New York gubernatorial election, 2018 (September 13 Democratic primary)

Elections in New York, 2018

* General election: Nov. 6
* Voter registration deadline: Oct. 12
* Early voting: N/A
* Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6

* Online registration: Yes
* Same-day registration: No
* Voter ID: No
* Poll times: 6:00 a.m. and close at 9:00 p.m.

* * *

On the ballot: U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Congressional special elections • Governor • Attorney General • State executive offices • State Senate • State Assembly • Special state legislative • Local judges • Local ballot measures • School boards • Municipal • Democratic primaries • Republican primaries

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Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New York

Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: July 12, 2018State/local filing deadline
Primary: September 13, 2018
General: November 6, 2018

* * *

Pre-election incumbent(s):
Gov. Andrew Cuomo (Democrat)
Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul (Democrat)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (general elections); primary times vary by county
Voting in New York
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic
Inside Elections: Solid Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas and triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
New York
executive elections
Governor

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Comptroller

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) defeated actress Cynthia Nixon in the gubernatorial primary.

Cuomo sought a third term in 2018, but faced a challenge in the September 13 Democratic primary from Nixon, who cast herself as a progressive alternative to Cuomo.

Cuomo, a possible 2020 presidential contender, had the support of the state and national Democratic establishment. Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and DNC Chairman Tom Perez endorsed him, and he received the support of 95 percent of the delegates to New York's Democratic Convention.

Cuomo ran on his record as governor, which he said included legalizing same-sex marriage, raising the minimum wage to $15, expanding tuition-free college, tightening gun restrictions, and implementing a paid family leave policy.[1] Nixon supporters claimed that he began to adopt more liberal policies on marijuana, voting rights for felons, and immigration after she challenged him, calling this “the Cynthia Effect.”[2]

Nixon criticized Cuomo for what she contended were his shortcomings on the New York subway system, affordable housing, and renewable energy. She supported single-payer healthcare and legalized marijuana, said increasing education funding was her top priority, and was one of the first Democrats to call for abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).[3]

Nixon also said Cuomo allowed Republicans to control the state Senate by empowering the Independent Democratic Conference (a group of Democrats who caucused with state Senate Republicans) and had not addressed corruption in Albany.[4] She was backed by the New York chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, the Working Families Party, Democracy for America, and Our Revolution.

As of September 7, Cuomo had over $24 million in cash on hand, while Nixon had less than $450,000. Public polls showed Cuomo with 50 to 66 percent support, while Nixon received between 19 and 28 percent.

In the lieutenant gubernatorial Democratic primary, Cuomo was aligned with incumbent Kathy Hochul while Nixon endorsed Hochul's challenger, New York City Councilman Jumaane Williams. Hochul won the primary and ran on the same general election ticket as Cuomo.

To read more about the lieutenant gubernatorial primary, visit New York lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 (September 13 Democratic primary)

## Contents

* 1 Candidates and election results
* 2 Candidate profiles
* 2.1 Andrew Cuomo
* 2.2 Cynthia Nixon
* 3 Timeline
* 4 Endorsements
* 5 Campaign tactics and strategies
* 5.1 Cuomo vs. Nixon
* 5.2 New York City vs. upstate New York
* 5.3 Tom Perez's endorsement of Cuomo
* 5.4 Cuomo's ideology
* 5.4.1 Cuomo's approach to the Independent Democratic Conference
* 5.4.2 Cuomo's opposition to the Trump administration
* 5.5 Nixon links Cuomo to corruption
* 5.6 Mailer claiming Nixon is anti-Semitic
* 5.7 Policies
* 5.7.1 Property tax cap
* 5.7.2 Education
* 5.7.3 Gun policy and the National Rifle Association
* 5.8 Campaign ads
* 5.8.1 Andrew Cuomo
* 5.8.1.1 Support
* 5.8.1.2 Oppose
* 5.8.2 Cynthia Nixon
* 5.8.2.1 Support
* 6 Campaign finance
* 7 Satellite spending
* 8 Polls
* 8.1 PredictIt Prices
* 9 Campaign themes and policy stances
* 9.1 Andrew Cuomo
* 9.2 Cynthia Nixon
* 10 Noteworthy events
* 10.1 Joe Crowley defeat
* 10.2 Two unions supporting Cuomo withdraw from Working Families Party
* 10.3 Cuomo's remarks on American greatness
* 10.4 Debate at Hofstra University
* 11 Context of the 2018 election
* 11.1 Past elections
* 11.1.1 2014
* 12 Race ratings
* 13 Voter information
* 13.1 How the primary works
* 13.2 Poll times
* 13.3 Registration requirements
* 13.4 Automatic registration
* 13.5 Online registration
* 13.6 Same-day registration
* 13.7 Residency requirements
* 13.8 Verification of citizenship
* 13.9 Verifying your registration
* 13.10 Voter ID requirements
* 13.10.1 Background
* 13.11 Early voting
* 13.12 Absentee voting
* 14 Pivot Counties
* 14.1 Presidential results by legislative district
* 15 See also
* 16 External links
* 17 Footnotes

## Candidates and election results[edit]

Incumbent Andrew Cuomo defeated Cynthia Nixon in the Democratic primary for Governor of New York on September 13, 2018.

Democratic primary election

#####  Democratic primary for Governor of New York

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Andrew Cuomo |

65.5

| 1,021,160

| Cynthia Nixon |

34.5

| 537,192

* * *

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

| Total votes: 1,558,352

|
|

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

#### Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

* Greg Waltman (D)

## Candidate profiles[edit]

###  Andrew Cuomo[edit]

Cuomo ran for his third term as New York's governor after being elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014. He the support of New York Democratic leaders like U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, state Senate Democratic leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie as well as national Democrats like DNC Chairman Tom Perez, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton.[5]

A potential 2020 presidential contender, Cuomo touted his opposition to President Donald Trump and support for progressive policies such as tightening gun regulations, making New York a sanctuary jurisdiction for people who came into the country without legal permission, and adopting stricter environmental policies.[5]

Although he emphasized progressive issues in 2018, he faced regular criticism from fellow Democrats who describe him as socially liberal and fiscally conservative, especially on tax policy.[6] He received the nomination of the Independence Party of New York, which also endorsed most of New York's Republican congressional delegation.[7]

Prior to his election as governor in 2010, Cuomo had served as New York's attorney general since 2006. Before that, he was the secretary of housing and urban development under President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001. He also served as a New York assistant district attorney, worked for the law firm Blutrich, Falcone & Miller, and founded a nonprofit aiming to address homelessness. His father was Gov. Mario Cuomo (D).

###  Cynthia Nixon[edit]

Best known for playing Miranda Hobbes on Sex and the City, Nixon launched her primary challenge of Gov. Andrew Cuomo in March 2018. She called herself a progressive alternative to Cuomo and said that he was a “centrist and Albany insider” who had helped keep Republicans in control of the state Senate by empowering the Independent Democratic Conference. She was endorsed by the progressive Working Families Party, which had endorsed Cuomo in 2014, and Democracy for America. She told Politico that she considers herself a democratic socialist and was endorsed by the New York chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.[8][9]

In her announcement video, she said, “I love New York. I’ve never wanted to live anywhere else. But something has to change. We want our government to work again, on health care, ending mass incarceration, fixing our broken subway. We are sick of politicians who care more about headlines and power than they do about us.” She endorsed single-payer healthcare and legalizing marijuana, said increasing education funding was her most important issue, and was one of the first Democratic politicians to call for abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).[3][10][11][12]

Nixon was raised on the upper west side of Manhattan in New York City. She attended Barnard College of Columbia University. Nixon's professional experience includes acting and performance as well as political advocacy related to abortion, LGBTQ issues, education, and racial issues. Nixon identifies as bisexual.[13]

## Timeline[edit]

* September 9, 2018: A Siena College poll showed Andrew Cuomo with a 63-22 lead over Cynthia Nixon.
* September 4, 2018: The New York Times endorsed Cuomo.
* September 3, 2018: Sen. Chuck Schumer (D) endorsed Cuomo.
* August 29, 2018: Nixon and Cuomo met in a debate.[14]
* July 31, 2018: A Siena College poll showed Andrew Cuomo with a 60-29 lead over Cynthia Nixon.
* July 30, 2018: Indivisible endorsed Cynthia Nixon.
* July 29, 2018: Cynthia Nixon and lieutenant gubernatorial candidate and New York City Councilman Jumaane Williams endorsed each other.
* July 29, 2018: The New York chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America endorsed Cynthia Nixon.
* July 18, 2018: A poll from Quinnipiac University showed Andrew Cuomo leading Cynthia Nixon 59-23.
* July 17, 2018: Justice Democrats endorsed Cynthia Nixon.
* July 11, 2018: Planned Parenthood New York endorsed Andrew Cuomo.
* June 28, 2018: Queens Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer endorsed Cynthia Nixon.
* June 28, 2018: The New York AFL-CIO endorsed Andrew Cuomo.
* June 25, 2018: The Civil Service Employees Association endorsed Andrew Cuomo.
* June 24, 2018: New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson endorsed Andrew Cuomo.
* June 13, 2018: Cynthia Nixon released her $7.4 billion education policy proposal that also called for increasing taxes on families making more than $300,000.
* June 7, 2018: A Siena College poll showed Andrew Cuomo with a 61-26 lead over Cynthia Nixon.
* June 6, 2018: The Nation endorsed Cynthia Nixon.
* May 24, 2018: The Progressive Change Campaign Committee endorsed Cynthia Nixon.
* May 24, 2018: Joe Biden, DNC Chairman Tom Perez, state Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie endorsed Andrew Cuomo at the New York Democratic Convention.
* May 23, 2018: Hillary Clinton endorsed Andrew Cuomo at the New York Democratic Convention.
* May 23, 2018: Delegates to the New York State Democratic Committee endorsed Andrew Cuomo over Cynthia Nixon by a 95 percent to 5 percent margin.[15]
* May 14, 2018: Our Revolution endorsed Cynthia Nixon.
* May 3, 2018: Democracy for America endorsed Cynthia Nixon.
* May 1, 2018: A Quinnipiac poll showed Andrew Cuomo leading Cynthia Nixon 50 percent to 28 percent.
* April 14, 2018: The Working Families Party endorsed Cynthia Nixon.
* March 27, 2018: A Quinnipiac Poll showed Andrew Cuomo leading Cynthia Nixon 58 percent to 22 percent.
* March 21, 2018: U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand endorsed Andrew Cuomo.
* March 19, 2018: Cynthia Nixon officially announced she was running for governor.
* March 16, 2018: A Siena College poll showed Andrew Cuomo leading Cynthia Nixon 66 percent to 19 percent.

## Endorsements[edit]

Democratic candidate endorsements

Endorsement  |  Cuomo | Nixon
Individuals
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer[16] | ✔  |
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand[17] | ✔  |
DNC Chairman Tom Perez[5] | ✔  |
Former Vice President Joe Biden[5] | ✔  |
2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton[5] | ✔  |
U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez[18] | ✔  |
U.S. Rep. Jose Serrano[18] | ✔  |
State Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins[5] | ✔  |
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie[5] | ✔  |
Assemblyman Marcos Crespo (D)[18] | ✔  |
New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson[19] | ✔  |
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez[20] |  | ✔
Lieutenant gubernatorial candidate and New York City Councilman Jumaane Williams[21] |  | ✔
Attorney general candidate Zephyr Teachout[22] |  | ✔
Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi[23] |  | ✔
New York City Councilman Antonio Reynoso (Brooklyn)[24] |  | ✔
New York City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (Queens)[25] |  | ✔
New York City Councilman Carlos Menchaca (Brooklyn)[26] |  | ✔
Former New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito[27] |  | ✔
Assemblyman Thomas Abinanti[28] |  | ✔
Organizations
The New York Times[29] | ✔  |
The Buffalo News[30] | ✔  |
New York State Democratic Party[15] | ✔  |
Planned Parenthood New York[31] | ✔  |
New York AFL-CIO[32] | ✔  |
Civil Service Employees Association[33] | ✔  |
United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1500[34] | ✔  |
1199-SEIU[35] | ✔  |
National Organization for Women-New York[36] | ✔  |
Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC[37] | ✔  |
Geraldine Ferraro Democratic Club[38] | ✔  |
Saul Weprin & Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club[38] | ✔  |
Wood-Heights Democratic Club[38] | ✔  |
Democratic Socialists of America, New York chapter[9] |  | ✔
Justice Democrats[39] |  | ✔
Progressive Change Campaign Committee[40] |  | ✔
Our Revolution[41] |  | ✔
Working Families Party[42] |  | ✔
Democracy for America[43] |  | ✔
Indivisible[44] |  | ✔
The Nation[45] |  | ✔
Citizen Action New York[46] |  | ✔
New York Communities for Change[47] |  | ✔
Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club[48] |  | ✔
New York Progressive Action Network[49] |  | ✔

## Campaign tactics and strategies[edit]

### Cuomo vs. Nixon[edit]

Cynthia Nixon accused Andrew Cuomo of being a fake progressive.[50] "In New York City he puts on an entire Broadway show to parade around as a progressive Democrat leading the resistance,” Nixon said. "In Albany he is deftly handing over power to the party of Donald Trump."[51]

Cuomo mocked Nixon’s background as a celebrity, saying he hoped “Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and Billy Joel don’t get into the race because if it’s just about name recognition, that would really be a problem.”[52]

Former New York Gov. David Paterson (D) joined Cuomo's attack on Nixon, saying, “People just think that just because you have fame or you have resources you can run for things.”[53]

### New York City vs. upstate New York[edit]

Public polling of the Cuomo vs. Nixon matchup showed Nixon performing better against Cuomo in upstate New York than in New York City and its suburbs.[54]

For example, a late July poll showed Cuomo leading Nixon 60-31 percent among New York City voters, 74-16 among suburban voters outside New York City, and 54-33 among upstate voters.[55]

In the 2014 Democratic gubernatorial primary, Cuomo outpaced challenger Zephyr Teachout, who also criticized him for not being progressive enough, 68.1 percent to 28.5 percent among the 297,879 votes cast in New York City. In contrast, he outpaced her 57.3 percent to 38.8 percent in the 276,471 votes cast in areas outside New York City.[56]

### Tom Perez's endorsement of Cuomo[edit]

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez endorsed Cuomo at the New York Democratic Party state convention in late May 2018. This led to criticism from progressives, including U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Sanders said endorsements like Perez's made it more difficult for progressives to trust party leaders.[57]

### Cuomo's ideology[edit]

Nixon supporters claimed that her entry into the race caused Cuomo to take more liberal policy positions. Cuomo's perceived move to the left on policy was called "the Cynthia Effect" by her supporters.[58]

In its June 6 endorsement of Cynthia Nixon, the editorial board of The Nation argued that Nixon's candidacy had pushed Cuomo into taking more liberal positions.[45]

It wrote:

“  |

Ever since Cynthia Nixon announced her long-shot campaign to become New York’s next governor, the current incumbent has been a changed man. Not only has Andrew Cuomo publicly reconsidered his longtime opposition to legalizing marijuana and issued an executive order restoring voting rights to felons who have been released on parole, he also spoke out against the wave of federal immigration raids across the state. After first refusing to endorse a $19 billion plan to overhaul New York City’s crumbling subways, the governor now supports it. Somewhere under a sofa in Albany, he also found a spare $250 million to begin to address New York City’s ongoing public-housing emergency. Thanks to the “Cynthia effect,” Cuomo has even managed to find the political muscle to broker an end to the Independent Democratic Conference, a breakaway faction of state senators who caucused with the Republicans, stymieing progressive legislation. [59]

|  ”

|
|

#### Cuomo's approach to the Independent Democratic Conference[edit]

Cynthia Nixon criticized Andrew Cuomo's approach to the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), a group of state Senate Democrats who aligned with Republicans from 2012 to 2018 and kept Democrats out of power even though they often had a numerical majority. Nixon and other progressives claimed that Cuomo tolerated the IDC because Republican control of the Senate allowed him to negotiate a more conservative budget and block some progressives policies that he nominally supported.

In April 2018, Cuomo helped negotiate an agreement that brought the IDC back into the Democratic caucus. The agreement came shortly after Cuomo and three legislative power-brokers—IDC Leader Jeff Klein, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D), and Senate President John Flanagan (R)—agreed to the state budget in late March.[60] Republicans remained in control of the state Senate after the reunification deal. Even though Democrats gained a 32-31 numerical majority after winning two key state Senate special elections on April 24, state Sen. Simcha Felder (D) continued to align with Republicans and kept them in power with a one-seat majority.

