Author Archives: lwvswebsite

Upcoming School Budget Vote and Board of Education Election

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School Budget Vote and School Board Election
Tuesday, May 16, 2023
In-person voting from 7 am to 9 pm
Scarsdale Middle School
134 Mamaroneck Road

The proposed 2023-24 school budget and proposed SHS auditorium capital project bond will be subject to a vote and the names of all individuals who have successfully filed timely completed candidate petitions will be on the ballot for election to two open School Board positions.

School Budget and Bond Information

The 2023 LWVS School Budget and Bond Consensus Statement was presented at the Community Budget Forum on Monday, March 27, 2023. Follow these links to view the Proposed 2023-24 School Budget and Related Documents, the SHS Auditorium Renovation Information, and to view the LWVS School Budget Information Session.

School Board Candidate Information

The candidates whose names will appear on the ballot for the two open seats in the upcoming School Board Election are, in alphabetical order, Robert Klein and Amber Yusuf.

Voter Registration Deadline

Thursday, May 11, 2023: Last day to complete and sign the Voter Registration form in person with the District Clerk, Honore Adams, at 2 Brewster Road during regular business hours by appointment only.

Absentee Ballot Deadlines

Absentee ballot applications are available for download. Completed absentee ballot applications may be submitted in person, by mail, or via email to the District Clerk, Honore Adams, Scarsdale School District, 2 Brewster Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583, (914) 721-2410, hadams@scarsdaleschools.org.

Tuesday, May 9, 2023:  Last day for the District Clerk to receive a completed absentee ballot application if the voter requests that the absentee ballot be sent to the voter via mail.

Monday, May 15, 2023:  Last day for the voter to appear in person before the District Clerk (by 5 pm by appointment only) to submit a completed absentee ballot application and be provided the actual absentee ballot.

Tuesday, May 16, 2023 (School Election Day): Last day for the District Clerk to receive completed absentee ballots by mail or in person by 5 pm.

For more information about eligibility to vote, please see our 2023 Scarsdale School Budget Vote and School Board Election webpage and the District Clerk’s Voter Information page.

For additional questions regarding the School Budget Vote and School Board Election, please contact the LWVS Voter Service Chairs.

Upcoming Event — Annual Meeting and Spring Luncheon Program

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Topic: Democracy and Equal Rights after Dobbs
Speaker: Donna Lieberman*
Executive Director of the New York Civil Liberties Union
Friday, May 5, 2023
10:30 am to 2 pm
Scarsdale Golf Club

PURCHASE TICKETS
Donna Lieberman

*Donna Lieberman has been executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union since December 2001. Under her leadership, the NYCLU has expanded the scope and depth of its work, using litigation, advocacy, and state-wide organizing to promote civil rights and civil liberties. Among the NYCLU’s many accomplishments during her tenure are protecting the right to counsel, reforming stop and frisk and solitary confinement, repealing the 50a secrecy law for law enforcement, representing Edie Windsor to win marriage equality, expanding abortion rights, winning voting rights in East Ramapo school board elections, overhauling conditions in the psychiatric emergency rooms in Kings County Hospital Center, and founding the Education Policy Center and the Teen Activist Program. 

The NYCLU is widely recognized as the state’s leading voice for freedom, justice, and equality, advocating for those whose rights and liberties have been denied. 

Lieberman began her public interest legal career as a criminal defense lawyer in the South Bronx office of the Legal Aid Society, and she later served as executive director of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys. For a decade, she served on the faculty of Urban Legal Studies Program at City College. She joined the NYCLU in 1989 and was the founding director of its Reproductive Rights project.

Follow this link to view Annual Meeting Agenda.

Online luncheon ticket sales will close on Thursday, May 4, 2023. Walk-ins are welcome but please RSVP to Anne Lyons in advance and bring cash or a check payable to League of Women Voters of Scarsdale in the sum of $55/ticket (write Annual Meeting luncheon in memo line along with the names of attendees). Credit cards are not accepted.

Upcoming Book Discussion

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Dinners with Ruth:
A Memoir on the Power of Friendships (2022)
by Nina Totenberg
Sunday, April 23, 2023
7 pm to 8:30 pm
Private Home in Scarsdale

Please RSVP to let us know you will be participating and to be notified of the address.

Journalist Nina Totenberg reflects on her relationships with family and prominent friends that include Ruth Bader Ginsburg, cherished NPR colleagues Cokie Roberts and Linda Wertheimer, and Supreme Court Justices Lewis Powell, and Antonin Scalia. The book is an intimate account of women who paved the way for future generations by tearing down professional and legal barriers and transformed the workplace. 

