Bulletin
November 2021
In this issue:
- Message from the President
- Voter Service Information
- General Election Information
- CNC Election Information
- Upcoming Events
- Recent Events
- Other Announcements
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Message from the President |
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The League of Women Voters of Scarsdale (LWVS) is hard at work this fall. As a non-partisan, political organization, it is our charge to promote civic engagement and active participation in government. To that end, I encourage all registered voters to VOTE! Election Day is Tuesday, November 2.
Voters still have two ways to vote: by absentee ballot and in person on Election Day.
All voters have the option to apply for an absentee ballot by selecting “temporary illness” for fear of contracting COVID-19. Today, Monday, November 1, is the last day to apply for an absentee ballot in person at the Westchester Board of Elections, 25 Quarropas Street, White Plains. Completed ballots may be submitted by mail (include first class postage), hand delivered to the Westchester Board of Elections, or placed in secure drop boxes at your Election Day polling location.
Those who plan to vote in person on November 2, Election Day, please note that you must vote at your assigned polling location.
This may be an off-year election, but there are important measures on the ballot, including five Proposals to amend the New York State Constitution. Of particular note is Proposal Four, which would permit the New York legislature to enact legislation to allow no-excuse absentee voting. Currently, the New York State Constitution restricts absentee voting to those persons who are absent from the county of their residence on Election Day and those who are unable to appear at their polling place because of illness or physical disability. As an emergency measure during the pandemic, voters were permitted to indicate a fear of contracting or spreading a disease such as COVID-19 as a reason for getting an absentee ballot, but this measure expires on January 1. Having a choice on how to vote, whether by absentee ballot, early voting, or election day voting, makes it easier for citizens to make their voices heard. The League supports this measure and hopes that New York can join other states that have less-restrictive absentee voter laws.
As for our work to foster an interest in civic life in our student community, LWVS Youth Engagement, chaired by Elissa Ruback, has been working collaboratively with the Scarsdale Middle School on a Mock Election and on Civics Jeopardy. We hope that these programs spark a lifelong interest in community involvement and teach students that voting in every election is important.
I also encourage the community to join us for our special Food for Thought Luncheon on Friday, November 5 at Scarsdale Golf Club. Our featured speaker is Professor Thomas Wolf, who will be speaking on the 2020 Census and how it is impacting redistricting and political representation. Please join us for good food, good company, and food for thought!
I welcome everyone in the Scarsdale community to join the League and support our work. I encourage all of you to stay informed, active, and engaged citizens -- your participation enhances and strengthens our democracy!
Best wishes,
Alissa Baum
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Voter Service Information |
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Remember to Vote!
Election Day is Tuesday, November 2!
Polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Voters who have chosen to vote by absentee ballot may drop off completed absentee ballots into secure drop boxes stationed at their November 2 Election Day polling locations. Voters do not need to wait in line to drop off absentee ballots.
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Remember to Vote in Our Local Election Too!
Citizens Nominating Committee Election
Tuesday, November 9
In-Person Voting at Scarsdale Public Library from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
OR
The Citizens Nominating Committee (CNC) is the body of 30 residents serving staggered, 3-year terms that vets applicants and nominates the proposed non-partisan slate for the Village Board of Trustees, including Mayor. Each year, voters elect new representatives from their neighborhood to fill spots vacated by those who have completed their CNC service.
The deadline for Procedure Committee receipt of mail-in ballots at P.O. Box 284 in the Chase Road Post Office is 4 p.m. on Tuesday, November 9. Please visit the Procedure Committee website to download and print the mail-in ballots and for the instructions on how to complete them.
As a voter service reminder, please remember that each ballot must be sealed within its own unmarked privacy envelope. The unmarked envelope must be placed inside an outer mailing envelope that identifies your name, full return address, and elementary school district. The voter must sign the outer mailing envelope across the seal. Multiple ballots within a single envelope will render all such ballots invalid.
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Breaking News: County Redistricting Update
On October 27, Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law a measure, passed by the state legislature in June, to require all counties in New York to abide by state and federal constitutional standards in drawing county legislative district lines. The law makes clear that legislative districts must be drawn respecting municipal boundaries and in such a manner that districts do not favor a particular party, are compact and contiguous, and do not deny the equal opportunity of racial or language minority groups to participate in the political process. Prior to the enactment of this law, counties that operate under a charter, such as Westchester, did not follow the same redistricting standards as all other counties in New York.