Nixon criticized Cuomo for claiming that he brought the IDC back into the mainline Democratic caucus. She said he set his “own house on fire and watched it burn for eight years. Finally turning on a hose doesn’t make you a hero.”[10]

As of August 2018, Cuomo had not endorsed any of the former IDC members or received endorsements from them.[61]

To read more about the IDC and the role it played in the 2018 state legislative primaries, here.

#### Cuomo's opposition to the Trump administration[edit]

Cuomo was a vocal opponent of President Donald Trump and his policies. In his 2018 state of the state address, Cuomo said, “This federal government is the most hostile and aggressive toward New York in history.” Referring to the 2017 Republican tax bill, he said, "it has shot an arrow aimed at New York’s economic heart.”[62]

Since then, he took aim at several policies he associated with the Trump administration.

In July 2018, he prohibited insurance carriers from enacting premium increases they said were due to the repeal of the federal mandate that requires individuals to have health coverage. He said, "Insurance premiums must be based on actual cost and not political manipulation. We're not going to let Trump tear down our health care system."[63]

He also said he would sue the federal government if the administration followed through on a plan to block funding for health providers who refer patients for abortions.[64] He also called for the state legislature to convene in a special session and codify legalized abortion after Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy retired and Democrats said that Trump's replacement nominee might vote to overturn Roe v. Wade.[65]

### Nixon links Cuomo to corruption[edit]

Cynthia Nixon tied Gov. Cuomo to corruption in the state capitol and claimed that he was ineffective at addressing corruption.

On March 13, 2018, Joseph Percoco, a former aide to Gov. Cuomo, was convicted of soliciting and accepting $300,000 in bribes from companies with state business.

Cuomo, who was not implicated in any wrongdoing, said the following: "The verdict demonstrated that these ideals have been violated by someone I knew for a long time. That is personally painful. However, we must learn from what happened and put additional safeguards in place to secure the public trust. Anything less is unacceptable.”[66]

Cynthia Nixon brought up the Percoco case on the campaign trail, saying, "[Cuomo's] best friend and top aide, Joe Percoco, was just found guilty of bribery and corruption, exactly the kind of bribery and corruption Gov. Cuomo said he was going to get rid of."[67]

On May 15, Nixon said she would create a Moreland Commission, which would allow the governor to investigate any part of the state government for corruption. Cuomo proposed a Moreland Commission in 2013 but later said the legislature passed the ethics legislation he wanted and shut down the commission.[68]

On July 12, former SUNY Polytechnic Institute President Alain Kaloyeros was convicted of bid-rigging alongside three developers. Kaloyeros previously worked as an advisor for Cuomo, who denied he had been close to Kaloyeros and said he was surprised by his indictment.[69]

### Mailer claiming Nixon is anti-Semitic[edit]

On September 8, the New York State Democratic Committee sent out a mailer to 7,000 Jewish households that said, “With anti-Semitism and bigotry on the rise, we can’t take a chance with inexperienced Cynthia Nixon.” The mailer claimed she opposed the funding of yeshivas, would not stand up to anti-Semitism, and supported the Boycott, Divest, Sanction (BDS) movement aimed at cutting off support for Israel. Nixon is not Jewish but attends a synagogue with her Jewish wife and was raising her children as Jewish.

After several Jewish organizations and elected officials came out in opposition to the mailer, the state party said the mailer was a mistake and Cuomo's office said he did not approve of it or have knowledge of it before it was sent out.[70]

Nixon tweeted the following: "The mailers that Governor Cuomo and the NY State Democratic Party have sent out are not only an attack on my family, but on all New Yorkers. At a time when anti-Semitic, Islamophobic, and other hate crimes are on the rise, it’s sickening to exploit people’s real fears like this.”[71]

On September 12, The New York Times reported that former Cuomo secretary Lawrence S. Schwartz approved the mailer after it was drafted by David Lobl, another former Cuomo aide. Schwartz, who is Jewish, claimed that he did not see the negative portion of the mailer and would not have approved it if he had.[72]

### Policies[edit]

#### Property tax cap[edit]

Cynthia Nixon criticized aspects of the property tax cap that Cuomo signed into law in 2011. The cap prevented property tax rates from increasing by more than 2 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever was less, unless 60 percent of voters in a school district or 60 percent of the governing body of a local government jurisdiction approved an increase. The cap did not apply to New York City.[73]

She said it hindered schools' ability to tax residents and that she would prefer a majority to allow for an increase instead of a 60 percent margin.

Cuomo defended the property tax cap and said that Nixon had opposed the cap outright rather than just the 60 percent margin.

Nixon responded by saying she had opposed the 2 percent cap on spending increases, not the property tax cap.[74]

#### Education[edit]

Cynthia Nixon said increasing education funding for public schools was her most important issue.[3] She criticized Cuomo for what she called a $10,000 gap in spending between wealthy and poor students.

She said she would fully fund the Foundation Aid formula, which was created in 2006 after New York’s Court of Appeals found that the state was not putting enough funding into education. In was frozen after the 2008 recession. Nixon said, "Obviously our system is broken, and we need to fund the foundation formula, which would make it actually a level playing field for students across the state."

Cuomo responded by saying New York spent $22,366 per pupil, which he said was the most of any state in the country. He did say that there was inequity in the funding though.

Nixon said wealthier districts were able to raise taxes to fund their schools while poorer districts had limited tax revenue.[74]

On June 13, she released her education proposal. The $7.4 billion plan included $700 million in childcare subsidies, $4.2 billion to fully fund the Foundation Aid formula, and a College for All New York plan that would give 170,000 students free tuition at state and city colleges. She said she would pay for the plan by increasing taxes on families making more than $300,000 a year. She did not signal support for charter schools, which Cuomo supported in the past.[75]

#### Gun policy and the National Rifle Association[edit]

In April 2018, Cuomo directed the state's Department of Financial Services to "urge insurance companies, New York State-chartered banks, and other financial services companies licensed in New York to review any relationships they may have with the National Rifle Association and other similar organizations." He added, "the companies are encouraged to consider whether such ties harm their corporate reputations and jeopardize public safety."

The National Rifle Association responded by saying Cuomo was attempting "to chill the NRA's political speech."

In May 2018, the Department of Financial Services fined the underwriter of the NRA's branded insurance program, Carry Guard, $7 million. The state claimed the insurance would cover "certain acts of intentional wrongdoing" that it considered unlawful.

In August 2018, the NRA filed a lawsuit against Cuomo, saying the government's actions were intended to make it more difficult for the state to function in the state and violated the First Amendment.

In response to the lawsuit, Cuomo said, "I'm hoping to extend this all across the country. And if they think New York hurt their pocketbook, let's see what happens when the other states also join in." He also said that he wanted to believe the organization's claim that his actions made it difficult for it to function in New York.[76]

### Campaign ads[edit]

#### Andrew Cuomo[edit]

##### Support[edit]

"Stand with us in the fight to end the NRA’s stranglehold on American politics" digital ad released August 5, 2018

"Women for Trump" released August 2, 2018

"CHALLENGING TIMES – PROVEN LEADERSHIP" released July 23, 2018

"Fight Back" released July 9, 2018

"Before They Happen" released June 12, 2018

##### Oppose[edit]

"Cuomo the Republican" Nixon campaign ad released May 24, 2018

"Tablets" New York State Correctional Officers Benevolent Association ad released July 16, 2018

> Donald Trump hasn’t been shy about saying what we all know: his large campaign donations buy him access to the political establishment.

> When he donated to Gov. Cuomo, Trump wanted policies that benefited billionaire real estate developers like himself and that’s what he got. pic.twitter.com/5kQigUuPbf

> -- Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) July 6, 2018

#### Cynthia Nixon[edit]

##### Support[edit]

"Better Democrats: Cynthia Nixon for New York ad" digital ad released September 11, 2018

"Cynthia Nixon Calls for Single-Payer Health Care in NY" digital ad released July 24, 2018

"Cynthia Nixon for Governor" released March 19, 2018

## Campaign finance[edit]

Campaign finance reports[77]

Candidate | Filing deadline | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on Hand
Andrew Cuomo
July 2017 | $5,103,870.02 | $1,351,511.05 | $25,698,632.99
January 2018 | $6,010,888.59 | $1,237,742.46 | $30,471,779.12
July 2018 | $6,027,973.32 | $5,376,767.66 | $31,122,984.78
Total | $17,142,731.93 | $7,966,021.17 | $31,122,984.78
Cynthia Nixon
Off Cycle Report | $1,111,161.22 | $679,560.41 | $431,600.81
July 2018 | $500,186.01 | $274,348.11 | $657,438.71
Total | $1,611,347.23 | $953,908.52 | $657,438.71

## Satellite spending[edit]

* The New York State Corrections Officers Benevolent Association launched an anti-Cuomo televison ad campaign on July 17.[78]

## Polls[edit]

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
New York gubernatorial election, Democratic primary

Poll | Andrew Cuomo | Cynthia Nixon| Margin of Error| Sample Size
Siena College
September 4-7, 2018 | 63%| 22%| +/-4.3| 509
Siena College
July 22-26, 2018 | 60%| 29%| +/-3.9| 630
Quinnipiac University
July 12-16, 2018 | 59%| 23%| +/-6.2| 415
Siena College
June 4-7, 2018 | 61%| 26%| +/-3.7| 745
Quinnipiac Poll
April 26-May 1, 2018 | 50%| 28%| +/-3.7| 1,076
Quinnipiac Poll
March 22-27, 2018 | 58%| 22%| +/-4.1| 955
Siena College
March 11-16, 2018 | 66%| 19%| +/-4.0| 772
Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org

### PredictIt Prices[edit]

This section provides the PredictIt market prices for this race during the three months leading up to the election. PredictIt is a site where people make and trade predictions on political and financial events. Market prices reflect the probability, based on PredictIt users' predictions, that a candidate will win a race. For example, a market price of $0.60 for Candidate A is equivalent to a 60 percent probability that Candidate A will win.

## Campaign themes and policy stances[edit]

### Andrew Cuomo[edit]

Cuomo’s campaign website stated the following:

“  |

Civil Rights and Criminal Justice Reform
New York was founded on the values of equality, justice and tolerance, and Governor Cuomo has fought over the past eight years to uphold that legacy. He established the Liberty Defense Project to assist immigrants threatened by intimidating policies and made history by creating the Office for New Americans as the first statutorily created immigrant services office. He has fought to pass the DREAM Act and will not stop fighting for DREAMERs. Additionally, he reformed an antiquated criminal justice system by raising the age of criminal responsibility to 18, implementing discovery reforms, and launching innovative re-entry programs to ensure a lower recidivism rate and fairness for all New Yorkers. Governor Cuomo has worked to provide opportunity for all, to welcome immigrants, and to protect individual and religious freedoms. He will defend these New York’s values against the extreme conservatives who are looking to take us backwards.

Gun Safety
While Washington ignores the scourge of gun violence, Governor Cuomo is taking action. Following Sandy Hook, he passed the SAFE Act — the toughest and smartest gun safety program in the nation. And as students across the nation speak out against gun violence in the wake of continued shootings, Governor Cuomo further strengthened New York law by enacting legislation that removes guns from domestic abusers. Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, a multi-state coalition was formed to share research and data to keep New Yorkers safer.

Fighting for Women’s Equality
Governor Cuomo knows that when women succeed, New York succeeds. He has fought to champion women’s rights and break down barriers to equality. Under Governor Cuomo, New York passed the most comprehensive paid family leave program in the nation, launched the most aggressive public university sexual assault policy in the country, fought for a comprehensive policy to combat sexual harassment, achieved the smallest wage gap in the country, and ensured that contraceptive coverage is not interrupted regardless of what happens in Washington. He will always protect a woman’s right to choose and will fight the extreme conservatives in Washington who threaten that right.

LGBTQ Community
Pride was born at the Stonewall Inn in New York, and Governor Cuomo is a tireless fighter for the rights of the LGBTQ community. Under the Governor’s leadership, New York became the first large state to pass marriage equality and to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity, transgender status or gender dysphoria. He has pledged to end the AIDS epidemic by 2020.

Educational Opportunity for All
From pre-kindergarten to college, Governor Cuomo is committed to providing the nation’s best educational opportunities to all New Yorkers. The Governor increased education funding to record highs, fought for funding equity in education, expanded full-day pre-k, launched New York’s first 3-year-old pre-k program, expanded community school programs, and passed the groundbreaking Excelsior Scholarship, a first-in-the-nation program to provide cost-free tuition at New York’s public colleges and universities. He puts students first and works to ensure that all New Yorkers are empowered to achieve their dreams.

A Healthier New York
Governor Cuomo believes health care is a right, not a luxury, and has fought to expand quality and affordable health care for more New Yorkers. From redesigning Medicaid to reduce costs and improve care, to embracing the Affordable Care Act, and enrolling nearly one in five New Yorkers through the state’s marketplace, Governor Cuomo strengthened New York’s health care system and set an example for other states to follow. He is also laser focused on combating the opioid epidemic, making record investments in treatment services and increasing access to life-saving Naloxone.

Protecting New York’s Environment
Governor Cuomo has taken decisive action to lead the fight against climate change, create the clean energy jobs of tomorrow, and protect our environment for generations to come. From banning fracking, to making record investments in conservation, clean water, and renewable energy like offshore wind and solar, to standing up to Washington’s proposal to drill off New York’s coast, Governor Cuomo is picking up the mantle of climate leadership where Washington is failing.

Building a New New York
To grow New York’s competitiveness in the 21st century global economy, Governor Cuomo is building today for a better tomorrow. Under the Governor’s leadership, and with the support of the men and women of organized labor, New York advanced a nation-leading $100 billion infrastructure program to rebuild roads, bridges, tunnels and airports, make historic investments in public transportation, and expand access to high speed broadband.

Creating a Strong Middle Class
Governor Cuomo knows that the American Dream depends on economic mobility and a strong middle class. Today, every New Yorker pays a lower tax rate than they did before he took office. He took action to change a largely flat, regressive income tax into a fairer tax system by adding additional brackets. Now New York has more private sector jobs than at any point in history. Governor Cuomo is also fighting to protect New Yorkers against Washington’s devastating elimination of full state and local tax deductibility and to protect our economy.

Combatting Income Inequality
Governor Cuomo is fighting for economic justice by securing New York’s groundbreaking $15 minimum wage, enacting critical protections for New York’s workers, passing the largest affordable housing and anti-homelessness program in state history, expanding the child care tax credit for working families, and passing the first in the nation plan to provide free college for New York students. Governor Cuomo has fought to give all New Yorkers the opportunity to succeed. [59]

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—Andrew Cuomo’s campaign website (2018)[79]

### Cynthia Nixon[edit]

Nixon’s campaign website stated the following:

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Educate New York

Cynthia Nixon is a proud public school graduate and an even prouder public school parent. Cynthia became an advocate for public schools 17 years ago when her oldest child entered kindergarten. The school Cynthia dropped Sam off at that first day looked nothing like the school she had visited the summer before, as the school’s art teacher, music teacher, assistant principal, and two-thirds of the para-professionals had been fired, due to city-wide budget cuts.

That year, Cynthia joined thousands of parents in successfully organizing to stop almost $400 million in cuts to New York City schools. The following year, Cynthia joined with parents across the State to win a long-term solution for the enormous under-funding of low-income school districts, the large majority of which serve communities of color.

In 2007, that solution came in the form of Foundation Aid, a state funding formula that increased funding for primarily high-need, low-income school districts. However, that additional aid came to a screeching halt under Governor Cuomo. In his first year in office, he refused to continue payment on the new funding formula and instead enacted a $1.3 billion cut to schools. The education cuts went to fund an enormous tax cut to the wealthy and corporations.

The Governor’s refusal to address inequity has devastating consequences. Our state currently has the second highest inequality in funding between rich and poor school districts in the nation, a gap that has grown by 24 percent under Andrew Cuomo.

In addition to being underfunded, schools that serve communities of color have become increasingly criminalized. Now children can come into contact with the law at a very young age in school, where suspensions for children of color are inordinately high and police are often inappropriately involved for infractions that should be addressed through lesser disciplinary approaches.

Together, the underfunding and criminalization of schools that disproportionately serve children of color have created two different education systems in New York State. White, wealthy children are prepared for college, and low-income, children of color are disproportionately put into the school to prison pipeline.

Our children need schools, not jails. As Governor, Cynthia Nixon will provide our low-income schools the funding they need, and she will implement a birth-to-college approach to public education that allows every child to reach their full potential.

Fixing the Subway
With eight million rides a day, subways and buses are the lifeblood of New York City. Instead of meeting growing need, subway performance has declined, with delays almost quadrupling — from 20,000 per month in May 2012 to 76,000 in January 2018. On-time performance hovers at a failing 60%, much lower than any other transit system in the world. Trains now move slower than they did in 1950.

