For those so inclined, hopefully you have begun or maybe you have even finished your Christmas shopping. If not, better hurry up!
On the subject of upcoming deadlines, there are important events and deadlines in the political world of Western New York, New York State, and throughout the United States. Here are some things that will be coming at you in the first half of 2024:
- Petitioning for New York presidential party delegate candidates began on December 12th. What a great time of the year to circulate petitions, which must be filed by January 18.
- The Court of Appeals has ruled that the state’s congressional district lines must be redrawn by the end of February. The Independent Redistricting Commission will get the first crack at it, but in the end the lines more likely will be drawn by the State Legislature.
- Sometime prior to the end of December Governor Kathy Hochul will act on two major pieces of legislation that will have an impact on elections in the state. If approved, the proposed legislation will:
- Reset the cycle for local elections in the state, outside of New York City, to have nearly all local elections conducted in even numbered years coinciding either with the presidential or gubernatorial election cycles. The law would not apply to the offices of sheriff, county clerk, district attorney (already in an even-year cycle in Erie County), family, county, or surrogate court judge.
- Adjust the state’s new Public Campaign Finance law (more on that below) that will have the consequence of somewhat shifting the intended benefit of the new law from strictly benefitting small dollar campaigns to make it easier for big-dollar donors to take advantage of the new public financing system. The revised law, if enacted, will also make it more difficult for candidates to qualify for the funding.
- At a date likely in January 2024 the process for redrawing the State Assembly’s district lines will proceed with action by the State’s Independent Redistricting Commission and/or the State Legislature.
- At a date early in January Bill Belichick will retire as head coach of the New England Patriots and will be replaced by Mike Vrabel.
- All political campaign committees in the state will be required to file their financial reports on January 16.
- Congressman Brian Higgins’ resignation from the House of Representatives will become official in early February, requiring Governor Hochul to within 10 days proclaim the Special Election to fill the vacant NY26 seat.
- Within one week from the proclamation (approximately mid-February) the state’s four political parties will nominate their candidates for NY26.
- Petitioning for 2024 congressional, state legislative, and local elections will begin on or about February 27, with petitions to be filed in April.
- Early voting in the presidential delegate elections runs from March 23 through March 30.
- The presidential delegate primary Election Day is April 2.
- Early voting in the NY26 Special Election will occur over a nine-day period that will end on the Sunday before the Special Election.
- Approximately the end of April the Special Election for NY26 will be held.
- Early voting for the June regular primary will be available from June 15 through June 23.
- Primary Election Day will be on June 25.
- If State Senator Tim Kennedy becomes the Democratic nominee in NY26 and is elected in the Special Election Governor Hochul will call a Special Election to fill the vacancy in the 63rd Senate District. That election will occur in July.
Stay tuned.
Something new in 2024
In 2024 the state’s new Public Campaign Finance Board (PCFB) will kick into high gear. The Board will administer a program which “will allow candidates running for statewide and state legislative offices to apply to receive public matching funds based on small donations from residents in their district. The program is designed to foster participation in the democratic process by matching small dollar contributions with public funds. Contributions between $5 and $250 can be eligible for public matching funds, provided they adhere to certain criteria set in state law. Candidates running for State Legislative offices to be elected in 2024 will be the first group to be eligible to receive matchable contributions. For all races, only in-district contributions will be matched.”
Under the law “the participating candidate’s authorized committee shall receive payment for qualified campaign expenditures of six dollars of public matching funds for each one dollar of matchable contributions, obtained and reported to the PCFB,” provided that a candidate has met all the eligibility requirements for such funds.
This new legislation (subject to change with legislative revisions noted above) is intended to assist candidates who do not have ready access to large amounts of campaign funds. The law provides legislative candidates with state-financed matching funds for small donations. One of the consequences of the legislation may be an increase in the number of candidates for state legislative seats. Candidates will still need to circulate petitions to qualify for a spot on the ballot, but raising money will be considerably easier with the state matching funds.
A second possible result of this new legislation will be chaos and confusion among candidates for the state legislature who are attempting to participate in the public finance program. Consider how the state of Board of Elections performs its duties. Missed filing deadlines go without issue; dollar limits are sometimes exceeded; and the Board nearly never enforces the law.
The public financing system will be considerably more complicated. New York City has had a public campaign financing program for several years. Various issues about the use of the money have arisen and recently there have been some indictments of people associated with Mayor Eric Adams concerning potential abuse of the system. Let’s hope that the new state Board, which will be dispensing public funds, can do a better job than the state Board of Elections.
A belated Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy New Year
Politics and Other Stuff will be off duty for the week of December 25th and will return to your inbox on January 2, 2024. Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season!
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