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November
- 11/2, Tuesday:
- Election Day
- 11/5, Friday:
- 10:00 a.m. Board Meeting
- 11:45 a.m. Fall Food for Thought Speaker/Luncheon, Scarsdale Golf Club
- 11/8, Monday:
- 3:00 p.m. Meeting of NYS Independent Redistricting Commission, Pace University, Haub School of Law, Gerber Glass Moot Courtroom, White Plains
- 11/9, Tuesday:
- CNC Election
- 11/17, Wednesday:
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6:30 p.m. LWVW Consensus Meeting (Proposed 2022 Westchester County Budget)
- 11/22, Monday:
- 9:00 a.m. Board Meeting
December
- 12/6, Monday:
- 9:00 a.m. Board Meeting
- 10:00 a.m. General Membership and Consensus Meeting (Village Election)
January
- 1/10, Monday:
- 9:00 a.m. Board Meeting
- 1/21, Friday:
- 10:00 a.m. General Membership and Consensus Meeting (School Election)
- 1/29, Saturday:
- 5:00 p.m. Winter Fundraiser (tentative)
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The League of Women Voters of Scarsdale
cordially invites you to
Fall Food for Thought
Friday, November 5
11:45 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Scarsdale Golf Club
Upper Terrace
Outdoors, Tented with Heaters
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"How the 2020 Census and Redistricting Will Shape Political Representation"
Featuring Professor Thomas Wolf
Thomas (Tom) Wolf is Senior Counsel and Spitzer Fellow with the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program, where he leads the Center’s census project.
An experienced constitutional litigator and strategist, Wolf advises civil rights groups, state and local governments, and others on legal strategy and policy relating to the census, redistricting, and other issues. During his time at the Center, he has organized the amicus briefing for several of the U.S. Supreme Court’s most significant democracy cases of the past decade and co-led the lawsuit that thwarted the Trump administration’s attempts to rush the 2020 Census.
Wolf’s articles, op-eds, and commentary on the law and democracy issues have appeared in major media outlets nationwide and globally. He routinely speaks and lectures on law and policy at leading universities, law schools, and public policy schools.
Prior to joining the Brennan Center, Wolf was a member of the Supreme Court and Appellate Group at Mayer Brown LLP. He began his legal career as a clerk for Senior Judge Guido Calabresi of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Wolf received his JD from Yale Law School. He also holds advanced degrees in political thought and intellectual history from the University of Cambridge and urban development planning from the Bartlett Faculty of University College London, which he attended as a Marshall Scholar. He graduated summa cum laude with an AB in history from Harvard College.
You may purchase your ticket(s) for the LWVS Fall Food for Thought Luncheon via PayPal or check. Tickets are $55 for adults, and $30 for students. All attendees must have proof of vaccination to attend. This event will be held on the upper outside tented terrace with heaters.
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If you would prefer to pay by check:
- Make checks payable to LWVS.
- Please write "FFT" in the memo line along with names of attendees for whom you are paying.
- Mail payment to:
League of Women Voters of Scarsdale
P.O. Box 495
Scarsdale, NY 10583
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Youth Outreach at Scarsdale Middle School
After switching gears last year due to Covid-19 restrictions, the League’s Youth Outreach Program is back in Scarsdale Middle School!
Can you name what the 24th Amendment prohibits? How about naming 5 of the 8 States that conduct “All Mail” elections? This fall, League volunteers will be in some of the 8th Grade classrooms to lead an updated online Civics Trivia game that we conducted remotely last year. Students will be able to compete in teams to see just how much they know about Civics.
In addition, on Monday, November 1, volunteers return to support the Social Studies Department’s mock election. All middle school students will go to the Great Hall during their Social Studies classes to cast their votes. Information sheets created by the Youth Outreach Program outlining the candidates and explaining important ballot proposals will be provided to the students so they can be informed voters.
Later in November, Jessica Jones Capparell, Director of Government Affairs at the League of Women Voters of the United States, will speak to Scarsdale Middle School students during their Annual Human Rights Day about Voting Rights as Human Rights. She will discuss current attempts to restrict voting rights across the United States and the League’s role in defending the right to vote for all.
League members and other volunteers will be manning polling station tables to check the young voters in before they cast their ballots and in the classroom to lead the Civics Trivia game. If you are interested in volunteering for future Youth Outreach Programs, please email [email protected].
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Federal and State Redistricting Update
Public Hearing on November 8 at 3:00 p.m.
Haub School of Law at Pace University
Gerber Glass Moot Courtroom
78 North Broadway
White Plains, New York
On September 15th, the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission (“IRC”), a bipartisan commission formed to remove political bias from the process of creating U.S. Congressional and state legislative maps, surprised many when it failed to agree on the same set of proposed maps for dividing New York voters. The IRC released two sets of U.S. Congressional, State Assembly, and State Senate district maps for debate, one proposed by Democratic IRC members and one proposed by Republican IRC members.
