Posted by Written By Emma Keeler, Staff Writer
Do you know what proposition 1 or any of the other 5 proposals proposed in the election of 2024 mean? You probably have an idea of the particularly popular proposition one, but can you clearly explain it? If you were confused about what it meant exactly for the state of New York, you are not alone. Sadly many voters went into the election knowing little to nothing about the propositions, relying heavily on information from the media, much of which was framed to get the sources’ own political beliefs across.
In this highly anticipated 2024 presidential election six possible candidates were introduced: Kamala Harris for the democratic party, Donald J. Trump for the Republican Party, and Independent/Third Party applicants, Cornel West, Jill Stein, Chase Oliver, and Claudia De La Cruz. Alongside the candidates for our 47th President, there were six additional proposals included on the New York State ballots, that many were unprepared for.
Out of all the proposals, proposition 1 gained the most attention in the media.
The proposals were numbered in chronological order, each providing a briefly vague description about the proposal itself, and what it would mean for the advancements concerning the State Constitution’s Bill of Rights. The voters were then allowed to vote “Yes” or “No”, or could simply leave it blank. Out of all the proposals, proposition 1 gained the most attention in the media. Unfortunately, much of the information being spread was untrue and depending on if the source was conservative or liberal, the details of the proposition were changed.
Here are the propositions clearly explained, made less confusing and easy to understand:
The propositions encompassed in the recent elections are as followed;
Ballot Proposal 1 – Adds certain procedures to the State Bill of Rights.
This proposal would prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, disability, origin, ethnicity, and sex. It would also protect any New Yorkers who desire access to reproductive healthcare from discrimination on that basis . This is different from the previous states constitution, which stated protection from discrimination based only on race, color, and creed (religion).
Ballot Proposal 2 – Cleaning public property
The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) would possess increased authority to keep all city property clean, and to hold street vendors liable for following rules at specific locations. DSNY would additionally be allowed to regulate how New Yorkers put out their garbage for collection.
Ballot Proposal 3 – Additional Estimates of the Cost of Proposed Laws and Updates to Budget Deadlines
Alongside the City Council’s providing of cost estimates on proposed laws, pre-voting, the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget Opportunity would also be given the opportunity to provide its own cost estimates with this proposal. Furthermore, it would require the Council to both publish their cost estimates before public hearings on proposed laws, and to formally notify the Mayor’s office before holding public hearings or votes on proposed laws. Finally, the third ballot proposal would extend the deadline for certain budget reports in the initial year of a Mayoral administration, and would permanently extend the deadline for the Mayor to issue their annual City budget.
Ballot Proposal 4 – More Notice and Time Before Votes on Public Safety Legislation
The Council would be required to give 30 days notice before voting on public safety laws
that impact the Department of Correction, Police Department, or the Fire Department. During this time, affected City agencies and the Mayor are allowed to hold public hearings to gain any potential input from the public.
Ballot Proposal 5 – Capital Planning
The City ought to evaluate the cost of maintaining city facilities, infrastructure, and investments, publishing these appraisals in the capital planning resorts.
Ballot Proposal 6 – Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBES), Film Permits, and Archive Review Boards
A new role would be created to support MWBE’s, allowing the Mayor to designate which specific agency endows, and to merge the two boards that govern city records.
Proposal One had a 56.59% to 34.93% ratio, leaning in the yes favor.
While it’s true that some voters confidently went into the ballot boxes with complete or even partial knowledge on these six propositions, it is equally true that a notable number of people went in knowing sufficiently less than they should, especially concerning proposition 1. Mr. Gomez, a teacher at New Paltz High School admits to not looking much into it until the actual day of the election. He correctly knew it helped with the protection of reproductive rights which was definitely the main take away the general population got from the proposition, however he wasn’t clear on the specifics and even admitted to feeling “uneasy voting” as he didn’t really know what he was voting for.
Despite the confusion surrounding the specifics of each proposition, almost all of them were passed, with only a 50% needed, except for proposition six which only got 47.36% of people selecting yes. Proposal One had a 56.59% to 34.93% ratio, leaning in the yes favor, with 13,077 of 13,357 election districts reporting in New York. In addition to the concise description included above, the passing of proposition one will act as a protection included in the State Constitution for various groups, older, disabled, pregnant and LGBTQ+ New Yorkers. The government will not be allowed to discriminate against these individuals in hiring, pay, and promotion, furthermore ensuring that older and disabled people will obtain the necessary access for both voting and the use of public spaces and facilities. In clarifying that the amendment cannot be used as a basis for attacking programs that are attempting to combat discrimination, all individuals will be guarded against prejudices. Furthermore, future State laws will be unable to roll back current LQBTQ+ rights to equal treatment.
In regards to abortion and reproductive healthcare, Proposition One secures those rights by preventing State laws banning, punishing, and/or prosecuting abortion and pregnancy outcomes, such as miscarriages.
The Maroon 