The Governor of New York is in charge of the subways. And for eight years, straphangers have been neglected and ignored by the current administration. The way he’s handled this issue for his first two terms should completely disqualify him from a third.

We don’t have any choice but to fix our subways. The Governor has kicked this can down the road for eight years because it doesn’t affect him or his wealthy donors. New Yorkers deserve better than to be stuck in a perpetual signal delay. We need to start moving forward.

We can’t fix the subway until we have a governor who knows it’s her job to fund the MTA. Governor Cuomo has no plan to bring relief to millions of subway riders. I do.

How to Get Subways and Buses Moving Again

The Fast Forward plan presented by Andy Byford, president of the New York City Transit Authority, is a major step forward. Cuomo personally interviewed Byford and effectively appointed him, but after Byford announced his plan, Cuomo initially refused to commit to funding the plan or even to broadly support its recommendations. Then, an entire week later, he finally caved and said he supported congestion pricing and Byford’s plan.

The problem is Cuomo has said he’ll use comprehensive congestion pricing to fix the subways before, and then he abandoned it. Why should we believe that Cuomo will stick with it this time? Especially when there’s no chance of it getting through the legislature before they break in June? And why is he ruling out a millionaires’ tax as part of the funding solution?

The following report is an overview of my plan to end the crisis and fix our subway system. It amplifies the bold plan presented by Andy Byford, while presenting an actual funding solution.

Modernize Malfunctioning Subway Signals in Ten Years

Commutes are scrambled when signals stop working. Often, it’s as simple as a train traffic light stuck on red because the technology is from the 1930s and the parts haven’t been properly maintained or replaced in years. In short order, trains stack up all the way to their terminals as work crews rush to patch and paste the system. As many experts have noted, it’s long past time to install a modern, reliable signal system.

In addition to prioritizing repairs to provide the most impact for the most riders, the MTA should also prioritize work in a way that ensures equity in the speed of repairs across geographies and populations, and in a way that takes into consideration those enduring the most commuting hardship.

Modern communications-based train control, a proven technology for safely running trains more reliably and closer together, has been long delayed in coming to New York. Rather than spend several years installing it one by one on each subway line, we should get new signals up and running across the system.

The MTA continues to experiment with new technology like ultra-wideband radio, which could deliver better train service more quickly and cheaply. We should continue to develop technology and use it when proven effective. In the meantime, we should not hesitate to invest heavily in proven, effective technology like communications-based train control to upgrade our 1930s-era signals.

Replace Creaky Subway Cars from the 1960s and 1970s in Ten Years

Some train cars on the A, C, J, and Z lines were running in New York before the Beatles came to America. After several years in service, U.S. astronauts landed on the moon. Today, these same cars break down the most frequently of any trains, and they squeal and shake with every station stop. It’s long past time to replace them with modern, reliable, and safe equipment.

Expand the Subway Fleet to Accommodate More Riders and Relieve Crowding

With near record crowds boarding the subway each day, the existing fleet is too small to comfortably meet New Yorkers’ needs. Once we have modern signals, we’ll be able to run trains closer together and accommodate additional trains on chronically overcrowded lines. It’s time to invest in new cars to expand the subway fleet and make rush hour feel less like a sardine can.

A Fair Way to Pay for a Subway that Works

While the MTA hasn’t put out a clear number on the cost to repair their subway, probably due to political pressure from the Governor, we will need a dedicated revenue stream that can be reliably counted on. It is very likely that to repair an infrastructure problem this significant, we will also need multiple revenue streams. To meet those needs, we propose comprehensive congestion pricing, as well as funding from part of the revenue generated from a polluter fee and a millionaires tax.

Comprehensive Congestion Pricing:

Charge Private Cars and Trucks to Drive in the Manhattan Central Business District

Private car owners in New York City earn more than double the income of households that have no car — and car owners who drive into the central business district regularly for work are wealthier still. A recent study from the Community Service Society found that only 2% of working poor New Yorkers would be subject to a congestion fee applied to cars that drive into the center of Manhattan and only 4% of outer-borough residents commute to jobs in Manhattan by vehicle. The study estimates that 118,000 outer-borough residents rely on vehicles for their commute to work compared to 2.1 million who rely on public transit.

Last fall, Governor Cuomo convened a panel called Fix NYC to recommend policies that would create revenue to fix our subways and reduce traffic congestion. The best versions of these proposals are not only capable of raising billions of dollars to fix public transportation; they are also fair and just, with the heaviest burden for payment falling on wealthier households and the greatest benefits going to public transit riders, including a specific focus on the outer-boroughs and on improving options in transit deserts.

But in this year’s budget, Governor Cuomo only implemented one portion of the Fix NYC plan by imposing a flat fee on yellow cabs, Ubers, and Lyfts, without touching private cars and trucks. This move not only goes against the intent of the panel’s recommendations, but could be disastrous for yellow cab drivers facing desperate times. Experts say that solely hitting for-hire vehicles will neither significantly decrease congestion nor generate the revenue needed to fix the subways. We need a pricing system that is fair to all drivers and riders.

Our plan would keep the surcharge on for-hire vehicles, but would add a congestion pricing fee for entry and exit into the congestion pricing zone of $5.76 each way. Trucks would pay a higher fee, calculated in the same way the MTA accounts for other truck bridge tolls based on the number of axles. According to Fix NYC’s report, this plan would raise over $1 billion annually.

This will allow New York State to issue bonds which would go a long way towards funding a large scale, accelerated plan like Fast Forward. In order to make the congestion charge as fair as possible, and to minimize the concern for those who can’t afford to pay, we could consider various modifications to the Fix NYC panel recommendations, as described below.

Give Drivers Far From Transit a Break

Money raised from these three revenue sources would pay to reduce tolls elsewhere in the city, for example, on Staten Island and in eastern Queens, where the subways don’t run. While New York has an extensive transit system, it currently doesn’t reach the entire city quickly enough from the Manhattan core, nor does it effectively connect outer-boroughs to one another. The Move NY proposal, a precursor to the Fix NYC panel recommendations, included a toll reduction on some bridges that lack transit access nearby, such as the Verrazano and the Bronx-Whitestone and other bridges that connect boroughs outside Manhattan. Funds raised from new revenue should also be put toward improving mass transit in these transit deserts.

Rebates for Low-Income Drivers

Low-income drivers who need to commute into Manhattan by car would be eligible for a partial toll rebate, so they wouldn’t have to pay any more than the cost of a subway ride. Congestion pricing is already a fair policy that charges a relatively small number of wealthy people to get millions more moving again, and also cut down on traffic for those who still drive. A low-income rebate will make it even fairer still.

A Millionaires Tax

Corporations and the ultra-rich have been given enormous tax breaks under Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo’s austerity budgets have starved localities of much needed infrastructure resources. By increasing revenue generated through a Millionaires Tax, we can dedicate a portion of the additional funds for fixing our subways.

Polluter Fee

As part of our “Just Transition” climate platform, we will enact a polluter fee that will generate billions of dollars to be used to fund New York’s transition to green energy. As carbon emissions are greatly reduced by high-functioning public transit systems, a portion of the polluter fee can and should be dedicated towards fixing our subways so that they run more efficiently and more people can ride them.

Transit We Can Trust

A Full Accounting of MTA Assets

MTA equipment is old, outdated and failing. But the public doesn’t even have a full, easy-to-understand accounting of what that equipment is and how long we can expect it to last. The MTA needs a ledger for every piece of equipment and report on its depreciated value and the remainder of its useful life. The MTA should share that information with the public, updated every year, to bring sunlight to the system’s capital needs and to demonstrate through full transparency that we need to make up for years of underinvestment and lack of maintenance of valuable equipment that belongs to the public.

A True Transit Lockbox — What’s Intended for Transit is Spent On Transit

There is a sad history of money for transit being funneled to other purposes, most pointedly so under our current Governor. Sometimes, that outright shifting of resources is far from the transit system, from the MTA to upstate ski resorts, bridge lights or to plug gaps in the state budget. Revenue streams that were created to pay for transit should be required to pay for transit.

An Efficient, Reliable, And Environmentally Sound Bus System

Redesign the Bus Network for 21st Century Needs

New York City Transit, which operates the city’s bus system, acknowledges that many bus lines trace the same routes as trolley tracks laid out in the 19th century — before cars, much less airplanes and airports, played a role in transportation. Nowadays, destinations like JFK International boasts thousands of jobs but nearly nonexistent bus service from nearby Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods where workers live. According to city data, nearly half of New York’s job growth between 2010 and 2014 took place outside Manhattan, meaning many people no longer commute to traditional downtowns but to employment centers like malls, hospitals, and businesses spread throughout neighborhood streets. A redesigned bus network will get New Yorkers to work, effectively and directly, along routes that reflect how people commute in the 21st century.

Automate Bus Lane Enforcement by Lifting the Camera Restriction

One of the reasons buses move slowly is that, even in bus lanes, they get stuck behind other vehicles. For years, the state has capped the number of automated enforcement cameras used to ticket private vehicles that obstruct bus lanes. The result has been worse bus service and more flagrant violations. Lifting the restriction will allow broader enforcement of bus lanes, increase bus speeds, and encourage the city to create more bus lanes on more bus routes.

Follow Through on the MTA’s Plan for All-door Boarding

MTA New York City Transit President Andy Byford recently released a bus plan that includes both a network redesign and a switch to all-door boarding, among other improvements. This vital improvement must happen on schedule, as the MTA implements a new and modern fare payment system to replace the Metrocard. In an all-door boarding system, people would be able to exit and enter the bus from any door, rather than lining up to pay one-by-one at the front of the bus. With new fare payment technology, people should be able to tap their card wherever they enter the bus, and inspectors should be able to verify electronically that people have paid. All-door boarding will allow faster, more reliable service, with the most gains for the busiest bus routes, and it will also help make the bus a more modern, appealing option for commuters.

Invest in Electric Buses

A 21st century bus fleet needs to be entirely electric to reduce the impact of diesel exhaust, especially on low-income communities and communities of color, where many bus depots are located. Cleaner bus service is an environmental equity issue that must no longer be ignored. An all-electric bus fleet will make transit that much more of an ecologically sound alternative to private cars, taxis, and for-hire vehicles.

An Accessible Transit Network

An Accessible Transit Network Within Ten Years

The subway is so often called the lifeblood of our city, and is what makes the city accessible to people all across the five boroughs. But at present, too many New Yorkers cannot ride the subway at all. Currently, New York has one of the least accessible mass transit systems in the entire world.

Only a small percentage of stations have elevators and even those elevators frequently break down. A modern subway should be open to all — riders in wheelchairs, with walkers, with strollers, with suitcases, and with bad knees and bad backs. The odds are high that at some time in each of our lives, we’ll all fall into one or more of those excluded categories. Our transit system should also consider the needs of people with vision and hearing disabilities and provide consistent audible and visual information about stops and service changes.

Like fixing the subway itself, creating an accessible system will not be cheap, easy or quick. But it’s what we owe each other. New York must move toward a 100 percent accessible transit system. It’s essential to making New York a fair city and enabling all New Yorkers to access everything the city has to offer, on equal terms with every other New Yorker.

A Fully Accessible Bus System Immediately

It’s time to end discrimination against bus riders with disabilities, enforce clear bus stops with cameras on board every bus, and guarantee that drivers are properly trained to respectfully serve all passengers. The MTA also needs to consider the needs of the elderly and people with disabilities when redesigning the bus network.

Historically, employment in transit has provided a ladder to the middle-class to a highly diverse array of New Yorkers. However, one marginalized group remains under-represented in transit employment — people with disabilities. Increasing recruitment and training for disabled transit workers to operate buses and perform other jobs will integrate a perspective of people with disabilities into the institutional culture. Disabled transit workers on a variety of jobs will help ensure that their co-workers are properly trained and personally aware of the needs of disabled riders.

On top of that, passengers with vision and hearing disabilities have difficulty using buses because stops are not consistently announced and lack digital displays to alert passengers who are Deaf or hard of hearing.

Paratransit on Demand for All Users

Not every New Yorker can safely and comfortably ride the bus. Indeed, 150,000 commuters are certified for Access-a-Ride services. But Access-a-Ride can barely be called service at all, given how poorly it meets riders’ needs. At present, riders must schedule trips in advance and, outrageously, it is often the riders who are penalized when drivers don’t show up on time.

Once on board, Access-a-Ride users can end up in citywide journeys of indefinite length, even missing scheduled appointments. This is no way for a state or its transit system to treat people with disabilities. Eligibility and enrollment rules should also be streamlined and made easier to understand. Access-a-Ride must be revamped to promptly and respectfully meet the needs of its riders so they can access not just their ride but the city itself.

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The subway has become a symbol of Governor Cuomo’s disastrous austerity budgets that were balanced on the backs of millions of working New Yorkers. His negligence and reluctance to make the wealthy pay their fair share has created a crisis that could take decades to fix. New Yorkers can’t afford to wait that long. The subway is the lifeblood of our city. If the subway dies, so does the city of New York. We need bold leadership and immediate action from our next governor.

The subway is the lifeblood of our city. If the subway dies, so does the city of New York. Unlike Governor Cuomo, Cynthia Nixon rides the subway every day so she understands we need to fix it, now.

Every day, the subway gets more crowded and less reliable. Average train speeds are slower now than they were in the 1950s, and delays on the MTA have tripled in the last 5 years. Our subway now has the worst on-time performance of any major transit system in the world, with the Long Island Railroad plagued with serious delays as well.

Andrew Cuomo has been in office for eight years. He’s had eight years to address the growing transit crisis in our city. Instead, he’s used the MTA like an ATM, taking money out for his pet projects.

Governor Cuomo has been focused on making superficial, cosmetic changes rather than fixing the real problems. He has completely neglected the non-glamorous infrastructure work that actually keeps the subway functioning. His idea of modernizing the subway system was adding Wi-Fi and digital displays – not fixing the 1930s-era signal system or the hundred-year-old tunnels. Governor Cuomo even proposed spending hundreds of millions of dollars on an LED light show on the bridges to attract tourists, while below ground, native New Yorkers are trapped in packed, sweaty train cars.

We don’t need more bells and whistles. We first need to fix our century-old machinery, so that the trains can run faster and we can get more of them on the tracks.

Governor Cuomo has dealt with transportation like someone who visits New York, but doesn’t actually live here — who uses our bridges and airports to get in and out of the city, but doesn’t have to depend on the trains to get to work every day.

It’s time to give the MTA the money we were promised for repairs, and stop asking New York City or its riders — or Long Islanders who take the LIRR — to foot the bill to clean up Cuomo’s mess. As governor, Cynthia will immediately make the emergency rescue of our transit system a top priority of her administration.

Single-payer Healthcare
Over one million New Yorkers are currently uninsured and millions more are under-insured. That’s why I endorse the New York Health Act. The New York Health Act would create a single-payer, ‘Medicare For All’ system. It has passed the New York State Assembly four years in a row, but every time it’s been blocked by the Republican State Senate which is bolstered by rogue Trump Democrats known as the IDC.

Every single New Yorker can have good health care, with no copays and no deductibles. But first we have to start sending Democrats to Albany who stand with people, not corporations.

According to one analysis, the New York Health Act would reduce overall health care spending by 15 percent ($45 billion per year). Over 98% of New York households would spend less on health care than they spend now.

People like my mom shouldn’t have to depend on our employers for insurance – and no one should have to worry about the cost of care when they’re worried about their health. Agree? Let us know why:

Reproductive Freedom
Women used to come to New York for reproductive healthcare. Now, they sometimes have to leave because New York State law does not comprehensively protect reproductive freedom.

For eight years, Andrew Cuomo has claimed to be a pro-choice champion. And for eight years, New York has failed to pass the Reproductive Health Act or the Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act. Enough is enough. We have a dangerous misogynist in the White House and radical anti-choice Republicans throughout the country intent on taking away people’s reproductive freedom by enacting unconstitutional abortion bans, defunding Planned Parenthood, cutting maternity coverage, and limiting access to affordable birth control. Now more than ever, we must pass legislation to permanently protect reproductive freedom for all people in New York and lead on a national level again.

As Governor, I will:

Pass the Reproductive Health Act

New York State Law has not been updated since Roe v. Wade. We must must pass the Reproductive Health Act, which will take abortion out of the criminal code; codify Roe v. Wade explicitly in our state law; ensure abortion is accessible after 24 weeks for cases where a patient’s health is at risk or in instances of fetal non-viability; and allow advanced practice clinicians to administer abortions so people living in rural areas are able to access abortion services.