The IRC was under pressure to release the draft maps by the September 15th deadline, and consensus on the draft maps was difficult to reach due to the fact that the IRC had only received the 2020 census data - the basis of the district lines – approximately one month prior to the deadline. The IRC will need to approve and submit final proposed maps to the State Legislature by January 1st, with a grace period until January 15th. The maps that the IRC sends to the State Legislature need approval by a bipartisan group of seven of the ten commissioners. If they cannot reach the seven vote threshold, they will then send the map with the most votes. If there is a tie, they will send both maps.
The Legislature then needs to approve the maps with a two-thirds vote to send them to the governor. If the Legislature does not approve the maps, the IRC has until February 28th to submit new versions. If the Legislature rejects those as well, then the Legislature may create its own maps.
A state constitutional amendment, Proposal One, is on the November ballot to change the rules governing this process. If approved, the IRC would be required to submit their plans to lawmakers earlier, and the voting requirements for the IRC to approve the plans would be relaxed.
The State Constitution does not require the IRC to agree on a single set of maps at this point in the process. But the two sets of maps are a potential bad sign that the IRC will be unable to find consensus on a single set of bipartisan maps to present to the Legislature.
Until then, the IRC will hear from the public to determine the outcome. New Yorkers’ input will be critical to creating the drafts of the final maps that will be submitted to the Legislature. Fourteen hearings will be held across the state to gather input from New Yorkers. Locally, one such hearing will be held on Monday, November 8, at 3:00 p.m., at the Haub School of Law at Pace University, Gerber Glass Moot Courtroom, 78 North Broadway, White Plains, New York. We encourage all members of the community to testify at this hearing (whether virtually or in person) or submit written comments. See the IRC website for more information. The deadline to sign up to testify is November 6.
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LWVS General Membership and Consensus Meeting
on the Village Election System
Monday, December 6
10:00 a.m.
Venue/Format TBD
Please join the LWVS on Monday, December 6, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. for a general membership information session with Procedure Committee representatives regarding this year's Citizens Nominating Committee (CNC) election. All members of the public are welcome to attend the information session.
The Procedure Committee is the body that solicits candidates for CNC, proposes amendments to the Resolution, and runs the CNC election and referendum on the amendments, if any. The CNC is the body that vets applicants and nominates the proposed slate for the Village Board of Trustees, including Mayor. The Non-Partisan Resolution is the document that governs the Village's non-partisan election system.
A consensus discussion will immediately follow the information session for purposes of making recommendations to the Procedure Committee. Only League members may be present for the consensus discussion.
For more information, please contact Diane Baylor, LWVS Village Election System Chair, at [email protected].
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Redistricting 101
On Thursday, October 21, LWVS President Alissa Baum, in collaboration with the Scarsdale Public Library, facilitated a presentation on redistricting in New York State. The presentation was part of a larger effort by the League of Women Voters of Westchester - via libraries across the county - to inform the public about the current redistricting process and to encourage community involvement.
Alissa presented slides about the history of the League of Women Voters and its mission to support and promote civic engagement and participation and communicated detailed information about redistricting: 1) defining redistricting terminology; 2) summarizing the state and federal laws that govern redistricting; 3) explaining how the newly formed Independent Redistricting Commission and state legislature will create and vote on legislative maps; and 4) detailing ways Scarsdale citizens can be involved. The LWVS thanks Katie Karkheck from Scarsdale Public Library for her work helping to organize the event.
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Upcoming Meeting:
The LWVW annual review and consensus meeting of the proposed 2022 Westchester County budget will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 17, via Zoom. Registration is required.
The County Executive is responsible for issuing both operating and capital budgets that determine our county tax obligation. The public is given an opportunity to respond to the proposals at public hearings prior to its adoption. The Board of Legislators has the responsibility to accept and/or make adjustments before enacting final approval by the end of the calendar year 2021. Westchester County budget director Larry Soule will present an overview of the proposal and respond to LWVW and participant questions. Join with other Westchester Leaguers to determine the LWVW response to the proposals.
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Membership Renewal Reminder
2021 is the Centennial Anniversary of the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale!
The League thrives with your support -- join the League today!
If you have any questions, please contact LWVS Membership Co-chairs, Heedan Chung and Lauren Tetenbaum Dorman, at [email protected].
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Stay Connected!
The LWVS Bulletin is published monthly. To ensure that you receive our news directly, please provide your preferred email and physical mailing address when you renew your membership or join for the first time.
Bulletins will be sent via eblast and posted on our website, Facebook page, and Twitter feed. In an effort to be more environmentally friendly, only the Spring edition will be printed and mailed to members.
Contact us at [email protected] with any questions about your membership status or to change/update your contact information.
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Thank you
I would like to thank League volunteers who contributed significant time and energy during the month of October to ensure our community was informed and engaged.
Thank you to Voter Service Chairs: Lauren Hertzog Fields, Beatrice Sevcik, and Jessica Zellner for providing voter information as well as updates on the status of redistricting to the community.
