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Equity Democrats

NYC 2026 Ballot Guide

Five proposals.
Your decision.

Read what would change, what would stay, and the official text behind each question.

Review the five proposalsMake a voting plan
Equity Democrats mark

November 3, 2026 general election

Early voting

Oct 24-Nov 1

Daily hours vary. Check your assigned site.

Election Day

Tuesday, Nov 3

Polls are open 6 a.m.-9 p.m.

Registration deadline

Saturday, Oct 24

Applications must be received by this date.

Equity Democrats perspective

Why we support these proposals.

Critics raise concerns about reduced local oversight and expanded executive authority. Those concerns deserve serious consideration. But existing local decision-making structures have too often failed to protect working-class New Yorkers or deliver lasting improvement in their quality of life.

Community input must remain meaningful. Where Community Boards retain an advisory role, their recommendations should be heard and taken seriously. Yet a recommendation alone is not enough when elected leaders fail to prioritize working people and families struggling to make ends meet.

Equity Democrats supports these five proposals because government must be able to act with urgency and remain accountable for results. Faster decisions are not a substitute for justice; they should be a tool for delivering it.

The ballot, in order

Understand each proposal.

Equity Democrats' position is shown with each proposal. Read the summaries, tradeoffs, and official text before making your own decision.

  1. Equity Democrats position: YES

    Public-Space Permissions

    Changes the review process for permissions to use public space, including ramps, planters, and sidewalk cafes.

    Read proposal 1
  2. Equity Democrats position: YES

    City Contracting

    Changes contractor paperwork, approval authority, and procurement meeting requirements.

    Read proposal 2
  3. Equity Democrats position: YES

    Streets & City Property

    Changes review steps for street projects, specified City property, and office space.

    Read proposal 3
  4. Equity Democrats position: YES

    Construction Permitting

    Changes construction permitting systems and who may issue specified approvals.

    Read proposal 4
  5. Equity Democrats position: YES

    Budget Reserves

    Sets a reserve target and requires a published method for calculating deposits.

    Read proposal 5

Equity Democrats positionYES

Proposal 1 of 5

Public-Space Permissions

Official title: Speed Up Process for Granting a Revocable Consent to Use Public Space

Changes the review process for permissions to use public space, including ramps, planters, and sidewalk cafes.

A Yes vote

Makes revocable-consent hearings optional and removes newspaper notices and Council disapproval of sidewalk-cafe consents.

A No vote

Keeps mandatory revocable-consent hearings and Council review of sidewalk cafes.

What changes

  • DOT or OTI could decide whether to hold a public hearing for a revocable consent.
  • Newspaper notices would end, and City Record notice would be shortened from 15 days to 6 days.
  • The City Council would no longer have authority to disapprove a sidewalk-cafe consent.

What stays the same

  • Community Boards, Council members, and Borough Presidents would still receive notice and an opportunity to comment.
  • The City could still revoke a consent, and permit holders would still compensate the City for private use of public property.
  • The changes would not apply to petitions submitted before March 1, 2027.

Details that matter

These changes concern specified consent, hearing, and notice procedures, not every public-space process.

Sidewalk cafes would use the same consent process as other revocable consents.

Official ballot language

Simplify process to use public space for uses such as ramps, planters and cafes, by removing mandatory hearings and Council disapproval of sidewalk cafes, while maintaining community and Council input.

"Yes" speeds up process to use public space while maintaining community input. "No" maintains longer process with mandatory public hearing to use public space and Council review of sidewalk cafes.

Open the official ballot questions PDF

Equity Democrats positionYES

Proposal 2 of 5

City Contracting

Official title: Reduce City Contractor Paperwork; Require Regular Meetings of Procurement Policy Board

Changes contractor paperwork, approval authority, and procurement meeting requirements.

A Yes vote

Changes authority over contractor questionnaires, requires quarterly Procurement Policy Board meetings, permits additional delegation of contract approvals, and removes the annual client-services-plan hearing requirement.

A No vote

Keeps current questionnaire authority, approval rules, and hearing requirements.

What changes

  • The Procurement Policy Board could simplify questionnaires for smaller businesses or lower-value contracts.
  • The Mayor could delegate approval of specified contracts over $5 million to an agency's Chief Contracting Officer, with the Commissioner's approval.
  • The Procurement Policy Board would meet at least quarterly, and the annual client-services-plan hearing would end.

What stays the same

  • Agencies would still develop and publish a client services plan each year.
  • Public notice and comment would remain for contracts above the threshold set by the Procurement Policy Board.
  • The City's ordinary budget, contracting, and oversight rules would otherwise continue.

Details that matter

Most changes would take effect after voter-approval certification.

Quarterly meetings would begin January 1, 2027; authority to change the public-comment threshold would begin October 1, 2030.

Official ballot language

Reduce paperwork for City contractors by authorizing Procurement Policy Board to simplify contractor questionnaire. Require quarterly meetings of the Procurement Policy Board. Remove mandatory hearing for required client services report.

"Yes" amends Procurement Policy Board authority, including to simplify contractor questionnaire; authorizes Mayor to delegate certain contract approvals. "No" leaves laws unchanged, with Mayor and Comptroller maintaining longer questionnaire.