Pass the Comprehensive Contraception Act

The Comprehensive Contraception Act will mandate that all state insurers cover FDA-approved birth control. As the Trump administration works to rollback Obama-era employer mandates, its more important than ever our state passes legislation to safeguard this right.

Create a Maternal Mortality Review Board

Women of color are four times more likely to die because of pregnancy or childbirth than white women. Low-income women face even higher rates of maternal mortality — 67 percent of maternal deaths from 2012 to 2013 were women with Medicaid insurance. We must strengthen health insurance for all New Yorkers by expanding Medicaid, prenatal education and social support. We must pass legislation to create a Maternal Mortality Review Board to collectively assess this dangerous disparity in maternal mortality and review each death to help inform methods for practitioners to reduce the number of women dying in pregnancy. Most important, we must develop quality-improvement toolkits and metrics to enact the recommendations of the review board.

Ensure Comprehensive Sex Ed in New York Schools

We must ensure all students receive comprehensive sexuality education, including LGBTQIA-inclusive information. We must ensure that teachers are assigned specifically to teach health—and that they provide medically accurate information and the skills needed to avoid STIs and unwanted pregnancy.

Menstrual Equity as Gender Equity

Menstrual equity is gender equity—and we must provide these products free of charge in prisons, custodial settings, homeless shelters, and schools. We must have laws and policies that ensure that menstrual products are safe and affordable for all who need them, especially New York’s low-income students. For three years, the New York State Assembly passed a bill to provide menstrual products in prisons and other punitive custodial settings but the bill stalled in the State Senate. It’s time to pass this important legislation.

Universal Rent Control
Protecting Over Nine Million New Yorkers From Eviction and Skyrocketing Rents Every single New Yorker deserves a safe and stable place to live. Without the foundation of a healthy home, virtually all the other qualities that define a happy and healthy life including quality education, regular work, and access to medical care are impossible to achieve.

Too many New Yorkers can no longer afford to live in the community, town or even city where they grew up. Hundreds of thousands of black and brown families are being pushed out of the neighborhoods that they have called home for generations. Too many New Yorkers are teetering on the brink of homelessness and have to make the tough decision each month about whether to put food on the table or pay the rent check.

Rents are skyrocketing while paychecks aren’t keeping up. Nearly half of our state residents are renters, and under Governor Cuomo, New York’s renters have been left behind. So many New Yorkers are paying nearly half of their income in just rent. Rents in New York City are increasing twice as fast as wages. Across the state, low and moderate income tenants are paying more than 50% of their income on rent. For tenants, a stable and secure home means rent you can afford to pay with money left over for the basic necessities and a healthy living environment where you can raise a family without concern for your children getting asthma or lead poisoning.

As homelessness declines across the country, in New York it is on the rise. In the last eight years homelessness in New York has surged by 36% to over 89,000 people. If nothing changes, it will reach over 100,000 people by 2020.

In the last eight years, Governor Cuomo’s real estate donors have dictated housing policy in our state — and the results have been disastrous. It’s hard to do right when you’re getting millions of dollars to do wrong.

Rent Justice for All Platform

Rent stabilization laws currently apply to more than one million households in New York City, Nassau, Rockland, and Westchester Counties. These laws give families peace of mind by ensuring the right to stay in their homes with modest annual rent increases. As gentrification sweeps cities and seeps into suburbs, rent stabilization protects tenants from private equity landlords that want to take advantage of an out-of-control housing market.

But tenants’ rights are under attack. Under Cuomo, landlords are rewarded with large rent increases in exchange for evicting people from their homes. The system invites speculation and drives up housing costs. And rent stabilization only applies to certain types of housing in just eight counties statewide. Millions have no protection at all from unfair rent increases or sudden evictions.

Cynthia’s rent platform — Rent Justice for All — is the most progressive and expansive tenant protection program in the country. It will provide affordable homes to more than three million households, help to curb our state’s homelessness crisis, and prevent thousands of evictions. Here is how:

Reclaim and Protect All Units That Were Removed From Rent Stabilization

Since Andrew Cuomo took office, we have lost at least 75,000 units of rent stabilized housing. Once a stabilized apartment hits the vacancy decontrol threshold — currently set at $2,733 — the apartment comes out of the rent stabilization system and the state protections that keep that apartment affordable disappear. This creates a perverse incentive for landlords to do all in their power to raise rents, push out rent-stabilized tenants, and bring apartments into the open market.

Cynthia will work with state lawmakers to create and pass legislation to re-regulate all of the apartments that are still rentals and were lost as a result of vacancy decontrol. Legislation will also strengthen the rent registration system and will eliminate the four year limitation on a tenant’s ability to challenge a rent overcharge.

Fix The Broken Rent Stabilization Laws

In 2019, New York’s rent regulation laws are set to expire. While we do not need to wait for them to expire in order to fix them, this offers an opportunity to stop the rapid loss of affordable apartments in New York City and the surrounding areas by working with the State legislature to close five major loopholes that drive rent increases and tenant harassment. Cynthia will work with lawmakers to:

End the vacancy decontrol loophole that eliminates tenant protections and destabilizes apartments once rent reaches $2733, as described above. End the vacancy bonus loophole that awards landlords up to a 20% increase in rent each time an apartment is vacated. Far too many landlords evict tenants in rapid succession abusing this loophole to drive up rents and eventually take the apartment out of rent stabilization altogether. End the preferential rent loophole that allows landlords to lure tenants into leases at one price, which is supposedly lower than the stabilized rent, and then dramatically increase the rent overnight. 250,000 New Yorkers households have a preferential rent and are unable to benefit from the security that rent stabilization brings. Cynthia will protect these families by preventing these landlords from raising the rent as they see fit, and instead requiring them to base all future rent increases on the current amount the tenant pays. Finally, Cynthia will work with the legislature to revisit the rent increases that landlords are allowed for making apartment and building-wide renovations. These loopholes, known as individual apartment improvements and major capital improvements, are riddled with exaggerated costs and lead to widespread loss of affordability. Cynthia supports making these increases temporary to both allow landlords to make repairs but also to prevent tenants from shouldering an undue and sudden rent burden. Cynthia will also will work to change the way the state housing agency reviews the extent and quality of claimed renovations before approving these kinds of adjustments. Expand Rent Stabilization Laws Statewide to All Apartments with Six Units or More

Over two million renter households in New York State live in fear of eviction. Over 80% of low income tenants in Kingston, Buffalo, Rochester and other upstate cities have rents they can’t afford to pay — and those families have no protections whatsoever from their exploitative landlords. Cynthia will work with the state legislature to bring rent stabilization protection to tenants who do not currently benefit because they live in units built after 1974, or live outside of the eight counties (NYC’s five boroughs, Westchester, Rockland, and Nassau) where local governments are allowed to opt into rent stabilization.

Cynthia will also tackle a new problem – the mega landlords who own multiple small buildings. During the financial meltdown Wall Street speculators scooped up homes at a discount rate and created new companies that now own hundreds of thousands of houses with under 6 units. These were homes lost to foreclosure where tenants now pay high rents and have no rights. Our rent laws were not designed with this new kind of landlord in mind – so it’s time to change that. Cynthia will work with the state legislature to find solutions and pass new rent laws to protect tenants living in homes that might be smaller than 6 units but are owned by corporate landlords who own a large number of properties.

Protect Tenants from Unjust Evictions Across the State

Tenants should be protected from eviction regardless of where they live or what kind of housing they live in. Just cause legislation would cover tenants in small buildings across all of New York State that are not owner occupied, including lot rents in manufactured home communities that are increasingly vulnerable to speculation. It would prevent landlords from evicting tenants without a good reason. Also, as any tenant knows, a massive rent hike is as good as an eviction. Just cause legislation will protect tenants from unconscionable rent hikes.

Invest in Enforcing Tenant Rights

Often the only home a low-income renter can afford is riddled with unsafe conditions. Local governments have little ability to fund the inspection of units, or to make emergency repairs. Under Cuomo, housing code enforcement has been defunded and is an afterthought. Funding for Housing and Community Renewal, the state agency responsible for enforcing tenants’ rights, has declined by 62%. Cynthia Nixon will significantly increase funding for HCR in order to protect tenants’ rights and empower localities to ensure homes in New York are safe and stable.

Providing Renter Protections to Over Nine Million Renters

The Rent Justice for All Platform is the most expansive tenant protection program in the country. Just cause eviction, combined with the changes to rent stabilization, will expand renter protections to one million households in the five boroughs and one million tenants outside of New York City who currently live without any protections. This number, combined with strengthening protections for the existing one million rent stabilized apartments in NYC and the surrounding counties will result in over three million apartments and approximately nine million renters who will benefit from protections against skyrocketing rents and evictions. It will provide over three million families the security of knowing that if they demand critically needed repairs today, they won’t be facing an eviction tomorrow.

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We can do this, but it won’t be easy. The real estate industry and Wall Street speculators will spend millions of dollars to try to stop these changes — they will give money to politicians on both sides of the aisle, they will buy radio and TV ads to defame our campaign and attack tenants who are demanding justice. They will attack the communities of color who are fighting to stay in the towns and cities they have called home. We must stop rewarding landlords who are who are stripping tenants of protections and pushing families out of their homes. We can’t afford not to act – because shelter and housing should be a basic right for all New Yorkers. All of us deserve a place we can proudly call our home. The time for bold action is now.

A Fair Economy for All
Invest in Communities, Not Corporations

All New Yorkers should be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor. But right now prosperity and wealth in New York state belongs only to a tiny few. New York is the most unequal state in the country. The top 1 percent of New Yorkers earn 45 times more than the bottom 99 percent. To understand why, you have to look no farther than Governor Cuomo’s economic development strategy.

The Governor has taken a Republican-like approach to economic development: cutting taxes for the rich and gutting public goods and services for everyone else. As we saw with the Trump-Ryan tax cuts early this year, this approach is a recipe for disaster. In New York, our infrastructure is now crumbling, our fastest growing industries do not pay a living wage, and communities of color and minority-owned businesses are being left behind.

The Governor’s misguided economic development philosophy is made worse by his administration’s rampant corruption. Cuomo has doled out millions and even billions of dollars to his corporate donors with very little strings attached or expectations set around real, well-paying jobs to be produced.

As Governor, Cynthia will take a very different approach. First, she will hold Wall Street and big corporations accountable, and strengthen protections for workers and consumers. Next, she will make a targeted investment in communities of color and minority-owned businesses, which have been left behind by Governor Cuomo’s policies. Cynthia will also make a robust investment in our state’s infrastructure, creating thousands of jobs and strengthening communities across our state. Finally, Cynthia will ensure that our state’s fastest growing industry — service jobs and home health aides — provide family sustaining wages.

These economic development strategies are all accompanied by Cynthia’s commitment to greatly expanding educational opportunities from birth through college, which will create the high quality workforce that is essential to economic growth and development in New York State.

Cumulatively, Cynthia’s approach to workforce training and economic development will help grow New York’s economy, while combating the runaway income inequality that has been aided and abetted by the corrupt Cuomo Administration.

Climate Justice
An Agenda for a Clean Energy Economy and Climate Justice New York belongs to all of us. Our state’s land, water, and air shape how we live our lives and who we are as New Yorkers. Our children grow up singing about spacious skies, amber waves of grain and purple mountain majesties. This song about our shared heritage rings so true to New York from Niagara Falls to the Adirondack Mountains to the Rockaways.

The original inhabitants of upstate New York, the Iroquois, have a saying that reminds us of our responsibility: “In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.” Yet now, we are exposing our very own children to the devastating impact of climate change, and no more so than in our most vulnerable communities.

2016 was the hottest year on record and the 12 warmest years have all occurred over the past 20 years. Sea level is projected to rise in Long Island, New York City and the Hudson Valley by three to eight inches by the 2020’s, nine to twenty-one inches by the 2050’s and fourteen to thirty inches by the 2080’s. Climate change means New York’s farmers are whipsawed by too much water followed by drought and high heat. Coastal flooding damages infrastructure, including the subway system and sends billions of gallons of untreated sewage into our state’s treasured waterways including the Hudson River and the Great Lakes. The ski industry in the Catskills and Adirondacks is losing money because of warmer weather and fewer ski days.

Hundreds of thousands of our friends and relatives in Puerto Rico remain without electricity after Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Irma hit the island last September, forcing thousands of people to leave their homes. Due to our leadership’s continued inaction, we will likely see even more climate refugees in the coming years.

Our state belongs to all New Yorkers, not a handful of fossil fuel executives or the elected leaders whose campaign coffers they fill. It’s time to treat the earth as our shared home where our children won’t need to worry that their air, water, and land is being polluted by poison dug up from the ground or spewed from cars and buildings. We must restore balance in a world designed to sustain us and make sure the earth is habitable for future generations. Now is the time for New York to exhibit leadership and to show our children and the nation what a new, robust and flourishing clean energy economy can and should look like.

Cynthia for NY – Clean Energy Economy and Climate Justice Agenda

Transition to 100% Renewable Energy. New York currently only gets 4% of its electricity from solar and wind. Our current Governor committed to 50% renewables by 2030 – but only for electricity, not carbon emissions coming from major sources like transportation and buildings. New York still missed the 2015 target of 29% hitting only 21%. We must take immediate bold action that sets NY on track to achieve a transition to a real 100% renewable energy no later than 2050. If we don’t get to work now, it will be too late.

One of my top priorities as Governor is to pass the Climate and Community Protection Act. The bill mandates in law that New York fully transition to clean energy by 2050 by tasking state agencies with creating plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, not just in our power plants, but in our cars and buildings too. Governor Cuomo only has a plan for the electricity sector when most of the emissions in New York come from buildings and transportation. Earlier today, Governor Cuomo announced an energy efficiency plan that is not so different than his existing plan. Too little, too late. Cuomo’s plan still lacks a commitment to a 100% renewable energy economy. His plan still won’t fully halt all new fossil fuel infrastructure. His plan still doesn’t aggressively make corporate polluters pay for damage to our communities and our planet. Our plan is a comprehensive plan for eliminating greenhouse gas emissions in every sector.

Governor Cuomo’s plan also lacks targeted support for low-income communities and communities of color who are most impacted by the effects of climate change and pollution. The bill that I will pass as Governor — the Climate and Community Protection Act that mandates 40% of state energy funding be directed toward the low-income communities and communities of color most impacted by climate change. The bill sets fair labor standards for new clean energy jobs that receive state funding, so we can make sure that green jobs are always good jobs.

This bill has passed in the Assembly twice, and garnered bipartisan support in the Senate, and simply needs strong visionary leadership to shepherd it through the legislature to get it passed.

A critical component of the Climate and Community Protection Action is also making sure there is dedicated funding for a transition to the clean energy economy that puts workers first. This includes direct investment to make sure workers employed by the fossil fuel industry are trained and supported to transition to clean energy jobs and that any lost tax base is replaced.

Reject All New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure. While the extraction of fracked gas has been banned in New York, our current leadership believes that fracked gas is a “bridge” to a renewable future. Yet the science is clear. Investing in new fracked gas infrastructure locks us into decades more emissions we cannot afford, and poses serious health risks for surrounding communities. We must immediately end investment in any new fossil fuel plants and pipelines and refocus efforts and funding toward renewable energy.

Hold Corporate Polluters Accountable & Make Them Pay. Our state and local communities are already spending critical tax dollars addressing the negative impacts of climate change. Every time the fossil fuel industry pumps a ton of carbon dioxide or methane into our air, a New Yorker pays the price, whether it’s an asthma attack or another superstorm Sandy. As we learned with the tobacco industry, until we start holding corporate polluters responsible for their actions, we will see very little change in their behavior.

Estimates say that making the investment necessary to reach 100% renewable energy could generate over a 100,000 new jobs every year through building solar panels and wind turbines, retrofitting houses and other buildings, and revamping our outdated transit systems.

As Governor, I will work with the State legislature to make corporate polluters pay for the damage their causing to our communities and our planet. This would generate billions of dollars to invest in building renewable energy, protecting communities at the front lines of climate change, supporting workers transitioning into the new energy economy, and giving rebates to low and middle-income New Yorkers to save them money on their energy bills. It’s a bold, common-sense policy, that others states are already exploring. New York should be the leader in getting it done.

We also must put an end to the influence of corporate polluters on our energy policy. That’s why I’m supporting comprehensive campaign finance reform, and why I pledge to not take contributions from the oil, gas, and coal industry and will instead prioritize the health of our families, climate, and democracy over fossil fuel industry profits.

