
Most people are familiar with national political parties - like the Democratic and Republican parties. These parties try to influence elections by choosing which candidates they will endorse and helping those candidates with their campaigns. Political parties are made up of their members and are not a part of the government.
Western New York (WNY) should consider joining the ranks of the sixty-two jurisdictions nation-wide that have chosen Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) over the more commonly used plurality voting system. In weighing the importance of such a change, voters and leaders may consider lessons and successes learned from New York City (NYC) in its adoption and implementation of RCV.
Campaign finance laws govern how political candidates raise and spend monies for their elections. In general, there are three ways in which states regulate campaign finance: (1) disclosure, (2) contribution limits, and (3) public financing. Disclosure requires a candidate to disclose campaign-related contribution receipts as well as expenditures. Expenditures can include anything from advertising material to travel expenses. Contribution Limits restrict the amount of …