Open the official ballot questions PDF

Equity Democrats positionYES

Proposal 3 of 5

Streets & City Property

Official title: Speed Up Street Safety Projects, Disposition of Unused City Property, Office Leasing

Changes review steps for street projects, specified City property, and office space.

A Yes vote

Changes street-project consultation and specified property-disposition and office-acquisition review procedures.

A No vote

Keeps existing street-project consultation and property and office review procedures.

What changes

  • Technical consultation errors could not invalidate a major street-safety project, and urgent projects could begin before notice when supported by safety data.
  • Eligible City-owned lots under 10,000 square feet and development rights on City-owned landmarks could use expedited land-use review.
  • City office acquisitions would no longer require City Planning Commission approval or City Council review.

What stays the same

  • DOT would still notify local officials and Community Boards and consult other agencies before major transportation projects.
  • The expedited property process would still include Community Board, Borough President, and City Planning Commission review.
  • Projects requiring an environmental impact statement would remain under the full land-use review process.

Details that matter

The property provisions do not apply to every parcel of City-owned land.

Most changes would take effect after certification; permanent authorization for certain undevelopable-lot sales would take effect December 31, 2030.

Official ballot language

Simplify review of street safety projects to reduce construction timelines. Fast track disposition of unused City property with approval from City Planning Commission. Expedite leasing offices used for City workforce.

"Yes" simplifies street project approval, City property disposition and office leasing. "No" maintains intra-agency consultation for road projects, Council approval for City property dispositions and Council disapproval of office leases.

Open the official ballot questions PDF

Equity Democrats positionYES

Proposal 4 of 5

Construction Permitting

Official title: Simplify Building Permitting and Move Waterfront Permitting to Department of Buildings

Changes construction permitting systems and who may issue specified approvals.

A Yes vote

Requires a centralized permitting system, expands authorized Buildings Department approvers, and transfers waterfront permitting to that department.

A No vote

Keeps current permitting procedures and departmental responsibilities.

What changes

  • The Buildings Commissioner could appoint additional deputy and borough commissioners who may approve construction documents.
  • DOB would develop a centralized system for construction applications and approvals with other permitting agencies.
  • Waterfront construction permitting would move from Small Business Services to the Department of Buildings.

What stays the same

  • Existing waterfront permits and approvals would remain in effect.
  • The Fire Department, DEP, DOT, and other agencies would retain their substantive permitting responsibilities while using the centralized system.
  • Annual appropriations and agency feasibility would shape implementation of the centralized system.

Details that matter

The centralized system has a 2030 deadline, or a later date if DOB determines that is feasible.

The waterfront transfer would occur by December 31, 2030, or when the applicable waterfront code takes effect, whichever comes first.

Official ballot language

Create centralized construction permits hub to simplify permitting. Move waterfront permitting from Department of Small Business Services to Department of Buildings. Allow construction approval by additional Department of Buildings officials.

"Yes" simplifies permitting by authorizing a centralized permitting hub, moving waterfront permitting to Department of Buildings, and allowing additional Department of Buildings officials to issue approvals. "No" leaves laws unchanged.

Open the official ballot questions PDF

Equity Democrats positionYES

Proposal 5 of 5

Budget Reserves

Official title: Set Contribution Targets for Rainy Day Fund to Promote Sufficient Budgetary Reserves

Sets a reserve target and requires a published method for calculating deposits.

A Yes vote

Sets a target of 12% of prior-year tax revenue and requires a published deposit methodology.

A No vote

Keeps current law without those target and methodology requirements.

What changes

  • The City would set a target equal to 12% of the prior fiscal year's tax revenue across the Rainy Day Fund and other reserves.
  • OMB, consulting with the Comptroller, would publish and regularly update a methodology for deposits when reserves are below target.
  • City law would limit withdrawals to 50% of the fund unless the Mayor certifies a compelling fiscal need, aligning it with State law.

What stays the same

  • Deposits would still require approval through the annual City budget process.
  • The methodology could phase deposits over several years or pause them during financial hardship.
  • The target would not create an immediate mandatory deposit of 12%.

Details that matter

The first methodology would be due by May 2027, followed by an update in May 2030 and at least every four years after that.

The proposed methodology would receive public notice, a public-comment period, and a hearing before final publication.

Official ballot language

Set target amount of money to hold in reserve funds, including rainy day fund, to address unexpected financial hardships in future years, and require development of methodology to calculate contributions.

"Yes" requires Mayor to develop methodology for calculating deposits to rainy day fund, with deposits subject to approval in the City budget. "No" leaves laws unchanged, with no reserves target.

Open the official ballot questions PDF

Make a plan

Where. When. What to check.

Early voting

October 24-November 1, 2026

Daily hours vary. Your early-voting site may differ from your Election Day site.

Election Day

November 3, 2026

Polls are open 6 a.m.-9 p.m. in America/New_York.

Your assigned site

Your registered home address determines your assigned site. The nearest location or your GPS position does not establish your assignment.

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Official sources

Questions, abstracts, dates, and language options.

English is this guide's reviewed content set. For other languages, use the official NYC Board of Elections options below. Sources last reviewed October 24, 2026.

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