Fight the Trump Plan to Open up the Atlantic Ocean for Oil and Gas Drilling. California Governor Jerry Brown has said his state would reject the pipelines and other infrastructure needed to transport oil and gas to land. New York should do the same and use its authority under the Coastal Zone Management Law at the NYS Department of State to block all offshore drilling wells. Instead of continuing to double down on dirty fossil fuels, New York can invest in offshore and land wind farms.

Fix the Subways and Expand Mass Transit. Investments in mass transit in our cities, suburban communities and across the state will drive down carbon pollution and other air contaminants. NYC’s crumbling MTA needs a major investment to bring it back to life and better management, as does the LIRR and Metro North. Significant investments need to be made to better serve rural communities by mass transit.

Divest From Fossil Fuels. New York City officials have pledged to divest its pension funds from oil and gas stocks. Fossil fuel stocks were among the worst performing sectors last year. It’s time for New York state to do the responsible thing as well and begin to divest from corporate polluters.

Let Dangerous Nuclear Power Plants Close. In 2017, Governor Cuomo made the controversial decision to spend over $7 billion in taxpayer money to bail out three aging nuclear plants. Cuomo said he needed the money to meet his renewable energy goals, but that’s just plain false. Nuclear energy was an experiment that failed and is neither clean nor renewable. New York used to be the center of innovation. We can leave nuclear energy in the past as part of our full transition to a 100% clean, renewable energy economy. Our future depends on it.

Uphold the Paris Agreement. The Trump Administration pulled out of the international Paris Climate Agreement, which for the first time provided a roadmap for hundreds of nations to reduce carbon pollution and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius. The United States is the only nation in the whole world that hasn’t signed on. As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rolls back crucial clean air and water rules, we must fully abide by the Paris Agreement by transitioning to a 100% renewable energy economy.

We Can Do This. We need to make a bold commitment to invest in renewable energy, one that will get us off fossil fuels completely and provide thousands of new jobs — especially in the communities most impacted by pollution and climate change. We must transition from an economy based in toxic carbon emissions toward an economy that protects workers, our communities, and our planet.

It won’t be easy. But we don’t have a choice. This is an issue where we can’t afford to have rhetoric and not action. We need to be able to look our children in the eyes and say we’re fighting for them. But I know that together, with a movement, we can win this fight. The time for bold action is now.

Justice For All
Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community and to be treated equally under the law. But right now we have a justice system designed to target and criminalize communities of color and the poor. We need a new system.

For decades, politicians have sought to win votes by campaigning on ‘tough-on-crime’ platforms and stoking racial fear and resentment. The billions of dollars our country and the state of New York have spent on disproportionately policing and locking up poor people of color have not made anyone any safer.

When black and brown kids are charged and arrested for petty, ‘quality-of-life’ crimes while white bankers on Wall Street get away with destroying our whole economy, there is something deeply wrong.

If New York were a country, we would have the sixth highest incarceration rate in the world — ahead of Russia.

Right now, New York State spends $22,000 per child for a year of public school, while we spend $70,000 per prisoner, 75% of whom are people of color. New York City spends nearly $118,000 per person per year in city jails, nearly 90% of whom are people of color. Tuition for a full time student at CUNY and SUNY costs about $6,500 and $21,000 respectively.

Imagine what we could do with that money if we were to lift people up rather than lock them up.

While closing Rikers and other jails and prisons across the state is a critical first step, true justice reform must also prioritize decarceration, decriminalization and targeted reinvestment in communities that have been devastated by a biased and unrelenting criminal justice system. Every step in the justice system is set up against the poor and people of color.

Mass incarceration has torn families apart and decreased the resources our state could be using to actually keep people safe. It’s clear that New York must invest in our schools, not jails. We need money for jobs, housing and education, not jails and incarceration.

Legalizing Marijuana
It’s time for New York to follow the lead of 8 other states and DC and legalize the recreational use of marijuana.

The reality is that for many white people, marijuana has effectively been legal for years. It’s time to legalize it for everyone else. We have to stop putting black people in prison for something that white people do with impunity.

Disability Rights
Disability rights are human rights. But right now New Yorkers with disabilities are facing a state that seems to work against them rather than for them. As Governor, Cynthia would work toward creating a more accessible state that works for all New Yorkers, not just the few.

Increase attendant wages

Attendant and home care services are essential for people with disabilities who want to live in their community. Attendant services allows people to stay in their own homes, raise their families, and go to their jobs. Attendants and home health aides perform services that are vital to everyday living, like bathing and toileting, cooking, clearing tubes and preventing pressure sores. Attendants are grossly underpaid. Most make minimum wage. Many are working mothers looking to support their families who are already struggling to get by. This has led to a severe shortage of attendants. As Governor, Cynthia will convene a wage board to raise wages for attendants.

Change Managed Care to Incentivize Community Living

The State’s most recent budget incentivizes institutionalization when it comes to managed care. If someone is deemed “permanently placed” in a nursing facility after being there for more than 3 months, MCOs are no longer responsible for the cost of their supports and services, and the state takes up the cost instead. This encourages MCOs to place higher needs disabled New Yorkers in institutional settings as a way of increasing profits. As Governor, Cynthia will incentivize community-based services through the introduction of a new high needs community rate cell. This would enable the small population of disabled New Yorkers whose services cost more to provide in the community the ability to stay in their homes without fear of forced institutionalization.

Accessible Housing and Visitability

We currently are in a crisis level shortage of accessible, affordable, integrated housing. It is to the point where it is a key factor in keeping many disabled New Yorkers from transitioning out of nursing facilities and into the community. No one should be stuck in an institution because the state refuses to ensure an adequate supply of accessible, affordable, and integrated housing.

As Governor, Cynthia would promote that all new housing projects include a required percentage of accessible affordable integrated units. This percentage should be decided by working with disability rights leaders. In addition to building new accessible housing we must also work to make existing housing more accessible. A great starting point for this is with a Visitability Tax Credit such as the one passed by the State Assembly and Senate for the three years.

This credit would go to supporting people in making their homes visitable. It could be used to widen doorways, build ramps, and other home modifications that would allow Disabled New Yorkers greater freedom to participate in the life of the neighborhood and community, would allow older New Yorkers to age in place and would make communities generally more inviting.

The Office of Community Living

Disabled New Yorkers have faced increasing pressure to force people with disabilities into nursing facilities, cuts to services, discrimination in housing and transportation — and yet currently there are no places in state government to address these specific problems. At the federal level, the Administration for Community Living has been an effective resource for our community. As Governor, Cynthia would create an Office of Community Living as a central junction to address the community’s issues at a state level.

Supporting The Disability Integration Act

Even though the right for disabled people to live in the community has been recognized since the landmark Olmstead v. LC case in 1999, many disabled people still struggle to get the long term supports and services (LTSS) that they need to live in the community. There is an institutional bias where many LTSS can only be accessed in institutional settings despite the fact that serving people in the community costs less money in most cases.

To answer this issue the disability rights community has worked crafted the Disability Integration Act (S.910/HR.2472) on the federal level. DIA would require that any insurer private or public, offering LTSS as a benefit, would have to make them available in the community. It is the next step forward in ensuring the civil rights of disabled Americans. As Governor, Cynthia will have New York comply with the requirements of DIA before it is enacted on the federal level.

Single-Payer Health Care & Universal Long-Term Care Services and Supports

Health care should be a right for all. Cynthia supports a single-payer health care system that guarantees long-term care services and supports (LTSS) to aging New Yorkers and people with disabilities by increasing access to services in their own homes and communities. A study recently released by the RAND Corporation confirmed that a unified, progressively financed system that replaces the current fragmented methods of paying for healthcare will achieve greater healthcare access for all residents of New York at lower cost than the status quo.

The vast majority of New Yorkers will pay less for healthcare coverage than they currently spend through premiums, deductibles, co-payments, and coinsurance (percentages of fees for services). The study also confirmed that the system could be truly universal by including a new long-term care benefit that meets the needs of older adults and people with disabilities.

The New York Health Act also has the potential to increase employment options for New Yorkers with disabilities. Right now, employers pay higher rates for insurance if they have higher usage, meaning that employers with disabled employees often have higher insurance rates and this has deterred some employers from hiring employees with disabilities.

In light of the Rand Corporation’s findings, Cynthia will work with the legislature to pass an expanded and comprehensive version of the New York Health Act, with a universal long-term care services and supports (LTSS) benefit from day one of its enactment.

Improve high school and college accessibility and treatment of students with disabilities

In New York State, the students with disabilities with a high school diploma is 76.8 percent, while the diploma rate for students with no disability is 89.3 percent. The diploma gap between students with disabilities and students with no disabilities is 12.5 percent. The diploma rate for people with disabilities in New York State is lower than the diploma rate for people with disabilities across the country.

One reason for the disparity in educational attainment between people with and without disabilities is the lack of accessible, integrated classroom settings. Bullying can encourage students to drop out of school. As Governor, Cynthia will improve reporting, monitoring and intervention to address school bullying.

The effect of a college education on likelihood of employment and earnings is greater for people with disabilities than for people without disabilities. It is particularly great for people with disabilities who are also black or Latinx. Obtaining a college degree has an impact on the likelihood of employment for people with any disability. Cynthia supports making colleges accessible for college students with disabilities and monitor whether schools are providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. She also supports creating a bridge program for high school students with disabilities to go to college and increase resources aimed at achieving their diploma.

Improve employment for people with disabilities

In New York State, the employment rate for people with a disability is 29.5 percent, while the employment rate for people with no disability is 74.9 percent. The employment gap between people with disabilities and people with no disability is 43.3 percent. The employment rate for people with disabilities who are Black and Latinx is lower than it is for whites with disabilities.

As Governor, Cynthia will use the State’s purchasing power to encourage hiring of people with disabilities by State contractors and set an example for the private sector. When President Obama issued an Executive Order regarding employment of people with disabilities, it worked. This encouragement to hire people with disabilities has resulted in higher levels of employment in federal agencies. When this approach is taken at the State level, it could be expanded to include institutions that receive State funding, such as hospitals.

Cynthia will encourage businesses to include disability as an element of diversity for the purpose of hiring people with disabilities. She will also support required training and placement programs using state funding to achieve employment targets for people with disabilities. Creating more employment opportunities can help to address the poverty rate which leads to poor nutrition and health as well as homelessness.

Independent Living Centers

Independent living centers are nonprofits that serve people of all ages with all types of disabilities. Independent living centers provide benefits advisement related to food, health care, housing, vocational help, counseling, independent living skills assistance, self-advocacy training.

Independent living centers address disparities experienced by people with disabilities by advocating for progressive policies in the State.

These centers save funding for the State by preventing institutionalization and de-institutionalizing individuals who want to live in the community. Since 2001, centers saved the State more than $2 billion by helping individuals avoid or end institutional placements. For every $1 the State invests in independent living centers, transition activities alone saved the State more than $9 in institutionalization costs. Independent living center funding has been stagnant for a decade.

While overhead and salaries increase and demand for assistance increases, funding from the State has remained flat. Cynthia would increase Independent Living Center funding by $5 million and require a cost of living adjustment to permit centers to keep pace with inflation.

An Accessible Transit Network Within Ten Years

The subway is so often called the lifeblood of our city, and is what makes the city accessible to people all across the five boroughs. But at present, too many New Yorkers cannot ride the subway at all. Currently, New York has one of the least accessible mass transit systems in the entire world.

Only a small percentage of stations have elevators and even those elevators frequently break down. A modern subway should be open to all — riders in wheelchairs, with walkers, with strollers, with suitcases, and with bad knees and bad backs. The odds are high that at some time in each of our lives, we’ll all fall into one or more of those excluded categories. Our transit system should also consider the needs of people with vision and hearing disabilities and provide consistent audible and visual information about stops and service changes.

Like fixing the subway itself, creating an accessible system will not be cheap, easy or quick. But it’s what we owe each other. New York must move toward a 100 percent accessible transit system. It’s essential to making New York a fair city and enabling all New Yorkers to access everything the city has to offer, on equal terms with every other New Yorker.

A Fully Accessible Bus System Immediately

It’s time to end discrimination against bus riders with disabilities, enforce clear bus stops with cameras on board every bus, and guarantee that drivers are properly trained to respectfully serve all passengers. The MTA also needs to consider the needs of the elderly and people with disabilities when redesigning the bus network. On top of that, passengers with vision and hearing disabilities have difficulty using buses because stops are not consistently announced and lack digital displays to alert passengers who are Deaf or hard of hearing. Cynthia supports creating a fully accessible bus system that can serve all New Yorkers.

Increase Recruiting and Training Opportunities

Historically, employment in transit has provided a ladder to the middle-class to a highly diverse array of New Yorkers. However, one marginalized group remains under-represented in transit employment — people with disabilities. Increasing recruitment and training for disabled transit workers to operate buses and perform other jobs will integrate a perspective of people with disabilities into the institutional culture. Disabled transit workers on a variety of jobs will help ensure that their co-workers are properly trained and personally aware of the needs of disabled riders.

Paratransit on Demand for All Users

Not every New Yorker can safely and comfortably ride the bus. Indeed, 150,000 commuters are certified for Access-a-Ride services. But Access-a-Ride can barely be called service at all, given how poorly it meets riders’ needs. At present, riders must schedule trips in advance and, outrageously, it is often the riders who are penalized when drivers don’t show up on time.

Once on board, Access-a-Ride users can end up in citywide journeys of indefinite length, even missing scheduled appointments. This is no way for a state or its transit system to treat people with disabilities. Eligibility and enrollment rules should also be streamlined and made easier to understand. Access-a-Ride must be revamped to promptly and respectfully meet the needs of its riders so they can access not just their ride but the city itself. Cynthia supports efforts to extend the New York City pilot program to provide paratransit customers with rides in yellow or green taxis as part of its Access-A-Ride service. Cynthia also supports expanding paratransit services and support for mass transit systems statewide.

Ensure that our Board of Elections have the resources they need to fully implement accessible voting sites in every corner of the state. Despite the laws passed to ensure that voters with disabilities can vote just like their neighbors, currently 1 in 6 voters have a disability but only 1 in 4 polling places are accessible to them. Thirty percent of voters with disabilities report having difficulty voting because their polling place is not physically accessible; the paper ballot posted at the polling site is in tiny print; or there are no American Sign Language interpreters; and polling site workers are not trained to assist voters with disabilities as required by law.

When voters who are Blind go to the New York State Board of Elections website, they are confronted with a website that is not fully accessible. The State Board of Elections must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and assist in bringing local Boards of Elections into compliance with the law. We must ensure that our Board of Elections have the resources they need to give everyone access to vote. We also must ensure that language access is provided in accordance with the Voting Rights Act.

Immigrant Rights
New York families have been living in fear of Donald Trump’s rogue ICE agents for far too long. We all know it’s an election year and we know that Republicans will demonize immigrants, order to turn neighbor against neighbor, divide us up — just so they can win a few votes through making Americans fear each other.

Our people are under attack. Our immigrant communities are fighting to keep their families together and they need a governor who will fight with them — and on one issue after another, Andrew Cuomo hasn’t.

He has refused to make driver’s licenses available to undocumented immigrants, putting thousands of New Yorkers needlessly in the crosshairs of ICE. On my first day in office, I will issue an executive order restoring access to driver’s licenses for all New Yorkers, regardless of their immigration status.

I will also fight to pass the Liberty Act, a bill which would make New York a true sanctuary state. It effectively prohibits state and local agencies from passing New Yorkers along to ICE agents. This bill has already passed the Assembly but died in Cuomo’s Republican Senate. When I’m governor, we will pass the Liberty Act and I will sign it into law.

Governor Cuomo has shown no meaningful leadership to pass the New York DREAM Act, which would help ensure that all New Yorkers have access to higher education. It has passed the Assembly year after year, but died in Cuomo’s Republican Senate. Unlike Governor Cuomo, I will make passing the DREAM Act a priority.

Finally, Governor Cuomo continues to support the existence of ICE, and has refused to return more than $800,000 in campaign contributions from companies and landlords who rent space to ICE. I believe that ICE needs to be abolished. It is an out-of-control agency and it must be stopped.

Ending Corruption: Government by the People
Eight years ago, Andrew Cuomo stood in front of Tweed Courthouse and launched his campaign with a promise to clean up Albany. Today, just a few feet from that spot, Cuomo’s associate Alain Kaloyeros is on trial for rigging contract bidding to benefit two large Cuomo donors.

Sadly, this is just one of many corruption scandals that have exposed the hypocrisy of the Governor’s promise eight years ago. Andrew Cuomo’s personal friend and former top aide, Joe Percoco, was convicted in March of accepting $300,000 in bribes. On July 17, reporters revealed that the FBI is investigating Crystal Run Healthcare for making a series of orchestrated campaign contributions to Cuomo and later receiving over $25 million in state grants. Additionally, the Central New York Film Hub, a $15 million project built by Cuomo donors who are now facing federal corruption charges, sold for $1 in May after it ultimately failed to produce the hundreds of jobs Cuomo promised. Incredibly, this is only a summary of the corruption scandals the Cuomo administration has faced in the last four months.

