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PORT CHESTER, N.Y. – In anticipation of the spring Board of Trustees and mayoral election in Port Chester, the village will have a series of bilingual voter education forums to provide information on practices unique to Port Chester, such as early and cumulative voting.
The annual village election will be held March 19. Voters will elect six trustees to the village board for three-year terms, as well as the mayor, whose term is two years.
The village made history in 2010 when it became the first municipality in New York to use early voting and cumulative voting in electing village officials. The changes were the result of a court ruling that the village’s previous system of voting was limiting for Port Chester’s large Hispanic population. Information on the election will be made available in English and Spanish during the forums.
Neither cumulative nor early voting will apply to the mayoral election.
With cumulative voting, registered voters can cast six votes for trustees. Voters can give more than one vote for their favorite trustee candidate or to candidates in any combination. The top six vote-getters will win.
Early voting creates additional opportunities for voters to cast ballots. Early voting will take place at Port Chester Village Hall, 222 Grace Church St., from Tuesday, March 12, to March 15 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturday, March 16, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Voter education forums are set for on Saturday at Edison School, 123 Rectory St. A session held in English will be at 1:30 p.m. and a session in Spanish at 3:30 p.m. A translator will be available at the English session to provide translation in Spanish for any person requesting it. A voting machine also will be available for practice voting.
Additional forums will be held in February and March preceding the election.
At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23, the village will have a candidate qualifying forum at the Carver Center, 400 Westchester Ave. This session will explain the qualifying process for becoming a candidate in the election. After the presentation, village officials will answer questions from the public.
For more information on the sessions or other election questions, call Port Chester Votes at 914-653-6484 or visit http://portchestervotes.org. Voter registration forms may be downloaded in English or in Spanish.
To make sure you are registered to vote, visit the New York State Board of Elections website.
Comments (2)
2013 elections . There will be a debate of candidates for Port Chester Mayors?
This March 19, Port Chester residents will elect new leadership of the BOA. Mayors and members of Boad of Trustees shall be elected that day. It would be very important for residents to vote for the best proposal that day. Therefore, we need to be informed about what their work plans and vision for the Village of Port Chester. In this regard, it is important that community organizations” Port Chester organize a debate between candidates for mayor for the Villa.
This debate can be divided into two themes:
1-Security Issues in Port Chester.
2-economic development in Port Chester.
Every choice is crucial to improve the town, but we must be informed and to evaluate the best option for the town.
Hopefully the same candidates to agree to organize a debate and do the questions about his candidacy.
Juan Allase
How about tri- lingual? Give me a break. Press (1) already.