League of Women Voters of the City of New York -

MAYOR
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (R-I)
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
Phone : 212-788-3000

ELECTED BY VOTERS OF THE ENTIRE CITY
Term: 4 years
Salary: $225,000 annually
and residence at Gracie Mansion*

*Mayor Bloomberg's Salary is $1.00 annually
and he does not reside at Gracie Mansion

Is the city's chief executive officer
Appoints the heads of most city agencies, boards and commissions
Prepares and administers the city's expense and capital budgets
Signs or vetoes all bills passed by the City Council, except the budget. If he vetoes a bill, the bill does not become a law unless two-thirds of the members of the City Council vote to override his veto
Appoints Criminal and Family Court Judges and Interim Civil Court Judges
Appoints 7 of the 13 members of the City Planning Commission
Appoints 8 of the 13 members of the Panel on Educational Policy and the Chancellor of the Department of Education
In the event of a vacancy, due to the death, resignation or removal of the Mayor, the Public Advocate shall serve as Acting Mayor until a special election, or general election is held to fill the office, depending on when the vacancy occurs

COMPTROLLER
John C. Lui (D-WF)
Office of the Comptroller
City of New York
One Centre Street
New York, NY 10007
Phone: 212-669-3500

Address a letter to the Comptroller

ELECTED BY VOTERS OF THE ENTIRE CITY
Term: 4 years
Salary: $185,000

Is the city's chief financial officer

Recommends fiscal policies and financial transactions for the city

Investigates all matters affecting the finances of the city

Registers city contracts

Conducts performance audits of city agencies

Issues city bonds

Is the custodian and delegated investment advisor to all five of the city's pension boards

In the event of a vacancy, the First Deputy Comptroller acts as comptroller until a new comptroller is elected in an election called by the Mayor to fill the vacancy. The date of the election depends on when the vacancy occurs.

PUBLIC ADVOCATE
Bill de Blasio
Office of the New York City Public Advocate
1 Centre Street, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10007
212-669-7200

Address a letter to the Public Advocate

ELECTED BY VOTERS OF THE ENTIRE CITY
Term: 4 years
Salary: $165,000

Is first in line for succession to Mayor
Monitors the operation of City agencies public information and service complaint programs
Serves as an ombudsman reviewing service and program complaints of a borough-wide or city-wide nature
Coordinates citywide citizen information
Names 1 of the 13 members of the City Planning Commission
Chairs the Committee on Public Information and Communication
Vacancy filled by special election or at the next general election, depending on when the vacancy occurs.

BOROUGH PRESIDENT

BRONX: RUBEN DIAZ, Jr.
BROOKLYN: MARTY MARKOWITZ
MANHATTAN: SCOTT M. STRINGER
QUEENS: HELEN M. MARSHALL
STATEN ISLAND: JAMES P. MOLINARO

Address a letter to the Borough President

ELECTED BY VOTERS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE BOROUGHS
Term: 4 years
Salary: $160,000

Is the administrative head of the Borough
Chairs the Borough Board composed of all of the members of the Community Board chairs in the Borough
Appoints members of the Community Boards in the borough
Holds public hearings on land use and other matters of public interest
Recommends, with the other four borough presidents, 5 percent of the city's capital budget and 5 percent of the non-mandated increases in the expense budget
May initiate legislation in the City Council and propose zoning changes
Appoints 1 of the 13 members of the City Planning Commission
Has the power to recommend capital projects, and recommend legislation to be introduced in the City Council.
Vacancy filled by special election or at the next general election, depending on when the vacancy occurs.