Bronx River Books in Scarsdale Village is offering a 10% discount on the purchase of the book when you mention you are participating in the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale Book Club.

About the author: Nina Totenberg is NPR’s award-winning legal affairs correspondent. She appears on NPR’s critically acclaimed news magazines All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition, and on NPR podcasts, including The NPR Politics Podcast and its series, The Docket. Totenberg’s Supreme Court and legal coverage has won her every major journalism award in broadcasting. Recognized seven times by the American Bar Association for continued excellence in legal reporting, she has received more than two dozen honorary degrees. A frequent TV contributor, she writes for major newspapers, magazines, and law reviews.

Recent LWVS Consensus Statements re Proposed 2023-24 School and Village Budgets

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Please view our Local Program and Positions webpage for current and historical folders containing annual and topical LWVS Consensus Statements. Follow this link to view written reports and, when available, video recordings of this year’s Information Sessions.

School Budget
On Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at 10 am via Zoom, LWVS held its annual general membership information session regarding the proposed school budget for 2023-24. Superintendent of Schools Drew Patrick, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Facilities Stuart Mattey, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Edgar McIntosh, Assistant Superintendent for Special Education and Student Services Eric Rauschenbach, Director of Physical Education, Health, and Athletics Ray Pappalardi, as well as Board of Education President Amber Yusuf, Vice President Ron Schulhof, and Board of Education Member Suzie Hahn Pascutti were present to answer questions. Follow these links to the:

The LWVS Consensus Statement re Tentative 2023-24 School Budget and Proposed Bond was delivered at the Community Budget Forum on Monday, March 27, 2023.

Village Budget
On Friday, March 24, 2023 at 10 am at Village Hall, LWVS held its annual general membership information session regarding the proposed Village budget for 2023-24. Village Manager Robert Cole, Deputy Village Manager Alexandra Marshall, Village Treasurer Ann Scaglione, Deputy Village Treasurer Maria Colotti, and Trustee Karen Brew presented and answered questions. Follow these links to view the:

The LWVS Consensus Statement re Tentative 2023-24 Village Budget was presented at the Village Board meeting on Tuesday, March 28, 2023.

Upcoming Event — Village Budget Information Session and Consensus Meeting

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Friday, March 24, 2023
10 am
3rd Floor Conference Room, Village Hall

LWVS will hold its annual general membership information session regarding the tentative 2023-24 Village Budget. Village Manager Robert Cole, Village Treasurer Ann Scaglione, Deputy Village Manager Alexandra Marshall, Mayor Jane Veron, Deputy Mayor Justin Arest, and other members of the Village Board of Trustees will be present to answer questions. The Information session is open to the public. A consensus discussion will immediately follow for LWVS members only.

Follow these links to view the

Attendees are strongly encouraged to review these materials in advance.

Other relevant dates:

  • Tuesday, March 14, 2023: Tentative 2023-24 Budget to be presented during Work Session (must be filed by March 20, 2023)
  • Monday, March 20, 2023: Filing date for the Tentative 2023-24 Budget
  • Tuesday, March 28, 2023: Statutory public hearing on Tentative Budget
  • Tuesday, April 25, 2023: Village Board of Trustees to adopt budget (must be adopted prior to Monday, May 1, 2023)

For more information, please contact Tracy Tang and Shilpa Spencer, LWVS Village Budget Chairs, at LWVS.villagebudget@gmail.com.

Upcoming Event — School Budget Information Session and Consensus Meeting

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Wednesday, March 22, 2023
10 am via Zoom
Meeting ID: 647 826 1608
Password: 036080

LWVS will hold its annual general membership information session regarding the preliminary 2023-24 Scarsdale School District Budget. Superintendent of Schools Drew Patrick, Assistant Superintendent for Business Stuart Mattey, and other members of the cabinet, as well as Board of Education President Amber Yusuf, Vice President Ron Schulhof, and other members of the Board of Education will all be present to answer questions. The Information session is open to the public. A consensus discussion will immediately follow for LWVS members only.

Follow these links to:

For purposes of the Zoom presentation and discussion, attendees are strongly encouraged to review these materials in advance.

Other relevant dates:

  • Monday, March 27, 2023: Community Budget Forum and Review
  • Monday, April 17, 2023: Board of Education adopts the Budget
  • Tuesday, May 16, 2023: Board of Education Public Budget Vote

For more information, please contact Dalya Khan and Nan Eileen Mead, LWVS School Budget Chairs, at LWVSschoolbudget@gmail.com.

