In the November 2019 general election, New York City voters will have the opportunity to vote on five ballot questions, each of which will contain several proposed changes to the New York City Charter. To help navigate these lengthy Charter revisions, NKD created a platform with an explanation of each of the questions to help inform voters.
The proposed changes to the Charter are the results of a year-long Charter Revision Commission.
The five questions, or categories, cover five broad topics: (1) Elections and Redistricting; (2) Civilian Complaint Review Board; (3) Ethics and Governance; (4) Finance; and (5) Land Use.
In an effort to help voters make an informed decision, NKD’s Policy Committee produced the platform linked below. It briefly explains each proposal, gives pro and con arguments, and makes a recommendation. NKD's Policy Committee recommends voting “Yes” on all ballot questions.
For the most part, these proposals are insignificant, except for ranked choice voting, which would make crowded primary elections fairer and more democratic. The criminal justice-related reforms are not harmful, but do not go nearly far enough. The governance, ethics, and land use proposals are inconsequential and the budget proposals are technical adjustments. The ballot question most worth advocating for is the first question, which institutes ranked choice voting.
More details on each of the proposals can be found here.
Ballot question language can be found here.