Thank you to Elissa Ruback for all of your work planning youth engagement events such as Civics Jeopardy and the Mock Election at Scarsdale Middle School. Thank you to Jenny Tabak for engaging new volunteers for these events.
Thank you to Anne Lyons for your skillful planning of our Food for Thought Luncheon, making sure the event could be held safely and comfortably in an outdoor space.
Thank you to Diane Baylor for all of your hard work recording our minutes, maintaining our website, and providing much needed expertise.
Thank you to Joan Bowen and Dana Matsushita for keeping the community up to date with the multitude of eblasts and social media postings required during a busy month.
Thank you to Heedan Chung and Lauren Tetenbaum Dorman for your hard work and creativity to reach new members in our recent Membership campaign. Thank you to Jenny Tabak for accurately maintaining our membership records.
Thank you to Erika Rublin for managing our finances and keeping the Board up to date on all of our transactions.
Thank you to Dana Matsushita for your work in editing the LWVS Bulletin.
Thank you to Suzie Hahn for your work chairing the School Budget Portfolio and to Jytoti Ruta for chairing our SBNC Portfolio.
Thank you to Cindy Yau and Sara Pinto for your planning of exciting programs to be announced in the coming weeks.
Thank you to Renee Baylor, Debbie Miller, and Kitt Rosenthal, for being indispensable Board members and the source of knowledge and insight.
Thank you to Tracy Tang for enthusiastically stepping up to chair our Village Budget Portfolio.
Thank you to Marci Rothman, Steve Goodman, and the Scarsdale Middle School Social Studies Department for your collaboration on the LWVS middle school events. Thank you to Katie Karkheck at Scarsdale Public Library for helping to organize Redistricting 101 via zoom.
Best,
Alissa Baum
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Village of Scarsdale
As of October 31, 2021
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Board of Trustees
Jane Veron, Mayor
Term ends April 2023
Justin Arest, Deputy Mayor
2nd term ends April 2022
Sameer Ahuja
1st term ends April 2023
Karen Brew
1st term ends April 2023
Lena Crandall
2nd term ends April 2022
Jonathan Lewis
2nd term ends April 2023
Randall Whitestone
1st term ends April 2022
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Board of Education
Karen Ceske, President
1st term ends June 2022
Amber Yusuf, Vice President
1st term ends June 2023
Jim Dugan
1st term ends June 2024
Carl Finger
1st term ends June 2022
Robert Klein
1st term ends June 2023
Jessica Resnick-Ault
1st term ends June 2024
Ronald Schulhof
1st term ends June 2022
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League of Women Voters of Scarsdale
2021-22
Officers
President: Alissa Baum
First Vice President: Elissa Ruback
Second Vice President: Anne Lyons
Recording Secretary: Diane Baylor
Corresponding Secretary: Dana Matsushita
Treasurer: Erika Rublin
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2021-2022 Elected Board Members
Joan Bowen
Heedan Chung
Lauren Tetenbaum Dorman
Lauren Hertzog Fields
Suzie Hahn
Debbie Miller
Jyoti Ruta
Beatrice Sevcik
Jessica Zellner
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Appointed Board Members
Renée Baylor
Sara Pinto
Kitt Rosenthal
Jenny Simon Tabak
Cindy Yau
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Advocacy: Alissa Baum
Audit: Amber Yusuf and Susan Lee Foley
Book Group: Jessica Zellner
Budget: Nancy Michaels (Off-Board)
Bulletin Editor: Dana Matsushita
Development/Finance Drive: Anne Lyons
Eblast/Publicity: Dana Matsushita
Environment/Sustainability: TBD
Hospitality: Kitt Rosenthal
Luncheons: Anne Lyons
LWVW Liaison: Renée Baylor
Membership: Heedan Chung and Lauren Tetenbaum Dorman
Membership Statistician: Jenny Simon Tabak
Nominating Chair: Janice Starr (Off-Board)
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Program/Education: Sara Pinto and Cindy Yau
School Budget: Suzie Hahn
School Election: Jyoti Ruta
Social Media: Joan Bowen
Voter Service: Lauren Hertzog Fields, Beatrice Sevcik, and Jessica Zellner
Students Inside Albany: Lauren Tetenbaum Dorman and Cindy Yau
Village Budget: Tracy Tang
Village Election: Diane Baylor
Website: Diane Baylor
Youth Engagement: Elissa Ruback
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Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport – Get Involved!
The League of Women Voters
Creating A More Perfect Democracy For 100 Years
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The League of Women Voters of Scarsdale (LWVS) is a volunteer nonpartisan political organization which promotes political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government. The League is nonpartisan in that it does not support or oppose any candidate for public office; it is political in that it takes positions on selected governmental issues after serious member study and consensus. |
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