Upcoming Village Election

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Village Election
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
In-person voting from 6 am to 9 pm
Scarsdale Public Library, Scott Room
54 Olmsted Road

On the ballot, one candidate is running for Mayor, three candidates are running for three Village Trustee positions, and one candidate is running for Village Justice.

Registration Information

Friday, March 10, 2023: Last Day to register with the Westchester County Board of Elections at your current Scarsdale address to be eligible to vote in the Village Election. Complete this NYS voter registration form.  If you have any questions about your voter registration status, please call the Westchester County Board of Elections at (914) 995-5700 or check online using the New York State Board of Elections Voter Lookup page.

Absentee Ballot Information

Voters may obtain an absentee ballot application online, request one by phone or mail from the Village Clerk, or attain one at the Village Clerk’s Office in Village Hall.

Tuesday, 14, 2023:  Last day for the Village Clerk to receive a completed absentee ballot application if the voter requests in that application that the absentee ballot be delivered to the voter via mail.

Monday, March 20, 2023: Last day for an applicant or applicant’s agent to appear in person before the Village Clerk (by 5 pm) to submit a completed absentee ballot application and be provided the actual absentee ballot.

Tuesday, March 21, 2023 (Village Election Day): Last day for the Village Clerk to receive completed absentee ballots by mail, by drop box outside Village Hall before it closes at 5 pm, or by drop box outside the Scarsdale Public Library during polling hours.

Reminders: After completing the absentee ballot, insert it into the tan-colored official absentee ballot envelope you were provided and seal the envelope. The VOTER must then sign and date the outside of the envelope where indicated. A WITNESS signature on the envelope is required ONLY if the voter cannot physically sign their own name.

Follow this link to the Village Clerk’s Election Information page.

For additional questions regarding the Village Board of Trustees Election, please contact the LWVS Voter Service Chairs.

Recent LWVS Consensus Statements (2022-23)

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Please view our Local Program and Positions webpage for current and historical folders containing annual and topical LWVS Consensus Statements. Follow this link to view written reports and, when available, video recordings of this year’s Information Sessions.

Village Election System
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. Follow these links to the Information Session Agenda with Procedure Committee Written Responses and the LWVS 2022 NPR Amendment Consensus Statement.

Village Election System
On Monday, December 5, 2022, LWVS held its annual information session and membership consensus meeting regarding the Citizens Nominating Committee (CNC) election and referendum on the Non-Partisan Resolution amendments. Procedure Committee Chair Michelle Sterling and Vice Chair Peri Zelig presented and answered questions. Follow these links to the Information Session Agenda with Procedure Committee Written Responses and the LWVS 2022 CNC Election and NPR Amendment Referendum Consensus Statement.

School Election System
On Friday, January 20, 2023, LWVS held its annual general membership information session regarding this year’s School Board Nominating Committee (SBNC) election. Susi D’Ambra Coplan, current SBNC Administrative Committee Election Chair, were present to answer questions. Follow these links to the Information Session Agenda, the SBNC Administrative Committee’s Report to the LWVS, and the LWVS 2023 SBNC Election Consensus Statement.

Local, County, and State Programming for 2023-24
On Monday, February 6, 2023, at 10 am, LWVS held a consensus meeting for the purpose of considering updates to the local, county, and state programs. Follow this link to the LWVS Proposed Local Program for 2023-24 to be presented for adoption at the annual meeting in May. Follow this link to the LWVS Comments to LWVW re the County Program for 2023-24. Follow this link for the LWVNYS Program Planning Packet for 2023-25 and the LWVS Recommendations to LWVNYS.

Voter Service Reminder

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Deadline to Change Party Enrollment Before Next Primary Election
Tuesday, February 14, 2023

    February 14th — Valentine’s Day — of each year is the final day for voters to change their party registration before a primary election (this June). 

    Voters who wish to change their party affiliation, as with any new voter registration or address change, may use the online Electronic Voter Registration Application available through the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles or may complete the New York State Voter Registration Fillable Form available from the New York State Board of Elections website to print and mail to the Westchester County Board of Elections.

    For additional information, view the LWVNYS Voter Registration Basics webpage and the Westchester County Board of Elections Voter Registration webpage.

    Upcoming Event — Local, County & State Program Consensus Meeting

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    Monday, February 6, 2023
    10 am at Scarsdale Public Library

    LWVS will hold its annual consensus meeting to update the local, county, and state programs. The recommended 2023-24 local program for LWVS will be proposed for adoption by LWVS members at its annual meeting in May 2023. Suggestions for the Westchester County League and New York State League programs will be communicated to the respective LWVW and LWVNYS boards.

