Remember to Vote!

General Election:

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

The November 8 general election is fast approaching! Below is important information about the races, one proposal that will be on the ballot, the three ways voters can cast their ballots, and a list of important dates regarding the election.

The Races

Scarsdale residents will vote on ten races: 



1. US Senate
2. US Congressional District 16
3. NY Governor
4. NY Lieutenant Governor
5. NY Attorney General
6. NY Comptroller
7. NY Supreme Court Justice, District 9
8. NY Senate District 37
9. NY Assembly District 88
10. County Court Judge

Details on local races or proposals that may be on your ballot can be found at vote411.org, a website maintained by the League of Women Voters to provide nonpartisan, election-related information.

One NYS Ballot Proposal

Scarsdale residents will also vote on one proposal:  

Proposition 1. Environment and Climate Change Bonds Measure 

 ◦ “To address and combat the impact of climate change and damage to the environment, the "Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022" authorizes the sale of state bonds up to four billion two hundred million dollars to fund environmental protection, natural restoration, resiliency, and clean energy projects. Shall the Environmental Bond Act of 2022 be approved?”

◦ Proposal 1 would issue $4.20 billion in general obligation bonds for projects classified as climate change mitigation, flood-risk reduction, water infrastructure, and land conservation and recreation. The ballot measure would require that bond issue revenue be distributed as follows:

• up to $1.5 billion for air and water pollution reduction projects; wetland protections to address sea-level rise, storm surge, and flooding; relocating or retrofitting facilities; green building projects; solar arrays, heat pumps, and wind turbines in public low-income housing areas; zero-emission school buses; street trees and urban forest programs; green roofs and reflective roofs; and carbon sequestration on natural and working lands;
• at least $1.1 billion for flood-risk reduction, coastal and shoreline restoration, relocating and repairing flood-prone infrastructure and roadways, and ecological restoration projects;
• up to $650 million for land conservation and recreation plans, programs, and projects, as well as fish hatcheries; and
• at least $650 million for projects related to wastewater, sewage, and septic infrastructure; lead service line replacement; riparian buffers; stormwater runoff reduction; agricultural nutrient runoff reduction; and addressing harmful algal blooms.

The ballot measure would require that at least 35% of bond revenue benefit disadvantaged communities.

Three Ways to Vote

There are Three Ways to Vote in the November 8 General Election: 

1. By absentee ballot;
2. In person during Early Voting; or
3. In person on Election Day. 

1. Absentee Ballot: All New York registered voters fearful of contracting Covid-19 may apply for and vote by absentee ballot using “temporary illness” as the reason for their absentee ballot request. Voters may still apply in person for an absentee ballot at the Westchester Board of Elections by November 7. Completed absentee ballots must be postmarked by November 8. Those not comfortable with the delivery of mail service but wishing to avoid the possibility of long lines at the polls may return their completed absentee ballots to drop boxes which will be stationed at the Board of Elections, early voting polling locations, and election day polling locations.
2. In Person during Early Voting: Early voting will take place between October 29 and November 6. Westchester voters can vote at any early polling site in the county. Be sure to check early voting locations and times. Westchester voters may also place absentee ballots in drop boxes at any early voting polling locations.
3. In Person on Election Day: Election Day is November 8, and you can vote only at your assigned polling location on November 8. You may also place your absentee ballot in the drop box at any Election Day polling location.

Important Dates:

• Now: Residents should check their voter registration status.
• 11/6 (Sunday): Last day of Early Voting.
• 11/7 (Monday): Last day to apply in person for an absentee ballot.
• 11/8 (Tuesday): General Election Day
• Last day for your absentee ballot to be postmarked. Absentee ballots must be received by November 15. Absentee ballots without a postmark must be received by November 9.
• Last day to deliver an absentee ballot in person to the Board of Elections or any Westchester County polling site.

