WXXI AM News

elections

Connections: Exploring the differences between the Canadian and U.S. election processes

By & • Sep 12, 2019

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called for a national election, which will happen in six weeks. Imagine that: a national election campaign that goes from start to finish in less than two months. In the United States, the campaign is essentially endless, with official campaign events running for two years.

Which system is better? Which is more productive in allowing the population to choose a leader? Our guests weigh in:

  • Rob Shum, a Canadian who serves as a professor of public policy at the College at Brockport
  • Paul Hypolite, an American who serves as a political strategist
  • Anthony Plonczynski-Figueroa, an American who serves as a political consultant and founder of LaCumbre

Schumer calls for funding to harden U.S. election systems against hackers

By • Aug 12, 2019

New York’s senior U.S. senator said that he will push for legislation in the upcoming federal budget to provide funds for local boards of elections to harden their security against potential threats by foreign governments. 

Connections: Understanding ranked-choice voting

By & • Jul 16, 2018

Ranked-choice voting is popular in other parts of the voting world, but not in the United States. That could change, if voter advocacy groups get their way. So how does it work? What are the possible advantages or disadvantages to ranked-choice voting? Would it change the outcome of presidential or other elections?

Our guests debate it:

  • Seth O'Bryan, teacher at the Harley School
  • Tim Kneeland, chair of the department of history and political science at Nazareth College
  • Jesse Lenney, western region political director for New York Working Families

Cuomo signs bill to move primary election date

By • Mar 3, 2018

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York State has moved its fall 2018 primary election date back two days so it doesn't interfere with the anniversary of 9/11 or the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that he has signed into law a measure moving the date of the primary election from Tuesday, Sept. 11 to Thursday, Sept. 13.

Lawmakers approved the date change earlier this month.

Todd Baxter to announce election plans

By • May 12, 2017

Todd Baxter, who recently left a position with the Veterans Outreach Center in Rochester after a long career in law enforcement, is expected to announce on Saturday that he is a candidate for Monroe County Sheriff.

Speculation about his interest in the seat now held by Republican Patrick O’Flynn has been heating up since Baxter left his position as executive director of the Veterans Outreach Center last month.

Prior to his three-year stint at the VOC, Baxter was Greece Police Chief for four years and also served more than 20 years with the Rochester Police Department.

Former Assemblyman Joe Errigo Choice Of GOP Leaders To Be 133rd Dist. Candidate

By • Sep 14, 2016
www.linkedin.com

Republican Party Chairmen of the three counties in the 133rd NYS Assembly District have chosen someone to replace Bill Nojay on the ballot, after the incumbent died by suicide last Friday.

The chairs of the GOP in Monroe, Livingston and Steuben on Wednesday night picked former State Assemblyman Joe Errigo to be on the ballot.

The chairmen made that decision in Geneseo since Nojay won Tuesday’s primary over challenger Rick Milne. That meant the GOP leaders had a limited window of time to pick a replacement.

Primary Roundup: Bronson & Nojay Among The Victors

By • Sep 14, 2016
NY State Board of Elections

The 2016 local and state primaries saw some incumbents win, some races too close to call, and a very unusual contest.

The contest that has befuddled casual observers is the one for the 133rd State Assembly Republican Primary; that is the seat that had been held by Bill Nojay, who committed suicide last Friday. He was facing a primary against Honeoye Falls Mayor Rick Milne, and Nojay's name stayed on the ballot in that district which covers parts of Monroe, Livingston and Steuben Counties.

Races to fill empty Senate seats highlight NY primary

By • Sep 11, 2016

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York state voters will decide several state Senate primaries on Tuesday — including some races that attracted a crowded field of candidates hoping to succeed a departing lawmaker.

The outcomes of Tuesday's primary will decide the parties' standard bearers this fall, when Democrats hope to retake control of the Senate.

Connections: The Mathematics of Voting

By • Apr 19, 2016

On this primary day, we sit down with a mathematician who studies voting.

Donald Saari looks at voting theory in particular. Saari can explain how a state like Wyoming can have power over a state like California or New York, thanks to the Electoral College. The issue is, he says, how often can a group make the crucial difference? In the U.S. Senate, 49 Democrats have nothing close to equal power to 51 Republicans, because of the power distribution for the majority. Perhaps not even Nate Silver has studied the math of voting as intently as our guest:

  • Donald Saari, distinguished professor of mathematics and economics at the University of California Irvine

New York's Presidential Primary Takes The Political Spotlight

By • Apr 19, 2016

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP & WXXI News) - New York primary voters will be able to report problems at the polls through a special hotline.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that he has a hotline staffed by attorneys and staff in his Civil Rights Bureau for Tuesday's primary. The number is 800-771-7755.

The statewide hotline debuted in November 2012.  Schneiderman says his office fielded hundreds of complaints from voters and worked with local election officials to quickly address issues.

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