The unchecked influence of big money in state politics is why our state government currently serves to benefit corporations and the rich, leaving the rest of us behind. It’s why Andrew Cuomo sells off state contract after state contract to the highest bidder to amass a massive war chest. It’s why Andrew Cuomo won’t enact a millionaires tax to increase funding for our public schools. It’s why he doesn’t make fixing our subways a priority – his donors don’t use them. It’s why the Governor can dissolve the Moreland Commission when it starts looking into his ethical violations, but countless people sit in jail for non-violent offenses because they can’t afford de minimis amounts of bail. It’s why there is a different set of rules for white, wealthy men on Wall Street than there are for poor, black men in communities of color.

In order for our elected officials in Albany to start thinking about what’s good for their voters, not what’s good for their donors, we have to fundamentally shift our system away from large donors towards a system that lifts up small donors. When candidates have to immediately start asking the wealthy for contributions, and the amount they can donate is essentially limitless, the culture of pay-to-play becomes inescapable. It’s time to get big money out of state politics and create a government accountable to the many, to the people.

Our state could be a place where every single New Yorker has what we need to thrive, if only we could stop our governor from selling New York off to the highest bidder.

Empowering Voters: A Democracy for All
Our democracy should be a forum where every New Yorker has an equal say and is encouraged to make their voice heard, but right now too many New Yorkers are silenced by our state’s restrictive voting laws.

During the highly contested 2016 general election, New York came in 41st in voter turnout. In the 2016 Democratic primaries, New York came in second to last in participation with only Louisiana beating us in turnout. New York’s antiquated voting laws make our state one of the least democratic states in the country.

It’s time to end voter suppression in New York State and our Democratic leadership needs to lead the charge. The women, people of color, young people and low-income New Yorkers who make up the base of the Democratic Party are the most disenfranchised under our current system. We should be making it easier to vote, not harder — by introducing simple, critical measures that are being enacted in many states across the country including early voting, automatic voter registration, and changing the draconian deadlines on party registration.

We must:

Immediately enact and implement early voting in New York, like 37 other states currently do. Early voting would allow many working New Yorkers to cast their ballot when it’s convenient for them. Between the commute, dropping the kids off at school and getting groceries, if you’re a working parent who works an eight-hour shift on Election Day, it’s going to be difficult to squeeze in the time to show up to your polling location. No one should have to choose between their job and casting their vote. With early voting, eligible New Yorkers would be allowed to vote on a day of their choosing during the lead-up to Election Day.

Early voting must be an available option to voters at least two full weekends prior to Election Day and offer adequate resources for all of our County Boards of Elections to implement this practice so every New Yorker, regardless of their work schedules, or their ability, can cast their ballot.

Immediately enact automatic voter registration. Automatic voter registration would help increase voter turnout. In the 12 states that have already passed it, automatic registration works by transferring the responsibility of registration from the individual to the government. And with a housing crisis in full effect in New York, it’s critical that when a person or a family moves, their voter registration is automatically updated. We must also include pre-registration of our 16 and 17 year olds.

As President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions continue their attacks on voting rights across the country, we in New York need to be doing everything we can to make it easier for people to vote and take control of our democracy. Making voting complicated and onerous for working people, as it now is in New York, simply hands over more power to Republicans and the big-money donors they serve.

Pass a constitutional amendment to enact same day voter registration ensuring all new voters can fully participate in our elections. Same day registration increases voter turnout and eliminates arbitrary deadlines that lock voters out as soon as campaigns begin to heat up and voters get more interested in participating. We can make participation easier for voters who learn about a campaign in its final months and weeks.

Move party registration deadlines to a date closer to Election Day. No state in the country restricts switching political parties more than New York. For the upcoming September 13 state primary, the deadline to change party registration was a whopping 11 months prior on October 13, 2017 — locking out 3.6 million registered unaffiliated voters in New York.

Make it the law of the land that all New Yorkers currently on parole or paroled in the future are automatically allowed to vote without the Governor needing to intervene. Advocates and those directly impacted by the criminal justice system have fought for years to change the law to re-enfranchise New Yorkers on parole. The current laws are deeply rooted in Jim Crow era policies, and attempts to change them have been blocked for years in the New York State Senate. Although the executive order enacted earlier this year is an important first step, there should be no multi-step process and sign off by a governor in order to restore voting rights for people on parole. The restoration of voting rights should be automatic upon release.

Consolidating federal and state primary elections. New York is the only state with two different primary election dates – one for state elections and one for federal elections. Holding federal and state primary elections months apart is a deliberate strategy to protect political machines and incumbents. Voters are routinely confused about when elections are being held. We must make the process simpler by holding primary elections on the same date.

Ensure that our Board of Elections have the resources they need to fully implement accessible voting sites in every corner of the state. Despite the laws passed to ensure that voters with disabilities can vote just like their neighbors, currently 1 in 6 voters have a disability but only 1 in 4 polling places are accessible to them. Thirty percent of voters with disabilities report having difficulty voting because their polling place is not physically accessible; the paper ballot posted at the polling site is in tiny print; or there are no American Sign Language interpreters; and polling site workers are not trained to assist voters with disabilities as required by law.

When voters who are Blind go to the New York State Board of Elections website, they are confronted with a website that is not fully accessible. The State Board of Elections must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and assist in bringing local Boards of Elections into compliance with the law. We must ensure that our Board of Elections have the resources they need to give everyone access to vote. We also must ensure that language access is provided in accordance with the Voting Rights Act.

[59]

|  ”

|
|

—Cynthia Nixon’s campaign website (2018)[80]

## Noteworthy events[edit]

### Joe Crowley defeat[edit]

After progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeated U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley in the Democratic primary for New York's 14th Congressional District on June 26, speculation mounted that Nixon could defeat Cuomo in the gubernatorial primary. Nixon and Ocasio-Cortez endorsed each other before the June 26 primary.

Cuomo said that comparing he and Nixon's primary with Crowley and Ocasio-Cortez's was like comparing "apples and oranges." He added, “I don’t think there is a common denominator among the races; these races, by definition, tend to be local in nature. If there’s any common denominator you see, it’s an activated Democratic Party, and that is good for us in November.”[81]

Jef Pollock, Cuomo’s campaign pollster, said, “The governor and his team have been taking this primary very seriously for a long time. So the notion of this being any kind of wake-up is not the case. The Crowley race was one outcome, but there are 10 other races I can point to where things happened exactly as I would have expected, where establishment candidates and congressional incumbents won.”[82]

Nixon said, “When you give Democrats a choice in a primary, they’re going to go for the progressive.”[81]

Nixon’s campaign strategist, Rebecca Katz said, “There’s a woman who challenged an entrenched incumbent. Nobody thought she could win. She focused on big, bold progressive issues. She out-campaigned her opponent. And she won. We think those things are transferable to the governor’s race. It’s about enthusiasm. Andrew Cuomo is running for a third term. He’s trying to get people excited about it. That’s a very hard task. . . . Going for a third term with close aides on trial, a record like a moderate, in the #MeToo era, is a lot to overcome.”[82]

Media outlets and influencers had the following reactions:

* The New York Times: "And while there are parallels between Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and Ms. Nixon — both women, both first-time candidates, both running to the left of the establishment — black and Latino voters have traditionally supported Mr. Cuomo, and polls suggest that trend will continue in the primary."[81]

* Basil Smikle, former executive director of the New York Democratic Party: "“The Ocasio-Cortez win has to be a little scary for the governor. It portends this larger question about how strong the anti-establishment vote is going to be this fall. There is a desire by a number of New Yorkers, not just Bernie Sanders supporters, to have newer blood and younger blood. . . . How much can any incumbent rely on their political network, given what we saw yesterday in Queens, the tight race in Brooklyn, and even what we saw in Maryland with Ben Jealous? . . . Although the governor is seen in many corners of the state as a progressive, he doesn’t get enough credit for it.”[82]

* Vanity Fair: "Cuomo isn’t making the same mistake Crowley did in the race against Ocasio-Cortez—campaigning late and lazily. Quite the opposite. But one of the governor’s usual tools when challenged—going ferociously on the attack—could backfire against Nixon, by reinforcing the caricature of Cuomo as a bully. Older, white, male, establishment figures still dominate politics. But as the Democratic Party reshapes itself in reaction to Trump, some of that edge seems to be slowly fading."[82]

### Two unions supporting Cuomo withdraw from Working Families Party[edit]

Two unions who threw their support behind Cuomo withdrew from the Working Families Party (WFP), a group of labor unions and progressive activists, on April 13, 2018. Cuomo's campaign announced the same day that it would "not be seeking the endorsement” of the WFP. The WFP was set to meet the next day to discuss a Nixon endorsement, which it ultimately issued.[42]

The New York Times also reported that other unions supporting Cuomo were considering creating a new union party of their own.[83]

President of Local 32BJ Héctor Figueroa and vice president of C.W.A. District 1 Dennis Trainor spoke of their unions’ withdrawal from the WFP, saying they “fundamentally believe that endorsing Governor Cuomo is the most effective way to put the interest of working families first.”[83]

“The latest developments show that the current leadership of the W.F.P. disagrees with that approach, and we have been unable to convince them otherwise,” Figueroa and Trainor said in a joint statement, adding, “We are not attending tomorrow’s state committee meeting and will be pulling out of the New York State Working Families Party.”[83]

### Cuomo's remarks on American greatness[edit]

On August 15, 2018, Gov. Cuomo gave a speech in which he said, "We are not going to make America great again. America was never that great." He added, “We have not reached greatness, we will reach greatness when every America is fully engaged, we will reach greatness when discrimination and stereotyping against women, 51 percent of our population, is gone.”

See his full remarks here:

"America "Was Never That Great" August 15, 2018

Cynthia Nixon responded to Cuomo's comment that America was not great by saying, "I think this is just another example of Andrew Cuomo trying to figure out what a progressive sounds like and missing by a mile."

President Donald Trump responded by saying, "Can you believe this is the Governor of the Highest Taxed State in the U.S., Andrew Cuomo, having a total meltdown!"[84]

On August 17, Cuomo said, "The expression I used the other day was inartful, so I want to be very clear. Of course America is great and of course America has always been great. No one questions that."[85]

### Debate at Hofstra University[edit]

In the first and only debate in the race, Cuomo and Nixon met for a one-hour forum at Hofstra University in Long Island, New York. Both candidates accused each other of lying on multiple occasions in a debate that several media outlets described as contentious.[86][87] Cuomo, when asked to promise that he wouldn't run for president in 2020 if re-elected and would spend the next four years as governor, said, "Double yes," and affirmed that he was running for governor and not for president.

Nixon called Cuomo a "corrupt corporate Democrat," and implied he wasn't sincere in his opposition to many of president Donald Trump's policies. Cuomo defended his record opposing the president and called Nixon the only corporate Democrat on the stage. Cuomo accused Nixon of hiding her tax returns. Nixon accused Cuomo of overseeing the tripling of Metro Transit Authority (MTA) fares and stealing "hundreds of millions of dollars from the MTA budget for his pet projects," saying "he used the MTA like an ATM."

"NY Democratic Gubernatorial Debate - Andrew Cuomo v. Cynthia Nixon" August 29, 2018

## Context of the 2018 election[edit]

Heading into the 2018 election, the sitting governor was Andrew Cuomo (D), who was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014. Cuomo announced on November 15, 2016, that he planned to pursue election to a third term in 2018.Heading into 2018, New York was under divided government. It has held this status since Republicans gained a majority in the New York State Senate in 2011.

New York was won by the Democratic candidate in each of the previous five presidential elections. The widest margin of victory was Barack Obama's 28 percent margin in 2012 while the narrowest was John Kerry's 18 percent margin in 2004.

New York was one of 36 states that held an election for governor in 2018. Democrats gained seven previously Republican-held seats, and Republicans gained one previously independent-held seat. Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 16 Democratic governors, 33 Republican governors, and one independent governor. In 2018, 26 of the 33 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while nine out of the 16 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Seventeen of the 36 seats up for election were open seats (four Democratic, 12 Republican, and one independent), meaning that the sitting governor was not seeking re-election. Click here for more information on other 2018 gubernatorial elections.

### Past elections[edit]

#### 2014[edit]

See also: New York gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2014

Andrew Cuomo ran for re-election as governor of New York in the 2014 election. In the Democratic primary, Cuomo defeated Zephyr Teachout and Randy Credico by a 29.4 percent margin.[88]

Governor of New York, Democratic Primary, 2014

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Andrew Cuomo Incumbent | 62.9% | 361,380
Zephyr Teachout | 33.5% | 192,210
Randy Credico | 3.6% | 20,760
Total Votes | 574,350
Election results via New York State Board of Elections.

## Race ratings[edit]

See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Race ratings: New York gubernatorial election, 2018

Race tracker | Race ratings
| November 5, 2018 | October 30, 2018| October 23, 2018| October 16, 2018
The Cook Political Report | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic| Solid Democratic| Solid Democratic
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic| Solid Democratic| Solid Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe Democratic | Safe Democratic| Safe Democratic| Safe Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

## Voter information[edit]

### How the primary works[edit]

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. New York utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.[89][90][91][92]

### Poll times[edit]

For primary elections, polls open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 9:00 p.m. in New York City and the counties of Dutchess, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, and Erie. Polls open at 12:00 p.m. and close at 9:00 p.m. in all other counties. Polls open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 9:00 p.m. for general elections. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[93]

### Registration requirements[edit]

To vote in New York, one must be a United States citizen, a resident of the county, city, or village for at least 30 days prior to the election, and at least 18 years old by the date of the election. Individuals who are in prison or on parole for a felony conviction and those who have been declared mentally incompetent by a court are ineligible to register to vote. One cannot register to vote in New York while claiming the right to vote elsewhere.[94] Registration applications are available at the county board of elections or any agency-based voter registration center. Forms are also available online, or prospective voters can request the form by mail.[94] Completed forms returned by mail must be postmarked at least 25 days prior to the election. The form must then be received by election officials at least 20 days before the election. A registration done in person must be completed at least 25 days prior to the election.[95] Residents may also register to vote online through the DMV Electronic Voter Registration Application. These applications are forwarded to the board of elections; applicants should allow up to six weeks for processing.[96]

### Automatic registration[edit]

On December 22, 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) signed S8806/A8280C into law, establishing automatic voter registration. When individuals interact with state agencies, voter registration will be integrated into other applications or registrations the agency provides. The Department of Motor Vehicle process will be implemented in 2023, the Departments of Health, Labor, and Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance in 2024, and the State University of New York in 2025.[97][98]

### Online registration[edit]

See also: Online voter registration

New York has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

### Same-day registration[edit]

New York does not allow same-day voter registration.

### Residency requirements[edit]

In order to register to vote in New York, applicants must reside in the county, city, or village in which they are registering for at least 30 days prior to the election.

### Verification of citizenship[edit]

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

New York does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration.

### Verifying your registration[edit]

The New York State Board of Elections allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.

### Voter ID requirements[edit]

New York does not require voters to present identification while voting.[99] However, if a voter does not provide valid identification at the time of registration, he or she must show identification at the polling place when voting for the first time.[100][101]

Voters can present the following forms of identification:

* A current, valid photo ID, including but not limited to a drivers' license or a DMV-issued non-driver photo ID
* A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document with the voter's name and address

#### Background[edit]

As of April 2021, 35 states enforced (or were scheduled to begin enforcing) voter identification requirements. A total of 21 states required voters to present photo identification at the polls; the remainder accepted other forms of identification. Valid forms of identification differ by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.[102][103]

### Early voting[edit]

Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) signed a bill into law on January 24, 2019, establishing a 10-day early voting period. The bill was scheduled to take full effect on January 1, 2020.