Due to a recent change in law, New York State voters are no longer permitted to cast a ballot on a voting machine if they have already been issued an absentee ballot for that election. Voters who have already been issued an absentee ballot can still vote in person using an affidavit ballot. The affidavit ballot will be kept separate until the election is completed. Election officials will verify whether the voter’s absentee ballot has been received. If the voter’s absentee ballot has been received, the affidavit ballot will not be counted. If the voter’s absentee ballot has not been received, the affidavit ballot will be counted.

Updates regarding voting can be found here. You may also visit the NYS League of Women Voters website at My.lwv.org/new-york-state. Questions regarding voting may be directed to the Scarsdale League of Women Voters, Voter Service at [email protected]. 

Poll Workers Needed



Poll workers' duties include helping voters check in, understand their ballots, and cast their votes. You are eligible to be a poll worker in New York if you are a New York registered voter, although in some cases, students who are 17 years old may qualify to be poll workers too. This year, the Board of Elections will pay poll workers $350 for working on election day, plus $50 for completing two training classes.

Interested in helping the election run smoothly and being a part of the democratic process? Learn more about becoming a poll worker and apply to become a poll worker in Westchester County.

Remember to Vote in Our Local Election Too!

Citizens Nominating Committee Election

Tuesday, November 15

In-Person Voting at Scarsdale Public Library from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

OR

Vote by Mail-In Ballot

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.

This year also includes a referendum on the Non-Partisan Resolution amendments.  Please see the Recent Events section below for more information.

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 15. Please visit the Procedure Committee website for more information.

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.

The League of Women Voters of Scarsdale (LWVS) has been working tirelessly 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 8.

Throughout September and October, our Voter Service chairs and Board members have been involved in voter registration drives and various get-out-the-vote efforts. In addition, the LWVS has sponsored, with other local Leagues, Virtual Candidate Forums for our New York Assembly District 88 as well as our New York Senate District 37. The Forums are on our website for viewing.

Voters still have three ways to vote: by absentee ballot, in person during Early Voting, 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. Monday, November 7, 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 any Early Voting polling location during Early Voting or at your polling location on Election Day.

Those who plan to vote in person on November 8, Election Day, please note that you must vote at your assigned polling location.   

As for our work to foster an interest in civic life in our student community, LWVS Youth Engagement, chaired by Jen Zola and Jessica Zellner, 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 Speaker Event on Wednesday, November 16, at the Scarsdale Public Library. Our featured speaker is Rabia Muqaddam, attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights, who will be speaking on Abortion in America Post-Dobbs. Please join us for this engaging speaker and to enjoy coffee and light breakfast fare after the event.   

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

November

• 11/7, Monday:
• 8:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mock Election, Scarsdale Middle School
• 7:00 p.m. Board Meeting
• 11/8, Tuesday:
• General Election 
• 11/16, Wednesday:
• 9:15 a.m. Fall Speaker Event, Scarsdale Public Library
• 11/18, Friday:
• 10:00 a.m. Board Meeting

December

• 12/5, Monday:
• 9:00 a.m. Board Meeting
• 10:00 a.m. Membership and Consensus Meeting (Village Election), Scarsdale Public Library

Youth Outreach at Scarsdale Middle School

DAILY DOUBLE!!! For 1000 Points, name the state with the most electoral votes and name one of the states with the fewest. You have 30 seconds to come up with the answer...

If you guessed California with the most, and Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont or Wyoming for the fewest, YOU ARE CORRECT!

League volunteers jumped into action to help out at Scarsdale Middle School in late October and will do so once again in early November before the General Election. Civics is on the agenda in two different ways: a LWVS Civics Jeopardy game and polling support for the Middle School's Mock Election. 

With help from League members, SMS parents and teachers, the 8th grade classrooms participated in an engaging game of Civics Jeopardy. Questions ranged from Electoral College information to presidential trivia and Constitutional Amendment details. The students enjoyed participating and competing to come up with correct answers, while the volunteers got a chance to share their knowledge and passion for civic engagement. A win-win!