CITY COUNCIL MEMBER

Address a letter to the City Council member

ELECTED BY VOTERS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNCIL DISTRICTS
(There are 51 council members)
Term: 4 years
Salary: $112,500

Is a member of the City Council
Serves on various standing committees of the City Council
Is a non-voting member of the Community Board in his/her district and makes recommendations to the Borough President for appointment to the Community Board

THE CITY COUNCIL:

Is the legislative body of the City of New York.
It consists of one council member from each of the 51 districts and elects a Speaker from among its members.
Adopts local laws
May make some amendments to the City Charter
May request the state legislature to pass laws applying to the City of New York (Home Rule)
Has sole approval of the budget
Fixes annual rate of real estate taxes
Gives advice and consent on mayoral appointments
Can review all land-use matters.
Can override mayoral vetoes with a two-thirds majority
Is responsible for oversight of all city agencies
Vacancy filled by special election or at the next general election, depending on when the vacancy occurs.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

Address a letter to the District Attorney

ELECTED BY VOTERS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE BOROUGHS:

      BRONX: ROBERT T. JOHNSON
      BROOKLYN: CHARLES J. HYNES
      MANHATTAN: CYRUS R. VANCE
      QUEENS: RICHARD A. BROWN
      STATEN ISLAND: DANIEL M. DONOVAN, Jr.
Term: 4 years
Salary: $190,000

Protects the public in the borough in which he/she has been elected, by investigating and prosecuting criminal conduct.
Vacancy filled by special election or at the next general election, depending on when the vacancy occurs.

JUSTICES of the NEW YORK STATE SUPREME COURT

ELECTED ON THE BASIS OF JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
Term: 14 years
Salary: $136,700

The Supreme Court is the trial court of unlimited original jurisdiction but generally only hears cases outside the jurisdiction of trial courts of more limited jurisdiction. It handles civil cases as well as serious crimes, injunctions, divorces and legal separations, etc.
Decisions of the New York State Supreme Court may be appealed to a higher court.

JUDGES of the CIVIL COURT of the CITY of NEW YORK

ELECTED COUNTYWIDE AND BY DISTRICTS WITHIN A COUNTY:
Term: 10 years
Salary: $125,600

The Civil Court decides cases involving $25,000 or less, and includes a Small Claims Court for informal disposition of cases involving less than $5,000. It also has a Housing Part which handles code violations and tenant-landlord disputes.

INFORMATION ON REGISTRATION, ENROLLMENT, VOTING

To vote in a General Election you must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of New York City for 30 days before November election, 18 years of age on or before Election Day, and you must be registered.

REGISTRATION: New York State has Permanent Personal Registration. If you are not registered, or if you have moved and have not reinstated your registration ...

REGISTER BY MAIL: Forms are available from Borough Boards of Elections, public library branches, local post offices, many government agencies, and the League of Women Voters.

REGISTER IN PERSON: You may register at your Borough Board of Elections.

POLITICAL PARTY ENROLLMENT: You may enroll in the party of your choice when you register. Party enrollment entitles you to vote in that party's primary election. (You may vote for any party's candidate in a general election.)

ABSENTEE VOTING: If you are a registered voter but will be out of New York City on Election Day or are unable to go to the polls because of illness or physical disability, you may request an application for an absentee ballot in person up until 5 p.m. on the day before the election; or by mail postmarked a week before the election. The completed ballot may be delivered in person by Election Day, or postmarked by the day before the election and received by the Board of Elections within one week after the election.

Borough Boards of Elections:

Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bronx 1780 Grand Concourse (10457) 718/299-9017
Brooklyn 345 Adams Street (11201) 718/330-2250
Manhattan 200 Varick Street (10014) 212/886-2100
Queens 126-06 Queens Blvd (11415) 718/730-6730
Staten Island 1 Edgewater Plaza (10305) 718/876-0079

Voter Information: 212/VOTE-NYC (212-868-3692) TDD Hearing Impaired: 212/497-5496

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
EDUCATION FUND
4 West 43rd Street, Suite 615, New York, NY 10036
212-725-3541

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization whose purpose is to promote informed and active citizen participation in government. It neither supports nor opposes candidates or political parties. Membership is open to all who subscribe to its purpose. The League is supported by dues and contributions from public-spirited individuals, businesses and organizations.

For more information, please consult our publications,
"What Makes New York City Run?" & "They Represent You"