As of April 2021, 38 states and the District of Columbia permitted early voting. Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on election day. States that do not permit early voting still permit some or all citizens to vote early by mail—often known as absentee voting. Some states allow no-excuse absentee voting, while others require an excuse. States that allow in-person absentee voting without an excuse are counted among early voting states. Click here for early voting laws by state.[104][105][106]

### Absentee voting[edit]

A voter in New York is eligible to vote absentee in an election for any of the following reasons:[107]

1. Absence from the county (or, if a resident of New York City, the city) on Election Day
2. Illness or disability, or acting as the primary caregiver for an ill or disabled person
3. Patient care at a Veteran's Administration hospital
4. Incarceration for offenses other than felonies or awaiting grand jury action

Absentee ballot applications must be mailed to the county board of elections no later than the seventh day before the election. Alternatively, applications delivered in person must be received no later than the day before the election. A voter may also request an absentee ballot by sending a letter to the county board of elections. The letter must be received by the county board no earlier than 30 days and no later than seven days before the election. An application form will be mailed with the absentee ballot. The application form must be completed and returned with the ballot.[107]

If sent by mail, a returned ballot must be postmarked by the day of the election and received no later than the seventh day after the election. If submitted in person, the ballot must be received by close of polls on Election Day.[108][109]

## Pivot Counties[edit]

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Eighteen of 62 New York counties—29 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

|  Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008

County  |  Trump margin of victory in 2016  |  Obama margin of victory in 2012  |  Obama margin of victory in 2008
Broome County, New York | 2.01% | 5.31% | 8.02%
Cayuga County, New York | 11.64% | 11.40% | 8.48%
Cortland County, New York | 5.58% | 9.11% | 9.96%
Essex County, New York | 1.14% | 18.77% | 13.32%
Franklin County, New York | 5.45% | 26.07% | 22.23%
Madison County, New York | 14.20% | 0.89% | 0.87%
Niagara County, New York | 17.75% | 0.84% | 1.00%
Orange County, New York | 5.50% | 5.65% | 4.13%
Oswego County, New York | 21.99% | 7.93% | 2.44%
Otsego County, New York | 11.13% | 2.72% | 5.91%
Rensselaer County, New York | 1.41% | 12.19% | 9.34%
St. Lawrence County, New York | 8.82% | 16.71% | 16.33%
Saratoga County, New York | 3.21% | 2.44% | 3.40%
Seneca County, New York | 11.01% | 9.08% | 2.60%
Suffolk County, New York | 6.84% | 3.69% | 5.99%
Sullivan County, New York | 11.23% | 9.02% | 9.46%
Warren County, New York | 8.47% | 2.32% | 2.64%
Washington County, New York | 18.40% | 1.90% | 0.81%

In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won New York with 59 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 36.5 percent. In presidential elections between 1792 and 2016, New York voted Democratic 45.6 percent of the time and Republican 35 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, New York voted Democratic all five times.[110]

#### Presidential results by legislative district[edit]

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state Assembly districts in New York. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[111][112]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 114 out of 150 state Assembly districts in New York with an average margin of victory of 46.5 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 99 out of 150 state Assembly districts in New York with an average margin of victory of 50.3 points. Clinton won four districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.

In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 36 out of 150 state Assembly districts in New York with an average margin of victory of 10.5 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 51 out of 150 state Assembly districts in New York with an average margin of victory of 17.6 points. Trump won 13 districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

2016 Presidential Results by State Assembly District '

District |  Obama |  Romney |  2012 Margin |  Clinton |  Trump |  2016 Margin |  Party Control
1 | 54.04% | 44.82% | D+9.2 | 48.70% | 47.90% | D+0.8 | D
2 | 46.01% | 52.77% | R+6.8 | 38.67% | 58.09% | R+19.4 | R
3 | 55.11% | 43.52% | D+11.6 | 41.78% | 54.70% | R+12.9 | R
4 | 53.31% | 45.30% | D+8 | 48.48% | 48.05% | D+0.4 | D
5 | 47.32% | 51.31% | R+4 | 36.36% | 60.40% | R+24 | R
6 | 78.89% | 20.28% | D+58.6 | 72.98% | 24.24% | D+48.7 | D
7 | 47.06% | 51.56% | R+4.5 | 39.08% | 57.31% | R+18.2 | R
8 | 39.57% | 59.23% | R+19.7 | 36.18% | 60.77% | R+24.6 | R
9 | 43.39% | 55.49% | R+12.1 | 36.87% | 59.96% | R+23.1 | D[113]
10 | 51.06% | 47.80% | D+3.3 | 52.08% | 44.85% | D+7.2 | R
11 | 64.66% | 34.40% | D+30.3 | 55.00% | 42.21% | D+12.8 | D
12 | 47.31% | 51.62% | R+4.3 | 44.00% | 52.67% | R+8.7 | R
13 | 58.37% | 40.78% | D+17.6 | 60.78% | 36.72% | D+24.1 | D
14 | 46.14% | 52.73% | R+6.6 | 41.36% | 55.64% | R+14.3 | R
15 | 45.71% | 53.03% | R+7.3 | 44.85% | 52.11% | R+7.3 | R
16 | 52.05% | 47.10% | D+5 | 56.95% | 40.38% | D+16.6 | D
17 | 45.79% | 53.00% | R+7.2 | 39.11% | 57.86% | R+18.7 | R
18 | 91.22% | 8.41% | D+82.8 | 87.68% | 10.41% | D+77.3 | D
19 | 42.58% | 56.33% | R+13.7 | 43.26% | 53.52% | R+10.3 | R
20 | 48.06% | 51.13% | R+3.1 | 47.00% | 50.24% | R+3.2 | R
21 | 52.67% | 46.29% | D+6.4 | 51.99% | 45.07% | D+6.9 | R
22 | 65.29% | 33.82% | D+31.5 | 63.90% | 33.38% | D+30.5 | D
23 | 61.90% | 37.47% | D+24.4 | 53.34% | 44.39% | D+9 | D
24 | 78.38% | 20.78% | D+57.6 | 76.56% | 21.44% | D+55.1 | D
25 | 67.95% | 31.02% | D+36.9 | 64.73% | 32.56% | D+32.2 | D
26 | 60.52% | 38.40% | D+22.1 | 57.04% | 40.31% | D+16.7 | D
27 | 66.10% | 32.78% | D+33.3 | 65.49% | 31.64% | D+33.8 | D
28 | 64.51% | 34.05% | D+30.5 | 64.36% | 32.54% | D+31.8 | D
29 | 96.48% | 3.31% | D+93.2 | 93.79% | 4.84% | D+89 | D
30 | 69.24% | 29.36% | D+39.9 | 66.29% | 30.73% | D+35.6 | D
31 | 94.67% | 5.11% | D+89.6 | 90.76% | 7.84% | D+82.9 | D
32 | 98.08% | 1.76% | D+96.3 | 94.74% | 4.01% | D+90.7 | D
33 | 91.02% | 8.63% | D+82.4 | 87.81% | 10.57% | D+77.2 | D
34 | 83.56% | 15.45% | D+68.1 | 81.22% | 16.12% | D+65.1 | D
35 | 87.16% | 12.34% | D+74.8 | 83.53% | 14.41% | D+69.1 | D
36 | 79.87% | 18.03% | D+61.8 | 77.61% | 18.78% | D+58.8 | D
37 | 83.87% | 14.68% | D+69.2 | 81.38% | 15.40% | D+66 | D
38 | 80.79% | 18.38% | D+62.4 | 76.29% | 20.96% | D+55.3 | D
39 | 84.83% | 14.30% | D+70.5 | 82.52% | 15.37% | D+67.2 | D
40 | 73.69% | 25.42% | D+48.3 | 67.21% | 30.28% | D+36.9 | D
41 | 64.24% | 34.88% | D+29.4 | 60.37% | 37.52% | D+22.9 | D
42 | 88.34% | 11.08% | D+77.3 | 87.37% | 10.69% | D+76.7 | D
43 | 92.71% | 6.67% | D+86 | 89.50% | 8.18% | D+81.3 | D
44 | 75.88% | 22.30% | D+53.6 | 78.35% | 18.67% | D+59.7 | D
45 | 39.57% | 59.45% | R+19.9 | 38.92% | 58.66% | R+19.7 | D
46 | 57.36% | 41.53% | D+15.8 | 52.25% | 44.97% | D+7.3 | D
47 | 57.51% | 41.30% | D+16.2 | 52.70% | 44.71% | D+8 | D
48 | 23.67% | 75.67% | R+52 | 28.29% | 69.34% | R+41 | D
49 | 63.97% | 34.98% | D+29 | 56.74% | 40.36% | D+16.4 | D
50 | 81.31% | 16.33% | D+65 | 83.62% | 13.09% | D+70.5 | D
51 | 85.66% | 12.87% | D+72.8 | 83.02% | 13.97% | D+69.1 | D
52 | 90.09% | 8.07% | D+82 | 91.91% | 5.33% | D+86.6 | D
53 | 92.91% | 5.37% | D+87.5 | 91.06% | 6.07% | D+85 | D
54 | 96.13% | 3.35% | D+92.8 | 92.39% | 5.36% | D+87 | D
55 | 98.83% | 0.99% | D+97.8 | 96.15% | 2.40% | D+93.7 | D
56 | 98.41% | 0.96% | D+97.4 | 95.55% | 2.09% | D+93.5 | D
57 | 96.67% | 1.84% | D+94.8 | 95.21% | 2.19% | D+93 | D
58 | 98.43% | 1.45% | D+97 | 96.16% | 2.69% | D+93.5 | D
59 | 79.70% | 19.86% | D+59.8 | 74.78% | 23.64% | D+51.1 | D
60 | 97.18% | 2.69% | D+94.5 | 95.26% | 3.68% | D+91.6 | D
61 | 73.38% | 25.49% | D+47.9 | 66.08% | 31.15% | D+34.9 | D
62 | 33.53% | 65.59% | R+32.1 | 23.48% | 74.50% | R+51 | R
63 | 52.73% | 46.28% | D+6.4 | 44.62% | 52.97% | R+8.3 | D
64 | 48.50% | 50.32% | R+1.8 | 40.32% | 56.79% | R+16.5 | R
65 | 81.18% | 17.32% | D+63.9 | 82.52% | 14.32% | D+68.2 | D
66 | 82.48% | 15.83% | D+66.6 | 88.65% | 8.07% | D+80.6 | D
67 | 79.90% | 18.81% | D+61.1 | 86.93% | 10.33% | D+76.6 | D
68 | 93.24% | 6.07% | D+87.2 | 91.42% | 6.29% | D+85.1 | D
69 | 89.05% | 9.58% | D+79.5 | 90.82% | 6.34% | D+84.5 | D
70 | 97.06% | 2.16% | D+94.9 | 94.78% | 2.82% | D+92 | D
71 | 94.24% | 4.79% | D+89.4 | 92.52% | 4.99% | D+87.5 | D
72 | 92.83% | 6.15% | D+86.7 | 90.73% | 6.93% | D+83.8 | D
73 | 66.15% | 32.87% | D+33.3 | 78.99% | 17.96% | D+61 | D
74 | 82.49% | 15.93% | D+66.6 | 85.40% | 11.22% | D+74.2 | D
75 | 81.59% | 16.96% | D+64.6 | 86.45% | 10.67% | D+75.8 | D
76 | 71.08% | 27.66% | D+43.4 | 80.57% | 16.33% | D+64.2 | D
77 | 97.58% | 2.20% | D+95.4 | 94.60% | 4.19% | D+90.4 | D
78 | 93.63% | 5.85% | D+87.8 | 91.24% | 6.90% | D+84.3 | D
79 | 97.75% | 2.07% | D+95.7 | 94.79% | 4.02% | D+90.8 | D
80 | 84.17% | 15.09% | D+69.1 | 81.92% | 15.88% | D+66 | D
81 | 80.56% | 18.48% | D+62.1 | 81.08% | 16.20% | D+64.9 | D
82 | 77.59% | 21.72% | D+55.9 | 72.94% | 25.01% | D+47.9 | D
83 | 97.51% | 2.29% | D+95.2 | 95.42% | 3.44% | D+92 | D
84 | 96.67% | 3.01% | D+93.7 | 93.79% | 4.84% | D+88.9 | D
85 | 96.67% | 3.09% | D+93.6 | 93.54% | 5.11% | D+88.4 | D
86 | 96.98% | 2.77% | D+94.2 | 93.95% | 4.68% | D+89.3 | D
87 | 94.79% | 4.94% | D+89.8 | 91.38% | 7.06% | D+84.3 | D
88 | 58.31% | 40.76% | D+17.6 | 65.37% | 31.47% | D+33.9 | D
89 | 85.20% | 14.17% | D+71 | 82.85% | 15.16% | D+67.7 | D
90 | 61.30% | 37.80% | D+23.5 | 60.47% | 37.11% | D+23.4 | D
91 | 61.44% | 37.46% | D+24 | 67.67% | 29.24% | D+38.4 | D
92 | 63.32% | 35.59% | D+27.7 | 67.46% | 29.61% | D+37.8 | D
93 | 55.29% | 43.50% | D+11.8 | 63.29% | 33.24% | D+30 | D
94 | 43.95% | 54.77% | R+10.8 | 42.07% | 54.54% | R+12.5 | R
95 | 60.73% | 37.96% | D+22.8 | 60.71% | 35.75% | D+25 | D
96 | 55.79% | 43.29% | D+12.5 | 53.99% | 43.30% | D+10.7 | D
97 | 55.96% | 42.95% | D+13 | 56.12% | 41.13% | D+15 | D
98 | 42.17% | 56.42% | R+14.3 | 37.01% | 59.04% | R+22 | R
99 | 48.43% | 50.22% | R+1.8 | 42.54% | 53.63% | R+11.1 | D
100 | 58.43% | 40.15% | D+18.3 | 48.34% | 47.78% | D+0.6 | D
101 | 46.72% | 51.54% | R+4.8 | 37.09% | 57.64% | R+20.6 | R
102 | 46.17% | 51.68% | R+5.5 | 36.02% | 58.61% | R+22.6 | R
103 | 63.55% | 33.96% | D+29.6 | 58.26% | 36.29% | D+22 | D
104 | 63.92% | 34.66% | D+29.3 | 58.16% | 37.80% | D+20.4 | D
105 | 44.96% | 53.53% | R+8.6 | 40.21% | 55.76% | R+15.5 | R
106 | 54.56% | 43.55% | D+11 | 48.51% | 46.87% | D+1.6 | D
107 | 53.05% | 44.89% | D+8.2 | 44.90% | 49.10% | R+4.2 | R
108 | 70.55% | 27.28% | D+43.3 | 61.59% | 32.95% | D+28.6 | D
109 | 65.84% | 31.84% | D+34 | 64.15% | 30.37% | D+33.8 | D
110 | 58.81% | 39.29% | D+19.5 | 55.68% | 39.07% | D+16.6 | D
111 | 52.50% | 45.71% | D+6.8 | 41.48% | 53.27% | R+11.8 | D
112 | 48.89% | 49.13% | R+0.2 | 44.94% | 48.94% | R+4 | R
113 | 52.68% | 45.50% | D+7.2 | 45.69% | 47.82% | R+2.1 | D
114 | 51.63% | 46.49% | D+5.1 | 41.02% | 52.47% | R+11.4 | R
115 | 61.84% | 36.53% | D+25.3 | 46.11% | 47.66% | R+1.6 | D
116 | 54.55% | 43.93% | D+10.6 | 42.31% | 51.66% | R+9.4 | D
117 | 45.01% | 53.43% | R+8.4 | 31.76% | 62.47% | R+30.7 | R
118 | 43.83% | 54.51% | R+10.7 | 31.43% | 63.31% | R+31.9 | R
119 | 51.36% | 46.95% | D+4.4 | 41.04% | 53.84% | R+12.8 | D
120 | 51.15% | 46.82% | D+4.3 | 37.11% | 57.05% | R+19.9 | R
121 | 49.52% | 48.41% | D+1.1 | 39.87% | 53.28% | R+13.4 | D
122 | 45.53% | 52.49% | R+7 | 34.61% | 59.78% | R+25.2 | R
123 | 55.57% | 42.04% | D+13.5 | 52.23% | 41.96% | D+10.3 | D
124 | 46.07% | 52.15% | R+6.1 | 37.50% | 56.97% | R+19.5 | R
125 | 66.01% | 31.04% | D+35 | 64.17% | 29.17% | D+35 | D
126 | 52.22% | 45.79% | D+6.4 | 43.09% | 50.74% | R+7.7 | R
127 | 53.56% | 44.89% | D+8.7 | 47.85% | 46.23% | D+1.6 | D
128 | 67.41% | 30.84% | D+36.6 | 62.44% | 32.51% | D+29.9 | D
129 | 67.56% | 30.34% | D+37.2 | 61.81% | 32.63% | D+29.2 | D
130 | 46.79% | 51.25% | R+4.5 | 34.92% | 59.04% | R+24.1 | R
131 | 49.38% | 48.73% | D+0.6 | 42.69% | 50.88% | R+8.2 | R
132 | 43.99% | 54.12% | R+10.1 | 33.52% | 60.54% | R+27 | R
133 | 44.81% | 53.27% | R+8.5 | 41.66% | 52.66% | R+11 | R
134 | 46.94% | 51.52% | R+4.6 | 40.25% | 54.77% | R+14.5 | R
135 | 48.95% | 49.37% | R+0.4 | 49.07% | 45.18% | D+3.9 | R
136 | 65.47% | 32.54% | D+32.9 | 63.46% | 31.09% | D+32.4 | D
137 | 82.06% | 16.74% | D+65.3 | 76.04% | 20.42% | D+55.6 | D
138 | 63.64% | 33.69% | D+30 | 60.14% | 33.54% | D+26.6 | D
139 | 39.87% | 58.03% | R+18.2 | 30.20% | 63.82% | R+33.6 | R
140 | 57.07% | 40.83% | D+16.2 | 49.45% | 45.32% | D+4.1 | D
141 | 90.73% | 8.28% | D+82.5 | 87.56% | 9.85% | D+77.7 | D
142 | 54.21% | 43.95% | D+10.3 | 44.65% | 50.57% | R+5.9 | D
143 | 53.02% | 45.22% | D+7.8 | 43.36% | 52.14% | R+8.8 | D
144 | 41.30% | 56.97% | R+15.7 | 33.65% | 61.58% | R+27.9 | R
145 | 51.63% | 46.76% | D+4.9 | 41.99% | 53.80% | R+11.8 | R
146 | 50.81% | 47.67% | D+3.1 | 51.71% | 43.66% | D+8.1 | R
147 | 40.61% | 57.59% | R+17 | 30.82% | 64.29% | R+33.5 | R
148 | 39.92% | 58.13% | R+18.2 | 28.76% | 65.82% | R+37.1 | R
149 | 64.10% | 33.69% | D+30.4 | 58.11% | 37.05% | D+21.1 | D
150 | 45.20% | 53.09% | R+7.9 | 35.59% | 58.89% | R+23.3 | R
Total | 63.43% | 35.22% | D+28.2 | 59.48% | 36.81% | D+22.7 | \-
Source: Daily Kos