    Follow this link to view the Agenda for the Consensus Meeting.

    Those who intend to participate in the consensus meeting are strongly encouraged to review the following materials in advance:

    Upcoming Event — School Election System Information Session and Consensus Meeting

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    Friday, January 20, 2023
    11:30 am via Zoom
    Meeting ID: 858 6205 3922
    Passcode: 095135

    Follow these links to the Information Session Agenda and SBNC AC’s Report to the LWVS. Consensus questions will mirror the agenda.

    LWVS will hold its annual general membership information session regarding this year’s School Board Nominating Committee (SBNC) election. Susi D’Ambra Coplan and (Claire) Yin Yang, current SBNC Administrative Committee Election Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, will be present to answer questions. The information session is open to the public. For purposes of the Zoom presentation and discussion, attendees are strongly encouraged to review materials in advance.

    A consensus discussion will immediately follow the information session for purposes of making recommendations to the SBNC Administrative Committee. Only League members may participate.

    The SBNC Administrative Committee is the body that solicits candidates for SBNC, proposes amendments to the SBNC Resolution, and runs the SBNC election and referendum on the amendments. The SBNC is the body that vets applicants and nominates a proposed slate of trustees for election to the Scarsdale Board of Education. The SBNC Resolution is the document that governs the school non-partisan election system.

    For more information, please contact Jyoti Ruta, LWVS School Election System Chair, at LWVS.ses@gmail.com.

    Upcoming SBNC Election

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    School Board Nominating Committee Election
    Tuesday, January 10, 2023
    In-Person Voting at Scarsdale Middle School Auditorium Library from 7 am to 10 am and 2 pm to 9 pm
    OR
    Vote by Mail-In Ballot

    The SBNC is the body of 30 residents serving staggered 3-year terms that vets applicants and nominates the proposed non-partisan slate for the Scarsdale Board of Education. Each year, voters elect new representatives from their neighborhood to fill spots vacated by those who have completed their SBNC service. The SBNC Resolution is the document that governs the school non-partisan election system. Proposed amendments are subject to voter ratification.

    In the event of a snow day or run-off election, the vote will be held during the same hours and in the same location on the earlier of Wednesday, January 11, 2022, or the next day school is in session. For more information, visit the Scarsdale SBNC website.

    The deadline for Administrative Committee receipt of mail-in ballots at P.O. Box 172H in the Heathcote Golden Horseshoe Post Office is 4 p.m. on Tuesday, January 10, 2023. Please visit the SBNC 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 contained within its own mailing envelope bearing the voter’s full name and address, and with the voter’s signature across the seal. Multiple ballots within a single envelope will render all such ballots invalid.

    Upcoming Event — Village Election System Information Session and Consensus Meeting

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    Monday, December 5, 2022
    10 am at Scarsdale Public Library

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

    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. 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.

    Upcoming Event — Food for Thought Speaker Event

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    Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization
    Speakers: Rabia Muqaddam and Laurie Bertram Roberts
    Wednesday, November 16, 2022
    9:15 am to 11:45 am
    Scarsdale Public Library, Scott Room

    Event is free of charge and will be a morning coffee instead of a luncheon. Please RSVP to help us predict attendance.

    RSVP

    Rabia Muqaddam and Laurie Bertram Roberts will be discussing their work and the impact of the recent Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization on women’s access to healthcare.

    Rabia Muqaddam

    Muqaddam is a Senior Staff Attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, headquartered in New York, 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. 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.

    Laurie Bertram Roberts

    Laurie Bertram Roberts is the co-founder and Executive Director of Mississippi Reproductive Freedom Fund (MRFF), a reproductive justice organization based in Jackson, Mississippi. MRFF provides financial assistance and practical support to persons seeking abortions, as well as free emergency contraception and community based comprehensive sex education to mitigate governmental restrictions and economic limitations that adversely impact people of low income – and especially those who are Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). Bertram Roberts is a writer and activist whose experience dates to the early 2000s with Head Start advocacy, parent organizing, and voter education, utilizing years of diverse leadership and activism to empower communities marginalized by their gender, race, poverty, disability, and/or sexuality.

    Upcoming CNC Election and Referendum on Non-Partisan Resolution Amendments

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    Citizens Nominating Committee Election and
    Referendum on Non-Partisan Resolution Amendments
    Tuesday, November 15, 2022
    In-Person Voting at Scarsdale Public Library from 7 am to 9:30 am and 2 pm to 9 pm
    OR
    Vote by Mail-In Ballot

    The 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 proposed amendments to the Non-Partisan Resolution, the document that governs the Village’s nonpartisan election system.

