New York City residents will not only vote for their elected representatives in November’s general election – they will also say “yes” or “no” to proposals to amend the city’s charter, the living document that effectively serves as the city’s charter. city. constitution.

Mayor Eric Adams formed a charter review committee that adopted five proposals this summer, on topics ranging from sanitation issues to the way the City Council passes public safety legislation. The commission remains at the center of a battle for influence within City Hall, but for now the ballots are in the hands of ordinary New Yorkers.

With early voting set to begin Saturday, the measures will appear on the back of city residents’ ballots as Questions 2 through 6, preceded by a statewide ballot referendum known to supporters as the New York Equal Rights Amendment. (More about that here.)

What will the charter amendment questions look like on the back of the ballots, and what will each do if passed? Whether you’re a charter reviewer cruising for a refresher or desperately Googling while standing at the polls, Gothamist has the basics covered for you.

Voting question 2: Cleaning public property

How the question appears on your ballot:

This proposal would amend the City Charter to expand and clarify the Department of Sanitation’s authority to clean streets and other City property and require the disposal of waste in containers.

Voting “Yes” would expand and clarify the Department of Sanitation’s authority to clean streets and other city properties and require the disposal of waste in containers. If you vote ‘No’, the laws will remain unchanged.

What the amendment does:

This amendment gives the Sanitation Department the authority to clean all City property, including street medians and City highways, at the Mayor’s discretion. The agency would have the authority to enforce dumpster storage, which is currently lacking in the charter.

Passage of the measure would also expand the agency’s authority to enforce laws surrounding street vendors — and issue fines — in parks and other city-owned spaces. Advocates have expressed concern that this would lead to a crackdown.

Sanitation officials have testified in support of the measure.

Voting Question 3: Additional estimates of the costs of proposed laws and budget deadline updates

How the question appears on your ballot:

This proposal would amend the City Charter to require a Council budget analysis before legislative hearings and votes, allow a Mayor’s budget analysis, and update budget deadlines.

Voting “Yes” will amend the City Charter to require additional budget analysis prior to hearings and votes on local laws and update budget deadlines. If you vote ‘No’, the laws will remain unchanged.

What the amendment does:

This is one of two proposals on deck that could fundamentally change the way the City Council passes laws. Voting question 3 would require the Council to estimate how much each bill would cost to implement – ​​before holding a hearing or fully voting on the legislation.

The measure would also provide the mayor’s office with eight days’ notice of a City Council hearing or vote, giving the mayor’s Office of Management and Budget additional time to prepare its own, separate estimate. This may be deviated from at the discretion of the mayor.

Critics, including council members, say this would slow down the legislative process. The proposal would also push back several deadlines in the city budget process.

Vote Question 4: More notice and time before voting on public safety legislation

How the question appears on your ballot:

This proposal would require additional public notice and time before the City Council votes on laws respecting the public safety operations of police, correctional, or fire departments.

If you vote “Yes,” additional notice and time will be required before the Council votes on laws respecting the public safety operations of police, correctional, or fire departments. If you vote ‘no’, the laws will remain unchanged.”

What the amendment does:

Like Question 3, this proposal would directly affect city legislation — specifically legislation affecting the “public safety operations” of police, fire or correctional departments, as the amendment states.

Before voting on any piece of legislation, the City Council would be required to give the mayor, relevant agency commissioners and the public 30 days’ notice. The mayor and relevant agencies could convene additional hearings with the aim of gathering more public input. All of this may be waived at the mayor’s discretion.

The measure hits a sore spot for Adams and the Council, who have been feuding this year over criminal justice and public safety legislation.

Voting question 5: Capital planning

How the question appears on your ballot:

This proposal would amend the City Charter to require more detail in the annual assessment of City facilities, mandate that facility needs inform capital planning, and update capital planning deadlines.

“A yes vote would require more detail in assessing city facility maintenance needs, mandating facility needs to inform capital planning and updating capital planning deadlines. If you vote ‘No’, the laws will remain unchanged.

What the amendment does:

This measure would ensure that an annual overview of the city’s facilities provides additional details about the condition of the facilities and maintenance needs. The city’s 10-year capital strategy, which outlines officials’ plans for infrastructure projects over a 10-year period, would be needed to take into account the so-called statement of needs.

City Comptroller Brad Lander has criticized the proposal as ineffective, saying the statement of needs grossly obscures the city’s existing infrastructure. The proposal does not aim to expand the scope of the included facilities.

Voting Question 6: Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses, Film Permits, and Archive Review Boards

How the question appears on your ballot:

This proposal would amend the city charter to appoint the Chief Business Diversity Officer, authorize the mayor to designate the agency that issues film permits, and combine records boards.

Voting “Yes” would create the CBDO to support MWBEs (minority- and women-owned businesses), authorize the mayor to appoint the agency that issues film permits, and merge two boards. If you vote ‘No’, the laws will remain unchanged.

What the amendment does:

This measure would enshrine the role of the Chief Business Diversity Officer, an existing position created by Adams, in the city charter. It would give the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment the authority to issue film permits, shifting that to the Department of Small Business Services. And it would merge two charter-mandated boards related to the city archives into one.

Want to dig even deeper? Read the Ballot Summary (the Charter Revision Commission’s summary of what each proposal does) here and the exact change language here.