## See also[edit]

New York government:

* New York state executive offices
* New York State Legislature
* New York courts

Elections:

* New York state executive official elections, 2018
* Gubernatorial elections, 2018
* Lieutenant gubernatorial elections, 2018
* Attorney General elections, 2018
* Secretary of State elections, 2018
* State executive official elections, 2018, 2017, 2016

Ballotpedia exclusives:

* State executives compensation
* State of the state addresses
* Trifecta control of state government

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## External links[edit]

|  Suggest a link

|

* Governor of New York official website

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Andrew Cuomo 2018 campaign website, "Home," accessed May 17, 2018
2. ↑ [ https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/05/cynthia-nixon-andrew-cuomo-democrats-governor-new-york-primary/560192/ ‘’The Atlantic’’, “Is the ‘Cynthia Effect’ real?” May 21, 2018]
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 New York Times, "Cynthia Nixon’s Education Plan: Ambitious, Progressive, Expensive," June 13, 2018
4. ↑ Cynthia Nixon 2018 campaign website, "Issues," accessed May 17, 2018
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 City and State NY, "Cuomo embraces establishment with Biden, Perez endorsements," May 24, 2018
6. ↑ The Atlantic, "Why New York Democrats Have Turned Against Andrew Cuomo," April 15, 2014
7. ↑ New York Times, "Third-Party Line Will Feature Governor Cuomo, and a Slew of Republicans," August 1, 2018
8. ↑ Politico, "Cynthia Nixon: I’m a democratic socialist," July 10, 2018
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 The Hill, "New York chapter of Democratic Socialists of America endorses Cynthia Nixon," July 29, 2018
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Huffington Post, "Cynthia Nixon Issues Progressive Call To Arms: ‘Time Is Up For Corporate Democrats,’" April 13, 2018
11. ↑ Fox News, "Cynthia Nixon calls ICE 'terrorist organization,' says it should be abolished," June 22, 2018
12. ↑ The Hill, "Cynthia Nixon endorses single-payer health care in New York," July 24, 2018
13. ↑ Cynthia Nixon for Governor, "Meet Cynthia," accessed March 22, 2018
14. ↑ New York Post, "Cuomo finally agrees to debate Nixon," August 13, 2018
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Politico, "Cuomo overwhelms Nixon in Democratic convention vote," May 23, 2018
16. ↑ New York Post, "Schumer finally endorses Cuomo for governor," September 3, 2018
17. ↑ The Cut, "Kirsten Gillibrand Endorses Andrew Cuomo Over Cynthia Nixon," March 20, 2018
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 State of Politics, "At Somos Weekend, Cuomo Gets Endorsements," March 2018
19. ↑ New York Post, "Corey Johnson endorses Cuomo for third term," June 24, 2018
20. ↑ New York True, "PHOTO GALLERY: NIXON & OCASIO-CORTEZ CROSS ENDORSE," June 25, 2018
21. ↑ Politico, "Nixon and Williams endorse each other," July 29, 2018
22. ↑ The Cut, "Exclusive: Cynthia Nixon and Zephyr Teachout to Announce Dual Endorsement," August 8, 2018
23. ↑ Times Union, "Assembly Democrat backs Nixon for governor," accessed July 20, 2018
24. ↑ New York Post, "Another Democrat on City Council endorses Cynthia Nixon," July 5, 2018
25. ↑ Patch.com, "Queens Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer Endorses Cynthia Nixon," June 28, 2018
26. ↑ Advocate, "New York City Council's Deputy Leader Endorses Cynthia Nixon," June 28, 2018
27. ↑ New York Daily News, July 1, 2018
28. ↑ Greenburgh Daily, "Abinanti Breaks With Other Democrats, Endorses Cynthia Nixon Over Cuomo For Governor," August 12, 2018
29. ↑ New York Times, "The New York Times Endorses Andrew Cuomo for Governor in Thursday’s Primary," September 4, 2018
30. ↑ The Buffalo News, "Editorial: Choose Cuomo, a friend to Western New York," September 3, 2018
31. ↑ Governing, "Planned Parenthood Endorses Andrew Cuomo in New York Governor's Race," July 12, 2018
32. ↑ New York AFL-CIO, "NYS AFL-CIO Endorses Andrew Cuomo for Governor," June 28, 2018
33. ↑ Times Union, "Cuomo nabs CSEA endorsement," accessed June 26, 2018
34. ↑ State of Politics, "Cuomo Nets Another Union Nod (Updated)," March 26, 2018
35. ↑ wNYC, "Cuomo Kicks Off Endorsement Parade with Healthcare Workers," February 21, 2018
36. ↑ Observer, "Cuomo Clinches Major Women’s Endorsement—Despite Possible Cynthia Nixon Challenge," March 15, 2018
37. ↑ The Intercept, "ANDREW CUOMO OUTRIGHT LIED TO LGBTQ DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS — BUT GOT ITS ENDORSEMENT ANYWAY," July 25, 2018
38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 New York State of Politics, "A Trio Of Democratic Clubs Endorse Cuomo," July 27, 2018
39. ↑ The Intercept, "CYNTHIA NIXON AND FOUR OTHER PROGRESSIVES RECEIVE BACKING OF GROUP THAT HELPED PROPEL OCASIO-CORTEZ TO VICTORY," July 17, 2018
40. ↑ Washington Post, "As well-funded Democrats seize ‘progressive’ label in gubernatorial races, progressive group endorses insurgent challengers," May 24, 2018
41. ↑ Our Revolution, "Our Revolution Endorses Cynthia Nixon for Governor of New York," May 14, 2018
42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 WTOP, "Activist party backs Cynthia Nixon in NY governor’s race," April 14, 2018
43. ↑ State of Politics, "Democracy For America Endorses Nixon In Gov Race," May 3, 2018
44. ↑ Politico, "UBER's counterattack — Indivisible, Democratic Socialists back Nixon — HUD abandons affordable housing fight," July 30, 2018
45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 The Nation, "Cynthia Nixon for Governor," June 6, 2018
46. ↑ WKTV, "LIBERAL GROUP ENDORSES NIXON OVER CUOMO IN NY GOVERNOR RACE," April 10, 2018
47. ↑ New York Daily News, "Cynthia Nixon wins endorsement from progressive group Citizen Action for her campaign for governor," April 10, 2018
48. ↑ New York Post, "NYC gay club endorses Cynthia Nixon," June 10, 2018
49. ↑ Sun Community News, "Dem candidates weigh in on Cuomo-Nixon primary fight," June 17, 2018
50. ↑ Cynthia Nixon 2018 campaign website, "Meet Cynthia," accessed May 21, 2018
51. ↑ Democrat & Chronicle, "'Sex and the City' actress Cynthia Nixon to run for New York governor," March 19, 2018
52. ↑ The New York Times, "Facing Potential Challenge From Cynthia Nixon, Cuomo Swipes at Familiar Foe: The Mayor," March 7, 2018
53. ↑ The Hill, "Former New York gov on Cynthia Nixon: People think just because you have fame you can run for things," June 3, 2018
54. ↑ USA Today, "Cynthia Nixon vs. Andrew Cuomo: New poll shows clear front-runner," March 19, 2018
55. ↑ Siena Research Institute, "Among Likely Democratic Primary Voters: Cuomo Leads Nixon Two-to-One, 60-29 Percent," July 31, 2018
56. ↑ New York Board of Elections, "Statewide Democratic Gubernatorial Primary," accessed August 17, 2018
57. ↑ Washington Post, "The Daily 202: Why Bernie Sanders won’t join the Democratic Party," June 7, 2018
58. ↑ Huffington Post, "Andrew Cuomo Walks Back Statement Saying He’ll Stop Taking Fossil Fuel Money," June 28, 2018
59. ↑ 59.0 59.1 59.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
60. ↑ The Intercept, "HOW ANDREW CUOMO FAILED STUDENT BORROWERS," April 7, 2018
61. ↑ Gotham Gazette, "Cuomo Brought Rogue Democrats Back, But Hasn't Offered or Accepted Endorsements," August 8, 2018
62. ↑ New York Times, "Cuomo Charts Course for 2018, Eyeing Trump on the Horizon," January 3, 2018
63. ↑ Modern Healthcare, "Cuomo cuts New York insurers' request in jab at Trump," July 30, 2018
64. ↑ NBC New York, "New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Threatens Lawsuit Over Federal Abortion Changes," July 30, 2018
65. ↑ U.S. News and World Report, "Cuomo Calls for Special Session on Abortion Rights," July 10, 2018
66. ↑ New York Times, "Joseph Percoco, Ex-Cuomo Aide, Found Guilty in Corruption Trial," March 13, 2018
67. ↑ Albany Business Review, "What to know out of Cynthia Nixon's first campaign visit to Albany (Video)," March 26, 2018
68. ↑ New York Times, "Cynthia Nixon Promises an Anti-Corruption Panel," May 15, 2018
69. ↑ Politico, "Cuomo distances himself from Kaloyeros after conviction," July 13, 2018
70. ↑ New York Post, "NY State Dems imply Cynthia Nixon ‘anti-Semitic,’ prompting outrage, denials," September 9, 2018
71. ↑ Fox News, "New York Democrats slammed for mailer implying Cynthia Nixon is anti-Semitic," September 10, 2018
72. ↑ New York Times, "Former Cuomo Aide Drafted Language for Inflammatory Anti-Semitism Flier," September 12, 2018
73. ↑ New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, "The Property Tax Cap," accessed June 16, 2018
74. ↑ 74.0 74.1 Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, "Property-tax cap: How Cynthia Nixon and Andrew Cuomo differ," June 5, 2018
75. ↑ New York Times, "Cynthia Nixon’s Education Plan: Ambitious, Progressive, Expensive," June 13, 2018
76. ↑ National Public Radio, "Is Cuomo Threatening NRA's Existence? He Says: 'I'd Like To Believe It's True,'" August 5, 2018
77. ↑ New York Board of Elections, "Committee Search," accessed July 19, 2018
78. ↑ New York Post, "Corrections officers target Cuomo in new ad blitz," July 17, 2018
79. ↑ Andrew Cuomo’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed August 22, 2018
80. ↑ Cynthia Nixon’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed August 22, 2018
81. ↑ 81.0 81.1 81.2 New York Times, "What Does Ocasio-Cortez’s Win Mean for Cynthia Nixon?" June 27, 2018
82. ↑ 82.0 82.1 82.2 82.3 Vanity Fair, "'WE THINK THOSE THINGS ARE TRANSFERABLE TO THE GOVERNOR’S RACE': AFTER ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ’S SHOCKING TRIUMPH, ANDREW CUOMO IS NEXT ON THE LEFT’S TARGET LIST," June 27, 2018
83. ↑ 83.0 83.1 83.2 The New York Times, "Flexing Their Support for Cuomo, Key Unions Leave Working Families Party," April 13, 2018
84. ↑ Fox News, "Cynthia Nixon mocks Cuomo's remarks bashing America, as 'Greatgate' escalates," August 16, 2018
85. ↑ Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, "Andrew Cuomo says 'America is great,' previous comment was 'inartful,'" August 17, 2018
86. ↑ Washington Post," August 29, 2018
87. ↑ New York Times," "Cuomo-Nixon Debate: Six Takeaways," August 29
88. ↑ New York State Board of Elections, "2014 State and Local Primary Results," accessed September 29, 2017
89. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed October 25, 2019
90. ↑ FairVote, "Primaries," accessed October 25, 2019
91. ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
92. ↑ Board of Elections in the City of New York, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed October 25, 2019
93. ↑ New York State Board of Elections, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed October 17, 2019
94. ↑ 94.0 94.1 New York State Board of Elections, “Register to Vote,” accessed October 4, 2019
95. ↑ New York State Board of Elections, “Voter Registration Deadlines,” accessed October 4, 2019
96. ↑ New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, “Register to Vote Online - Electronic Voter Registration Application,” accessed October 4, 2019
97. ↑ Spectrum News, "Cuomo Signs Automatic Voter Registration Measure," December 22, 2020
98. ↑ Office of the Governor of New York, "Governor Cuomo Signs New York Automatic Voter Registration Act of 2020 into Law," December 22, 2020
99. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Provisional Ballots," accessed October 7, 2019
100. ↑ FindLaw, "New York Consolidated Laws, Election Law - ELN § 5-210. Registration and enrollment and change of enrollment upon application," accessed November 12, 2019
101. ↑ FindLaw, "New York Consolidated Laws, Election Law - ELN § 8-302. Voting; verification of registration," accessed November 12, 2019
102. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Voter Identification Requirements|Voter ID Laws," June 5, 2017
103. ↑ The Washington Post, "Do I need an ID to vote? A look at the laws in all 50 states," October 27, 2014
104. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Laws Governing Early Voting," August 2, 2019
105. ↑ NY 1, "It's Official: Early Voting is Coming to New York," January 24, 2019
106. ↑ New York State Senate, "Voting Package Summary and Analysis," January 14, 2019
107. ↑ 107.0 107.1 New York State Board of Elections, "Absentee Voting," accessed December 16, 2013
108. ↑ New York State Board of Elections, "Voting Deadlines," accessed November 14, 2019
109. ↑ New York Consolidated Laws, "Election 8-412," accessed July 26, 2021
110. ↑ 270towin.com, "New York," accessed June 1, 2017
111. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
112. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
113. ↑ Democrats won Assembly District 9 in a special election on May 23, 2017. The seat was previously held by a Republican.

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* * *

Executive: Leslie Graves, President • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy

Communications: Kayla Harris • Megan Brown • Mary Dunne • Sarah Groat • Lauren Nemerovski
External Relations: Alison Prange • Sara Key • Kari Berger • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski • Lauren Dixon • Kelly Rindfleisch • Sara Horton • Elizabeth Brown
Policy: Christopher Nelson • Caitlin Styrsky • Molly Byrne • Katharine Frey • Jace Lington • Jimmy McAllister
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Tech Manager • Ryan Burch • Michael Cella • Kirsten Corrao • Margaret Kearney • Tom Reitz

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

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Editorial|

Geoff Pallay, Editor-in-Chief • Daniel Anderson, Managing Editor • Josh Altic, Managing Editor • Cory Eucalitto, Managing Editor • Mandy Gillip, Managing Editor • Jerrick Adams • Victoria Antram • Dave Beaudoin • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Ryan Byrne • Kate Carsella • Kelly Coyle • Megan Feeney • Tyler King • Doug Kronaizl • Amee LaTour • David Luchs • Brittony Maag • Andrew McNair • Jackie Mitchell • Elisabeth Moore • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Paul Rader • Ethan Rice • Abbey Smith • Janie Valentine • Caitlin Vanden Boom • Joel Williams • Corinne Wolyniec • Samuel Wonacott • Mercedes Yanora