    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, 2022. 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.

    Remember to Vote in the General Election

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    Election Day: Tuesday, November 8, 2022
    In-person voting only at your designated polling location

    Saturday, October 29, 2022 through Sunday, November 6, 2022
    Early voting at any of 23 designated early polling locations

    The ballot for Scarsdale residents will include ten different races and one proposition: 

    OFFICES ON THE BALLOT:

    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

    PROPOSITION 1: ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE BONDS MEASURE

    LWV NYS Supports Prop 1

    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.

    THREE WAYS TO VOTE

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

    Absentee Ballot Information

    Monday, November 7, 2022: Last day for New York State registered voters to apply in person for an absentee ballot; by law, voters may use the temporary illness clause, which includes being unable to appear due to risk of contracting or spreading a communicable disease like COVID-19.

    Tuesday, November 8, 2022: Last day for completed absentee ballots to be postmarked or hand-delivered and deposited in a drop box at any Westchester polling location.

    In Person Voting

    Saturday, October 29, 2022, through Sunday, November 6, 2022:  Early voting at any of the 23 designated polling locations and times in Westchester County.

    Tuesday, November 8, 2022 (General Election Day): In person voting only at your assigned polling location.

    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 been issued an absentee ballot for that election. Voters who were issued an absentee ballot may cast an affidavit ballot in person, to be counted only if the voter’s absentee ballot has not been received.

    USEFUL LINKS

    LWVS Issues Consensus Statement on the Proposed Amendments to the Non-Partisan Resolution

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    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.

    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.

    Please view our Local Program and Positions webpage for current and historical folders containing annual and topical LWVS Consensus Statements.

    Videos Now Available of Recent Candidate Forums

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    U.S. CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 16

    Tuesday, October 11, 2022
    7 pm via Zoom
    Sponsored by LWV of Westchester:

    • Jamaal Bowman (Dem, WF)
    • Miriam Levitt Flisser (Rep)

    NY ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 88

    Tuesday, October 25, 2022
    7 pm via Zoom
    Co-Sponsored by LWV of New Rochelle, 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:

    • Amy R. Paulin (Dem, WF)
    • Thomas Fix, Jr. (Rep, Cons)

    NY SENATE DISTRICT 37

    Wednesday, October 26, 2022
    5pm via Zoom
    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:

    • Shelley B. Mayer (Dem, WF)
    • Frank F. Murtha (Rep)

    USEFUL LINKS

    For additional details on the upcoming general election, view the November 2022 General Election Timeline and Ballot Information for Scarsdale Residents page on the LWVS website. Contact the LWVS Voter Service Chairs with questions.

    Recent and Upcoming Candidate Forums

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    U.S. CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 16

    Tuesday, October 11, 2022
    7 pm via Zoom
    Sponsored by LWV of Westchester:

    • Jamaal Bowman (Dem, WF)
    • Miriam Levitt Flisser (Rep)

    NY ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 88

    Tuesday, October 25, 2022
    7 pm via Zoom
    Co-Sponsored by LWV of New Rochelle, 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:

    • Amy R. Paulin (Dem, WF)
    • Thomas Fix, Jr. (Rep, Cons)
    Register to Watch the Candidate Forum
    Submit a Question for the Candidates

    NY SENATE DISTRICT 37

    Wednesday, October 26, 2022
    5pm via Zoom
    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:

    • Shelley B. Mayer (Dem, WF)
    • Frank F. Murtha (Rep)
    Register to Watch the Candidate Forum
    Submit a Question for the Candidates

    USEFUL LINKS

    For additional details on the upcoming general election, view the November 2022 General Election Timeline and Ballot Information for Scarsdale Residents page on the LWVS website. Contact the LWVS Voter Service Chairs with questions.

    Upcoming Webinar on NYS Environmental Bond Act of 2022

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    Webinar on Clean Water, Clean Air, Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022
    Tuesday, October 11, 2022
    6:30 pm via Zoom

    The League of Women Voters of New York State (LWVNYS), Jessica Ottney Mahar, of The Nature Conservancy, Pamela Stewart-Martinez of WE ACT, and Marina O’Donnell of the New York State Conference of Operating Engineers invite the public to a free webinar about the NYS Environmental Bond Act that will appear on the November general election ballot. Learn about how the bond will impact the environment, the labor market, and environmental justice in New York. The program will be moderated by LWVNYS and Delta Sigma Theta. 