On November 7, the day before the General Election, volunteers will staff tables in the Great Hall where students from grades 6th through 8th will check in to vote on computers at polling booths. Each student will receive an "I Voted Today" sticker to mark their participation at the polls.

A huge thank you to all the League volunteers, SMS parents and SMS teachers for making this happen.

And congratulations to our next generation of leaders and voters!

The League of Women Voters of Scarsdale

cordially invites you to its

Fall Education Speaker Event

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

9:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Scarsdale Public Library, Scott Room

Abortion in America Post-Dobbs

Featuring Rabia Muqaddam

Rabia Muqaddam is a Senior Staff Attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, where she has worked since 2017. She is lead counsel in the challenges to the abortion bans and restrictions passed by the Oklahoma legislature in 2021 and 2022. She previously worked as a litigation associate at Dechert LLP.

Ms. Muqaddam holds a J.D. from Cornell Law School, where she was a President of the Cornell Law Students for Reproductive Justice, an Online Editor for the Cornell Law Review, and a participant in the LGBT Clinical programs. She also holds a B.A. from Cornell University.

Muqaddam will be discussing her work and the affect of the recent Supreme Court Decision, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, on women’s access to healthcare.

This event is free of charge and open to the public.

RSVPs are appreciated for planning purposes.

For more information, please contact Alissa Baum at [email protected].

LWVS General Membership Information Session and

Consensus Meeting on the

Village Election System

Monday, December 5, 2022

10:00 a.m. at Scarsdale Public Library

LWVS welcomes all members of the public to its annual general membership information session regarding this year's Citizens Nominating Committee (CNC) election and referendum on the proposed amendments to the Non-Partisan Resolution. Procedure Committee Chair Michelle Sterling and Vice Chair Peri Zelig will be presenting and answering questions.

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. 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 nonpartisan 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. Those who have not yet paid annual dues are welcome to renew/join at the event.

For more information, please contact Diane Baylor, LWVS Village Election System Chair, at [email protected].

LWVS Issues Consensus Statement on the

Proposed Amendments to the Non-Partisan Resolution

On Monday, October 3, 2022, LWVS held an information session and consensus meeting regarding the Procedure Committee's proposed amendments to the Non-Partisan Resolution, the document that governs the Village's nonpartisan election system.  Procedure Committee Chair Michelle Sterling and Vice Chair Peri Zelig presented and answered questions. The consensus discussion resulted in the LWVS 2022 NPR Amendment Consensus Statement which is housed permanently in the Non-Partisan Studies and NPR/SBNC Amendment Consensus Statements folder on the Local Programs and Positions page of the LWVS website.

Follow this link to view the mark-up of the Non-Partisan Resolution last amended in 2018 and the clean version as it would appear if all amendments are approved at the referendum on November 15, 2022.

Student Voter Registration Drive

LWVS and LWV of New Rochelle (LWVNR) hit the road in the week before the New York voter registration deadline to educate young voters and register them to vote before the November 8 election.  

Armed with a slide deck created by New Rochelle High School students and updated by LWVS intern, Bora Secman, our two leagues went to Scarsdale Public Library and four Westchester  schools (New Rochelle High School, Huguenot Academy, Mount Vernon High School, and Westchester Community College Mount Vernon Extension), to promote the importance of civic engagement and voting.  As a result of our efforts, the LWVS and LWVNR registered 13 18- year olds and preregistered 212 16 and 17- year olds. In addition, we handed out Vote411.org palm cards for students to bring home to their parents to look up what races are on the ballot and get other valuable voting information.

The schools have invited the League to return in the spring when more students will be 18 and therefore eligible to vote. Volunteers are encouraged to help and see these smart, enthusiastic, and engaged students.

This voter registration drive was made possible through a grant from the New York State League.

