Election Day is Tuesday, November 2nd!

Dear Hastings Democrats, “The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democracy.” —John Lewis It’s time to vote! Election Day is just around the corner, on Tuesday November 2nd. The nine-day Early Voting phase has already begun. We have races at the State Supreme Court, County, and Town levels to decide, as well as one County and five State ballot proposals. Without a national candidate at the top of the ticket, what do our votes mean in this first post-Trump election? As Hastings Democrats, we play a critical role in supporting our candidates for Westchester County office. George Latimer and Tim Idoni are being challenged by individuals who support the former president and his priorities, and who would advance a Republican agenda here in Westchester. After a long, strategic campaign directed at their base, their voters are motivated—and, in the recent past, that’s been enough to win a minority upset. We need to deliver a resounding victory for our compassionate and capable Democratic leaders. It’s our votes that will help carry the day in these races. We also have five open seats on the New York State Supreme Court, with a total of eight candidates running. It’s often confusing to see judicial candidates on the ballot and know who to support, as they campaign in a more restricted way and they often appear on multiple party lines. The Westchester County Democratic Committee has vetted and endorsed the four you’ll see listed below (see also: Diverse Slate of Democratic Candidates for State Supreme Court Set to Make History, Yonkers Times). I hope you’ll give them your support. And on an exciting local note, we have two first-time candidates from Hastings for offices in the Town of Greenburgh! Ellen Hendrickx is running for Town Council; she is a longtime Hastings resident now living in unincorporated Greenburgh, and serves as a senior staff member on County Executive Latimer's team. Hastings resident Venita Howard is on the ballot for Receiver of Taxes. Venita has worked in the Receiver’s office since 2009, and is now running to fill the vacancy to lead it. Our entire Town slate is unopposed, but your support all the way down the ballot will give them an important vote of confidence for the huge personal commitment these jobs require. The Hastings Democratic Committee supports the following Democratic candidates:

George Latimer for Westchester County Executive

Tim Idoni for Westchester County Clerk

MaryJane Shimsky for Westchester County Legislator

Paul Feiner for Greenburgh Town Supervisor

Ellen Hendrickx for Greenburgh Town Council

Frances Sheehan for Greenburgh Town Council

Bonnie Orden for Greenburgh Town Justice

Judith Beville for Greenburgh Town Clerk

Venita Howard for Greenburgh Receiver of Taxes

Robert Berliner for NY State Supreme Court

Christie D'Alessio for NY State Supreme Court

James Hyer for NY State Supreme Court

Thomas Quiñones for NY State Supreme Court

When you vote, you will also see County Proposition 1 and five State propositions. Our committee encourages you to vote YES on them all. Please see the details of the State propositions below. If you want a peek at your ballot before you hit the polls, click this League of Women Voters’ link Vote411.org. To vote early, you can head down to our nearest location at Dobbs Ferry Village Hall any day through Sunday, October 31st. See the complete Early Voting schedule and list of locations here. On Election Day, the polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and voters must go only to their local designated polling location. You can confirm your Election Day polling location here. Democrats only win when Democrats vote. We need one last big push to canvass and phone bank as much as we can in order to keep this County blue, and keep Democratic turnout strong even in the “off” years. There are many opportunities to contribute this week through Election Day. Please sign up to canvass or phone bank here with your fellow County Democrats. Let’s get this done, Hastings! We’ll see you at the ballot booth! Onward, Cassandra Sweet Chair, Hastings Democratic Committee PS. Please note we will not hold our meeting on November 3rd, because it's the day after the election. Look out for our next newsletter before the December meeting.