    Register for the Webinar

    For additional details on the ballot measure, please view the November 2022 General Election Timeline and Ballot Information for Scarsdale Residents page on the LWVS website. Contact the LWVS Voter Service Chairs with questions.

    Upcoming Event — Information Session and Consensus Meeting re Proposed Amendments to the Non-Partisan Resolution

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    Monday, October 3, 2022
    10:30 am
    Scarsdale Public Library

    LWVS will hold a general membership information session regarding this year’s proposed amendments to the Non-Partisan Resolution, the document that governs the nonpartisan election system in Scarsdale Village. The amendments will appear on the ballot for voter approval at the Tuesday, November 15, 2022, CNC election. Representatives from the Procedure Committee will be present to answer questions.

    All members of the public are welcome to attend the information session. A consensus meeting will immediately follow for League members only; those who have not yet paid annual dues or who are not yet League members may renew/join at that time to participate in the consensus discussion.

    Follow these links to view the Information Session Agenda and the Consensus Questions. For more information, please contact Diane Baylor, LWVS Village Election System Chair.

    Upcoming Event — Fall Membership Coffee

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    Monday, September 19, 2022
    9:30 am to 11 am
    Outdoors under the dining tent on Spencer Place in Scarsdale Village

    All current and prospective members are welcome for coffee and conversation to learn about the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale. Special guest Lauren Miller, counsel in the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program where she focuses on voting rights and elections, will speak on The January 6 Hearings and the Big Lie’s Ongoing Threats to our Democracy. Miller will discuss how false claims about the 2020 election have prompted the passage of anti-voter laws and mistrust in the electoral process.

    Upcoming August Democratic Primary for Congressional District 16

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    Democratic Primary for U.S. Congress, District 16
    Tuesday, August 23, 2022
    In-person voting only at your designated polling location

    Saturday, August 13, 2022 through Sunday, August 21, 2022
    Early voting at any of 23 designated locations

    Registered Democrats in Scarsdale will have the opportunity to vote in a Democratic Party Primary for the position of U.S. Congress, District 16. No Republican Party Primary is scheduled. No primary will be held for either party for New York State Senate, District 37.  

    Absentee Ballot Information

    All New York State voters may still apply to vote by absentee ballot using the temporary illness clause, which continues to include being unable to appear due to risk of contracting or spreading a communicable disease like COVID-19.

    Monday, August 8, 2022: Last day to postmark an application for absentee ballot by mail or submit an application via email, fax, or electronically through the New York State Absentee Ballot Application Portal.  See the Westchester Board of Elections website for additional details.

    Monday, August 22, 2022:  Last day to apply in person at the Westchester Board of Elections for an absentee ballot.

    Tuesday, August 23, 2022: Last day to postmark a completed absentee ballot (must be received by August 30) or to submit an absentee ballot in person to the Westchester Board of Elections.

    In Person Voting

    Saturday, August 13, 2022 through Sunday, August 21, 2022: Early voting at any of the 23 early primary voting polling locations and times in Westchester County.   

    Tuesday, August 23, 2022 (Primary Election Day): In person voting only at your assigned polling location.

    For additional questions, please contact the LWVS Voter Service Chairs.

    Upcoming June Primary for Governor and Lieutenant Governor

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    June Primary for New York State Governor and Lieutenant Governor
    Tuesday, June 28, 2022
    In-person voting only at your designated polling location

    Saturday, June 18, 2022 through Sunday, June 26, 2022
    Early voting at any of 23 designated locations

    Registered Democrats and Republicans in Scarsdale will have the opportunity to vote in the June Primary for the position of New York State Governor and Lieutenant Governor. No primary will be held for either party for U.S. Senate or for New York State Assembly, District 88.  

    Absentee Ballot Information

    All New York State voters may still apply to vote by absentee ballot using the temporary illness clause, which continues to include being unable to appear due to risk of contracting or spreading a communicable disease like COVID-19.

    Monday, June 13, 2022: Last day to postmark an application for absentee ballot by mail or submit an application via email, fax, or electronically through the New York State Absentee Ballot Application Portal.  See the Westchester Board of Elections website for additional details.

    Monday, June 27, 2022:  Last day to apply in person at the Westchester Board of Elections for an absentee ballot.

    Tuesday, June 28, 2022: Last day to postmark a completed absentee ballot (must be received by June 29) or to submit an absentee ballot in person to the Westchester Board of Elections.

    In Person Voting

    Saturday, June 18, 2022 through Sunday, June 26, 2022: Early voting at any of the 23 early primary voting polling locations and times in Westchester County.   

    Tuesday, June 28, 2022 (Primary Election Day): In person voting only at your assigned polling location.

