Abundance is on the Ballot
Another election email? Yes, but we’ll keep it short.
Hi All,
Early voting turnout is already at record levels in New York—a far cry from our dismal primary participation. A week from today, we’ll join citizens nationwide in selecting the next president, with one running explicitly on an Abundance Agenda.
(If you want to spend the next week helping advance that agenda with like-minded volunteers, check out a YIMBYs for Harris phone bank or a canvassing trip to PA being run by abundance-minded mayoral candidate Zellnor Myrie.)
But it’s not just the top of the ticket, or the front of the ballot, that’s going to have Abundance implications for New York. See below for how to think about the rest of the races—and for news from New York not about hate rallies at MSG or heartbreakers at Yankee Stadium.
Ryder
Abundance on the Ballot
Ballot Measures
On the back of New Yorkers’ ballots are six measures, one statewide and five just for the five boroughs. Proposition 1 enshrines abortion and non-discrimination protections in New York’s constitution: steps to reaffirm that we’re a haven to all who wish to come here seeking more freedom and opportunity, no matter what some may say at certain political events. (Of course, once it passes, we’ll have to actually make room for new arrivals.)
Measures 2–6 relate to a wide variety of city administration issues, but their backstory may be more important than their content. Mayor Adams initiated these changes to the city charter—essentially the city’s constitution—to block potential proposals from the city council.
Still, if considered on their merits rather than their origin, Number 2 is relevant to us. It expands powers for the Department of Sanitation and could help clean up the streets. On the other hand, it is opposed by the street vendor community and homelessness advocates (as well as those—including many electeds in our community—who think passing any of these measures means endorsing a bad-faith charter change process).
Congress
Kirsten Gillibrand is seeking re-election to the Senate, but the real action is at the House level. New York is home to at least six very swingy districts, two held by Democrats and four by Republicans. All eyes will be on the Empire State next week: Democrats’ path to a US House majority runs through Long Island, the Hudson Valley, and Syracuse.
Why does the House matter to Abundance? Because if Donald Trump wins and Republicans take back the Senate, the House will be the only check on a Project 2025 agenda that will forbid any pro-housing overrides of local zoning, and which will gut transit and climate infrastructure investments.
Ironically, many of the Democrats in these districts who would provide that bulwark aren’t exactly Abundance champions right now—they’re doing what they need to win in the suburbs, including opposing congestion pricing. These are exactly the folks Governor Hochul tried to shore up with her CP pause, but there’s no evidence that it helped.
The State Legislature
There are some competitive state legislative races next week, but most of what matters to Abundance happens in the primaries: unfortunate given their (lack of) turnout. Here, often it’s less about whether Democrats are in control and more about what kind of Democrats are.
Notably, Democrats may lose their supermajority in the State Senate next week, which would mean that the legislature couldn’t override the governor’s veto on party lines. That would matter if Democrats in the legislature were more Abundance-minded than the governor, but that unfortunately isn’t the case—yet.
Other New York News
🚦 Hochul set to expand New York City's red-light camera program (POLITICO), from 150 intersections to 600. There will still be nearly 13,000 stoplighted intersections in NYC without it…
🚘 …but the expansion will still mean more revenue, since driving is driving on: NYC auto traffic at record highs as MTA transit ridership continues to lag pre-COVID, report finds (AMNY)
♻️ Walkability won’t look much better if trash bins encroach on sidewalk space rather than the roadbed…: Adams Must Avoid Berlin Wall of Sidewalk Garbage Cans: Experts (Streetsblog NYC).
⛴️ …but you can feel a bit better about taking the ferry: Staten Island Ferry to burn cleaner fuels as NYC transitions ferry fleet to ‘renewable diesel’ (Daily News)