New Ruling Sets Deadline To Change Parties Before August HV Primaries

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — If you are a registered voter and you want to change parties to vote in the upcoming primaries for the newly redrawn Congressional and State Senate districts, you have until Aug. 11.

That's the deadline set in a new ruling overnight after the New York State Board of Elections filed a motion to the NYS Supreme Court asking for a blackout period to be instated before the Aug. 23 primary, creating a deadline by which someone can change their party affiliation.

Applications must be received at a board of elections by Aug. 11. Any application received on or after Aug. 12 will become effective after the primary, on Aug. 30, and be good for the general election in November.

Officials with the League of Women Voters said the ruling closes the loophole that would have allowed primary voters to change party affiliation at the last minute by voting via affidavit ballot or a court order.

There are six primaries in the four Congressional Districts in the Hudson Valley, which dramatically changed in the court-ordered redistricting based on the 2020 Census.

Congressional District 16

District 16 now includes all of lower Westchester County with the Bronx. A Democratic primary will pit three challengers against the incumbent.

• Jamal Bowman, a Westchester resident, is the incumbent
• Vedat Gashi is a Westchester County Legislator
• Catherine F. Parker is a Westchester County Legislator
• Mark Jaffe is CEO of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce

Congressional District 17

District 17 now includes central-northern Westchester, all of Rockland and Putnam counties and the southeastern corner of Dutchess County. There are Democratic, Republican and Conservative primaries.

On the ballot in the five-way GOP primary are:

• William G. Faulkner is a business owner in Westchester
• Jack W. Schrepel
• Charles J. Falciglia is a Rockland County Legislator
• Shoshana M. David
• Mike Lawler is a member of the state Assembly

There will also be a Conservative Party primary, between Faulkner and Lawler.

The Democratic primary pits Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, who now holds the 18th Congressional seat, against progressive State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi.

Congressional District 18

District 18 now includes Orange County, half of Ulster and most of Dutchess. In a Democratic primary, Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan and Moses R. Mugulusi, a regulator focused on equity and fairness, face off.

Congressional District 19

District 19 migrated north and west but retains the north half of Ulster County. In a Democratic primary, former political staffer and attorney Josh Riley and Jamie Cheney, a business owner and reproductive rights advocate, are vying for the Democratic line in November.

There are two primaries in this year's State Senate races in the Hudson Valley.

NY Senate District 34

Pelham, Pelham Manor, and part of New Rochelle are the only Westchester communities left in District 34, which now includes the east Bronx. (Incumbent Alessandra Biaggi, a Westchester resident, is running for Congress in District 17). Three Bronx residents are running in a Democratic primary:

• Christian M. Amato is a consultant and community organizer in the Bronx
• State Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez
• John Perez, an Army veteran and district leader in the Bronx, is a perennial candidate

NY Senate District 51

Western Ulster is in this district now, which also includes all of Sullivan County and parts of Delaware, Schoharie and Broome. There's a Republican primary:

• Peter K. Oberacker, a first-term incumbent, also has the Conservative line so will be on the ballot in November
• Terry Bernardo is a former chair of the Ulster County Legislature

Still haven't registered to vote?

• You can register in person at your county board of elections or at any New York State Agency-Based voter registration center.
• You may also submit your voter application form at the Department of Motor Vehicles, either in person or on their website if you already have DMV-issued identification.
• You can request a New York State Voter Registration form by mail by entering your name directly into our mailing list database.
• You can call 1-800-FOR-VOTE (1-800-367-8683) hotline to request a voter application.

Your application must be received no later than Oct. 14. If honorably discharged from the US Military or have become a naturalized US citizen after Oct. 14, you may register in person at the Board of Elections up until Oct. 29.