    For additional questions, please contact the LWVS Voter Service Chairs.

    Upcoming Primary Elections — Current Status

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    Primary Season Election Update: The redistricting process in New York State is still in flux and this spring’s primary election details are not yet finalized. A court-appointed independent special master has until Tuesday, May 24, 2022, to re-draw certain district maps as a result of recent litigation.

    As of the May 10, 2022, federal court ruling, the primary elections for New York State Assembly and for all statewide offices such as Governor and Lieutenant Governor will take place on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, according to the original schedule. However, the US Congressional and New York State Senate primary elections will take place on Tuesday, August 23, 2022.

    For additional information about the redistricting litigation and process, please visit our Redistricting webpage. Additional information about the primaries will be posted, when available, under our Voter Information tab.

    Upcoming School Budget Vote and Board of Education Election

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    School Budget Vote and School Board Election
    Tuesday, May 17, 2022
    In-person voting from 7 am to 9 pm
    Scarsdale Middle School
    134 Mamaroneck Road

    All COVID-19 protocols set forth by the CDC for polling locations will be followed.

    The proposed 2022-23 school budget will be subject to a vote and the names of all individuals who have successfully filed timely completed candidate petitions will be on the ballot for election to three open School Board positions.

    School Budget Information

    The 2022 LWVS School Budget Consensus Statement was presented at the Community Budget Forum on Monday, March 28, 2022. Follow these links to view the Proposed 2022-23 School Budget and Related Documents and to view the LWVS School Budget Information Session.

    School Board Candidate Information

    The candidates whose names will appear on the ballot for the three open seats in the upcoming School Board Election are, in alphabetical order, Colleen Brown, Suzie Hahn Pascutti and Ron Schulhof.

    Voter Registration Deadline

    Thursday, May 12, 2022: Last day to complete and sign the Voter Registration form in person with the District Clerk, Honore Adams, at 2 Brewster Road during regular business hours by appointment only.

    Absentee Ballot Deadlines

    Absentee ballot applications are available for download. Completed absentee ballot applications may be submitted in person, by mail, or via email to the District Clerk, Honore Adams, Scarsdale School District, 2 Brewster Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583, (914) 721-2410, hadams@scarsdaleschools.org. All voters can still apply to vote by absentee ballot using the temporary illness clause if there is a risk of contracting a disease (such as COVID-19).

    Tuesday, May 10, 2022:  Last day for the District Clerk to receive a completed absentee ballot application if the voter requests that the absentee ballot be sent to the voter via mail.

    Monday, May 16, 2022:  Last day for the voter to appear in person before the District Clerk (by 5 pm by appointment only) to submit a completed absentee ballot application and be provided the actual absentee ballot.

    Tuesday, May 17, 2022 (School Election Day): Last day for the District Clerk to receive completed absentee ballots by mail or in person by 5 pm.

    For more information about eligibility to vote, please see our 2022 Scarsdale School Budget Vote and School Board Election webpage and the District Clerk’s Voter Information page.

    For additional questions regarding the School Budget Vote and School Board Election, please contact the LWVS Voter Service Chairs.

    Upcoming Event — Annual Meeting and Spring Luncheon Program

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    Topic: The Future of Voting Rights: Current Battles and Where We Go from Here
    Speaker: Jerika L. Richardson*
    Friday, May 6, 2022
    10:45 am** to 2 pm (please note: new start time)
    Scarsdale Golf Club
    Outdoor Terrace to the Right of the Main Entrance

    Updated 5/5/22: Online luncheon ticket sales are now closed. Walk-ins are welcome but please RSVP to Anne Lyons in advance and bring cash or a check payable to League of Women Voters of Scarsdale in the sum of $55/ticket (write FFT luncheon in memo line along with the names of attendees). Credit cards are not accepted.

    Purchase Tickets
    Jerika L. Richardson

    *Jerika L. Richardson is Senior Vice President for Equitable Justice & Strategic Initiatives at the National Urban League. She leads the organization’s advocacy, public education, and strategic work on civic engagement, police reform, criminal justice reform, and other justice related areas. Previously, Ms. Richardson was Deputy Executive Director and the Senior Advisor & Secretary to the Board for the nation’s largest independent police oversight agency, the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board.

    She has also served as Chief of Staff in the Office of the Counsel to the Mayor of New York City and Special Advisor to the Mayor for media relations, criminal justice, and public safety planning. Before working in City Hall, Ms. Richardson was the Senior Spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York and a Field Producer & Off-Air Reporter for ABC News. She holds a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and a B.A. in English from Spelman College.

