The amount of public funds to be made available to candidates and the ratio at which they will be distributed;
  • Campaign contribution limits; and
  • The amount to be appropriated to and maintained in the campaign finance fund.

Among the remaining unresolved issues is a question about responsibility for oversight, but as options have been clarified and evaluated, the subcommittee is moving closer to a resolution. 

What Comes Next

The legislative subcommittee members (Jonathan Heppner, Hector Rodriguez and Ken Ronk) are preparing a pre-draft document for Tracey Bartels, Chair of the Legislature. Tracey will attend the next meeting (date yet to be determined) prepared to share any questions, issues or comments she might have. 

Barring (unanticipated) major revisions, the document will then be filed with the clerk and copies made available to all the legislators.  The caucuses will discuss, amendments (if any) will be considered, a public hearing scheduled and— a vote taken!

What You Can Do

Following the next meeting of the subcommittee, I will post another update. By that time, we should know with more certainty what the proposed legislation will look like.

If it is diluted beyond the point where it seems likely to accomplish what we are hoping for, real Comprehensive Finance Reform that effectively limits the intrusion of big money into our local and county-wide elections and makes it possible for those with limited resources to wage competitive campaigns, we will have a chance to lobby our legislators and make our preferences known.

The official public hearing (date to be determined) will be scheduled, at which you will all be allowed to speak.

In the meantime, you can attend either the July 16th or the August 20 regular legislative session (7PM in the Legislative Chambers on the 6th floor of the County Office Building, 244 Fair Street, Kingston, NY) and add your voice to their deliberations. (If you want to speak, you should plan to show up a little before 7 to sign up.)

The Prize!

The legislature’s passage of this local law (and the signature of the County Executive) means that Ulster County could  have real comprehensive campaign finance reform for local and state-wide races before the end of the year. 

Let’s make sure that happens!  

Ulster People Endorses Bernie Sanders for President!

Posted on by rebecca

Rosendale, NY – By a huge majority, the members of Ulster People for Justice and Democracy voted on Monday night to endorse Bernie Sanders for President.

Ulster People member Todd Wolgamuth explained, “Bernie Sanders has been a powerful and often lone voice for justice, fairness and equality in a sea of political actors self-centered and corrupted by money with hidden agendas.”

Wolgamuth’s enthusiasm for Sanders exemplifies the strong thread of
political activism that runs through Ulster People, which was founded in the
aftermath of the Sanders presidential bid in 2016.

In the last three years, UP has thrown its volunteer power into several local
political races; with their powerful grassroots connections and multi-pronged approach, UP volunteers were a key contributor to the election of a wave of Democrats to the Ulster County Legislature in 2017.

Now members of Ulster People are eager to focus their energy on a presidential campaign again. “Bernie’s platform aligns with my values and his candidacy promises much needed excitement and optimism,” Penny Coleman, UP member and Vice Chair explained.

With this endorsement of Bernie Sanders, Ulster People positions itself as the organization providing local support and local structure to the Sanders campaign. UP members are seasoned grassroots activists familiar with the turf that needs to be covered for Sanders to succeed. Bernie Sanders won 63% of the vote in Ulster County in the 2016 Presidential Primary; with the added energy of people joining now, UP plans to do that well or better in 2020.

For those interested in volunteering for the Sanders campaign locally, Ulster People for Justice and Democracy can be found at https://ulsterpeople.org.

In the words of UP member Max Grieshaber, “Bernie Sanders represents the substance of valuing community over corporate selfishness.”

The combination of Ulster People’s experienced volunteers and the activists who join now will make a formidable force here in the Hudson Valley.

Getting on the Ballot in NY State Part 2: Caucus or Petition?

Posted on by Penny

This post is an excerpt from our forthcoming The Ulster County Electoral Field Guide, developed by Ulster People Vice Chair Penny Coleman. We have done our best to ensure its accuracy as of March 2019.

Series Navigation

Getting on the Ballot: Caucus or Petition

Party nomination of candidates for elective office is made at either a party caucus or in a primary election.  In Ulster County, petitioning is used for all state and county-wide offices, legislative seats, and some town offices.  If more than one candidate from the same party submits enough valid petition signatures, there will also be a primary election.  The City of Kingston and the Towns of Woodstock and New Paltz have switched to petition, but in other towns the caucus is still used.

Continue reading “Getting on the Ballot in NY State Part 2: Caucus or Petition?” →

Getting on the Ballot in NY State Part 1: Background

Posted on by Penny
Getting on the Ballot in New York State - Part I: Background

This post is an excerpt from our forthcoming The Ulster County Electoral Field Guide, developed by Ulster People Vice Chair Penny Coleman. We have done our best to ensure its accuracy as of March 2019.

Series Navigation

New York’s Election Laws (Background)

Election laws and procedures are different everywhere you go in the U.S. and at every level of federal, state and local government.  The way things are done in Ulster County might be similar to the way things are done in Columbia or Green, but don’t count on it. It’s always best to make sure you understand what the specific local rules are for the office you are seeking. Check with the BOE and never assume that what was true for last year’s election will be true for the next.

Image by Let NY Vote

Some background on New York State Election Politics:

If you think voting restrictions are only a southern shame, think again.  New Yorkers have endured some of the most restrictive voting rights laws, and consequently one of the worst records on voter turnout, in the country.  In 2016, we ranked 41st in voter turnout. That was an improvement over 2014, when we ranked 49th, with only 27% of eligible voters making it to the polls.

Continue reading “Getting on the Ballot in NY State Part 1: Background” →

2017 Ulster County Legislature Election Results & Thank You!!

Posted on by rebecca

Big thanks go out to the many volunteers who got involved in these vital campaigns, and to the candidates endorsed by Ulster People. You’re an inspiration to us all! Thank you for stepping up and running for office: Laura Hartmann, Lynn Eckert, Jennifer Schwartz Berky, Glenn Geher, Andrew Zink, Julius Collins, Tracey Bartels, James Delaune, Doug Adams, Manna Jo Greene, Hector Rodriguez, Kathy Nolan, and Jonathan Heppner.

Ulster People Wins Big in Yesterday’s Primaries!

Posted on by rebecca

While it will still be some time before the results of the write-in campaigns are known, we are pleased to announce that all 4 candidates Ulster People endorsed in the Democratic primaries for Ulster County Legislature won last night – and all with over 69% of the vote!

Congrats to the candidates & thank you to all the volunteers who wrote letters, made phone calls, and knocked on doors! Together we can achieve a just, prosperous, and sustainable Ulster County – onwards to the general election!

PS. We need your help to win in the generals! Please join us and get involved!