LWVS Student Interns Jessica Katz and Bora Secmen

LWVNR President Joan Alexander and

LWVS President Alissa Baum

LWVNR Board Member Seiba Cooper and

LWVS Board Member Heedan Chung

Candidate Forum Videos

The November 2022 General Election LWV Candidate Forums can be found on the LWVS November 2022 General Election LWV Candidate Forums page or by following the video links below.

Sponsored by LWV of Westchester





Co-sponsored by LWV of New Rochelle, Scarsdale, and White Plains, with American Sign Language interpreters and closed captioning in several languages to be provided by Disability Rights New York



Co-sponsored by LWV of Larchmont/Mamaroneck, LWV of New Rochelle, LWV of Northeast Westchester, LWV of Rye, Rye Brook & Port Chester, LWV of Scarsdale, and LWV of White Plains, with American Sign Language interpreters and closed captioning in several languages to be provided by Disability Rights New York

Upcoming Meeting 

The LWVW annual review and consensus meeting of the proposed 2023 Westchester County budget will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 16 at the White Plains Public Library.   

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 2023. 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.

LWVW Holiday Celebration

Save the date!  The LWVW Holiday Celebration will be on Thursday, December 8, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  More details will be available soon.

LWVS Nominating Committee 2022-23

The LWVS Nominating Committee 2022-23 is calling for nominations to fill League Board Officer and Director positions for the 2023-24 year. The LWVS Nominating Committee will also fill off-board member positions on the Nominating Committee 2023-24.

If you would like to nominate yourself or a friend to be considered for the League Board or the LWVS Nominating Committee 2023-24, kindly contact Nominating Committee Chair Elissa Ruback at [email protected]. 

Here is a list of our 2022-23 Nominating Committee members, all of whom are able to receive nominations for discussion and consideration:

Elissa Ruback* (Chair)

Leah Dembitzer*

Kerry Hayes

Diksha Mudbhary

*Off-Board members were approved at our annual meeting in May, 2022.

Membership Renewal Reminder

The League thrives with your support -- join the League today!  

If you have any questions, please contact LWVS Membership Co-chairs, Heedan Chung and Diksha Mudbhary, at [email protected]. 

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.

Contact us at [email protected] with any questions about your membership status or to change/update your contact information.

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.

Thanks to Voter Service Chairs, Donna Conkling and Beatrice Sevcik, for providing voter information for our community. Thanks to Heedan Chung, Beatrice Sevcik, and past president and devoted member, Adie Shore, for assisting with our voter registration drives at Westchester-area schools. 

Thanks to Jessica Zellner and Jen Zola for all of their work planning youth engagement events such as Civics Jeopardy and the Mock Election at Scarsdale Middle School. Thanks to Elissa Ruback for lending her expertise to ensure exciting and engaging events for students.

Thanks to Heedan Chung and Diksha Mudbhary for their creative and amazing work for our fall membership drive. Thanks to Jenny Tabak for always providing sound advice and guidance as well as for her work as Membership Statistician.

Thanks to Diane Baylor, our Village Election Portfolio Chair, Recording Secretary, and Website Administrator, for keeping the Board and the community informed and engaged. She was instrumental in ensuring that the AD 88 and SD 37 Virtual Candidate Forums were successful.  

Thanks to Dana Matsushita for her detailed and thorough work editing the LWVS Bulletin and coordinating our e-blasts. Thanks to Heedan Chung for filling our social media feed with our upcoming events as well as important voter information.

Thanks to Erika Rublin for her precise work as Treasurer as well as her assistance with our fall membership renewal.

Thanks to Dalya Khan and Nan Eileen Mead for chairing the School Budget Portfolio and preparing for the upcoming Public Budget Forum. Thanks to Jyoti Ruta for continuing to chair our SBNC Portfolio this year.

Thanks to Tracy Tang for bringing her financial acumen to chair the Village Budget Portfolio.  

Thanks to Anne Lyons for her work organizing our November Fall Speaker event as well as for her advice and thoughtful Board work.  

Thanks to Cindy Yau for continuing to serve as Programming Portfolio Chairs and already developing engaging events for this year.