    Follow this link to view Annual Meeting Agenda.

    More Recent LWVS Consensus Statements (2021-22)

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    Please view our Local Program and Positions webpage for current and historical folders containing annual and topical LWVS Consensus Statements. Follow this link to view written reports and, when available, video recordings of this year’s Information Sessions.

    School Budget
    On Thursday, March 24, 2022 at 10 am via Zoom, LWVS held its annual general membership information session regarding the proposed school budget for 2022-23. Superintendent of Schools Thomas Hagerman, Assistant Superintendent for Business Stuart Mattey, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Drew Patrick, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Edgar McIntosh, Assistant Superintendent for Special Education and Student Services Eric Rauschenbach, Director of Instructional Technology Jerry Crisci, as well as Board of Education Vice President Amber Yusuf were present to answer questions. Follow these links to the LWVS Budget Questions and District Responses (#24 through 40, beginning on page 6) from the Community Budget Forum on November 17, 2021, the LWVS Budget Questions and District Responses from March 23, 2022, and the proposed 2022-23 School Budget. The 2022 LWVS School Budget Consensus Statement was delivered at the Community Budget Forum on Monday, March 28, 2022.

    Village Budget
    On Tuesday, March 29, 2022 at 9 am via Zoom, LWVS held its annual general membership information session regarding the proposed Village budget for 2022-23 . Village Manager Robert Cole, Deputy Village Manager Alexandra Marshall, Village Treasurer Ann Scaglione, Mayor Jane Veron, Deputy Mayor Justin Arest, and Trustees Karen Brew, Lena Crandall, and Randall Whitestone, presented and answered questions. Follow this link to view the LWVS Information Session Questions and Village Responses, the Tentative 2022-23 Village Budget, and the Village Budget Overview. The 2022 LWVS Village Budget Consensus Statement was presented at the Village Board meeting on Tuesday, April 5, 2022.

    Upcoming Author Visit with Dorothy Wickenden*

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    Dorothy Wickenden (Photo credit: Jayme Grodi)

    The Agitators: Three Friends Who Fought for Abolition and Women’s Rights
    Sunday, April 3, 2022
    3 pm to 5 pm
    Scarsdale Public Library
    Please RSVP (requested for planning purposes)

    In the 1850s, Harriet Tubman, strategically brilliant and uncannily prescient, rescued some seventy enslaved people from Maryland’s Eastern Shore and shepherded them north along the underground railroad. One of her regular stops was Auburn, New York, where she entrusted passengers to Martha Coffin Wright, a Quaker mother of seven, and Frances A. Seward, the wife of William H. Seward, who served over the years as governor, senator, and secretary of state under Abraham Lincoln. During the Civil War, Tubman worked for the Union Army in South Carolina as a nurse and spy, and took part in a spectacular river raid in which she helped to liberate 750 slaves from several rice plantations.

    Wright, a “dangerous woman” in the eyes of her neighbors, worked side by side with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony to organize women’s rights and anti-slavery conventions across New York State, braving hecklers and mobs when she spoke. Frances Seward, the most conventional of the three friends, hid her radicalism in public, while privately acting as a political adviser to her husband, pressing him to persuade President Lincoln to move immediately on emancipation.

    The Agitators opens in the 1820s, when Tubman is enslaved and Wright and Seward are young homemakers bound by law and tradition, and ends after the war. Many of the most prominent figures of the era—Lincoln, William H. Seward, Frederick Douglass, Daniel Webster, Charles Sumner, John Brown, William Lloyd Garrison—are seen through the discerning eyes of the protagonists. So are the most explosive political debates: about the civil rights of African Americans and women, about the enlistment of Black troops, and about opposing interpretations of the Constitution.

    Through richly detailed letters from the time and exhaustive research, Wickenden traces the second American revolution these women fought to bring about, the toll it took on their families, and its lasting effects on the country. Riveting and profoundly relevant to our own time, The Agitators brings a vibrant, original voice to this transformative period in our history.

    The paperback editions of The Agitators and of Nothing Daunted are available for purchase at Bronx River Books. For phone, email, and in-store purchases, mention LWVS to receive a 10% discount.

    *Dorothy Wickenden is the author of Nothing Daunted and The Agitators and has been the executive editor of The New Yorker since January 1996. She also writes for the magazine and is the moderator of its weekly podcast The Political Scene. A former Nieman Fellow at Harvard, Wickenden was national affairs editor at Newsweek from 1993-1995, and before that was the longtime executive editor at The New Republic. She lives with her husband in Westchester, New York.