Thanks to Kitt Rosenthal for being our LWVW Liaison and for her important Board work. 

Thanks to Jennifer Brinley, Scarsdale Public Library Teen Librarian as well as our interns, Bora Secmen and Jessica Katz, for presenting the hybrid program “Get Ready to Vote” for Scarsdale teenagers. 

Thanks to the local Leagues of Larchmont/Mamaroneck; New Rochelle; Northeast Westchester; Rye Brook & Port Chester; and White Plains for their work and co-sponsorship of our State Senate and Assembly Candidate Forums. Also, thanks to Disability Rights New York for co-sponsoring these Forums and providing, free of charge, American Sign Language interpreters and closed captioning in several languages. Thanks to Amber Yusuf, former LWVS director, and Sophia Alexandrou, senior at White Plains High School, for serving as timekeepers.

I look forward to all that we will accomplish together in the coming year.

My best,

Alissa Baum

Village of Scarsdale

As of October 31, 2022

Board of Trustees

Jane Veron, Mayor

  Term ends April 2023

Randall Whitestone, Deputy Mayor

  2nd term ends April 2024

Sameer Ahuja

  1st term ends April 2023

Karen Brew

  1st term ends April 2023

Jeremy Gans

  1st term ends April 2024

Jonathan Lewis

  2nd term ends April 2023

Ken Mazer

  1st term ends April 2024

Board of Education

Amber Yusuf, President

   1st term ends June 2023

Ronald Schulhof, Vice President

  2nd term ends June 2025

Colleen Brown

  1st term ends June 2025

Jim Dugan

  1st term ends June 2024

Robert Klein

  1st term ends June 2023

Suzie Hahn Pascutti

  1st term ends June 2025

Jessica Resnick-Ault

  1st term ends June 2024

League of Women Voters of Scarsdale

2022-23

Officers

President: Alissa Baum

[email protected]

First Vice President: Jenny Simon Tabak

Second Vice President: Anne Lyons

Recording Secretary: Diane Baylor

[email protected]

Corresponding Secretary: Dana Matsushita

[email protected]

Treasurer: Erika Rublin

[email protected]

2022-2023 Elected Board Members

Heedan Chung

Donna Conkling

Dalya Khan

Nan Eileen Mead

Diksha Mudbhary

Jyoti Ruta

Beatrice Sevcik

Cindy Yau

Jessica Zellner

Appointed Board Members

Debbie Miller

Kitt Rosenthal

Tracy Tang

Jennifer Zola

Advocacy: Alissa Baum and Diksha Mudbhary 

Audit: Amber Yusuf 

Book Group: Donna Conkling

Budget: Nancy Michaels (Off-Board) 

Communications:

• Bulletin Editor: Dana Matsushita 
• Eblast: Dana Matsushita  
• Publicity: Heedan Chung 
• Social Media: Heedan Chung 
• Website: Diane Baylor 

Development/Finance Drive: Anne Lyons

Hospitality: Kitt Rosenthal

Local Budgets:

• School Budget: Dalya Khan and Nan Eileen Mead 
• Village Budget: Tracy Tang 

Local Election Systems:

• School Election: Jyoti Ruta 
• Village Election: Diane Baylor 

Luncheons: Anne Lyons

LWVW Liaison: Kitt Rosenthal

Membership: Heedan Chung 

• Membership Statistician: Jenny Simon Tabak 

Nominating Chair: Elissa Ruback (Off-Board) 

Program/Education: Cindy Yau

Voter Service:

• Candidate Forum(s): Donna Conkling and Beatrice Sevcik
• Naturalization Court: Donna Conkling and Beatrice Sevcik
• Voter Registration Drive(s): Alissa Baum and Beatrice Sevcik

Youth Engagement:

• Civics Jeopardy: Jessica Zellner and Jen Zola
• Mock Election: Jessica Zellner and Jen Zola
• Students Inside Albany: Cindy Yau