The 2021 New York state elections were held on November 2, 2021. In addition to the standard local elections, many seats for the New York Supreme Court were to be filled, in addition to ballot proposals regarding changing state electoral rules and court limits.

State ballot proposals

Proposal 1 This is a proposed constitutional amendment that would freeze the number of state senators at 63, amend the process for counting the state's population, delete certain provisions that violate the U.S. Constitution, repeal and amend certain requirements for the appointment of the co-executive directors of the redistricting commission, and amend the manner of drawing district lines for congressional and state legislative offices.

The measure would also scrap the current requirement that two-thirds of state lawmakers must agree to pass redistricting plans, in favor of simple majorities in both the Assembly and Senate. The proposal's opponents, including The League of Women Voters of New York State, have focused on this point, saying that allowing a simple majority to make such decisions could diminish a minority party's voting power.

Proposal 2 This proposed amendment to Article I of the New York State Constitution would establish the right of each person to clean air and water and a healthful environment.

This measure would give New Yorkers a constitutional right to clean air, water and a "healthful environment." The proposal language is vague on what a "healthful environment" is or how the standard would be legally enforced. Critics of the measure have cited its broad language as a concern, arguing that the lack of specificity could lead to unnecessary lawsuits. State Senator Dan Stec, a Republican who represents the North Country region, said in a statement that the proposal would place the burden of enforcement on the courts.

Proposal 3 This proposed amendment would delete the current requirement in Article II, Section 5 (of the New York State Constitution) that a citizen be registered to vote at least ten days before an election and would allow the Legislature to enact laws permitting a citizen to register to vote less than ten days before the election.

If passed, the measure would make it possible for state lawmakers to adopt same-day voter registration, something that 20 states already have. The measure would be particularly beneficial to voters who do not start paying attention to local politics until late in the election cycle, said Jan Combopiano, the senior policy director for the Brooklyn Voters Alliance.

Proposal 4 This proposed amendment would delete from the current provision on absentee ballots the requirement that an absentee voter must be unable to appear at the polls by reason of absence from the county or illness or physical disability.

Under current law, mail-in ballots are only allowed for voters who expect to be away on Election Day, or who have an illness or disability that would prevent them from voting in person. There was an increase in absentee ballots cast last year because of the coronavirus pandemic; Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo issued an executive order automatically providing all New Yorkers with absentee ballot applications.

Proposal 5 The proposed amendment would increase the New York City Civil Court's jurisdiction by allowing it to hear and decide claims for up to $50,000 instead of the current jurisdictional limit of $25,000.

In theory, the measure is meant to make it faster, easier and less expensive for people to resolve disputes legally. Although the change would be likely to increase the efficiency with which lawsuits are resolved, it might also increase the workload for the city's civil courts, which are already understaffed, said Sidney Cherubin, the director of legal services at the Brooklyn Volunteer Lawyers Project.

In support of proposals The New York State Democratic Committee (Democratic Party) and Working Families Party campaigned in support of proposals 1, 3, and 4. The reason for the proposals' rejection, according to some sources, is in part because of the parties being "largely quiet on the measures".

Against proposals The New York Republican State Committee (Republican Party) and Conservative Party of New York campaigned against proposals 1, 3, and 4 using the slogan "Just say no!". According to NPR, the reason for the rejection of the proposals can be linked to large campaigning by the two parties to reject the proposals.

Results + 2021 New York State ballot proposal results Question For Against Total VotesResult Valid Ballots Blank Ballots Void BallotsTotal BallotsRegistered VotersNew York State Voters Registered as of November 01, 2021 .

https://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/enrollment/congress/congress_Nov21.xlsxTurnout Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Proposal 1: Make Various Changes to Redistricting Process1,361,04345.62%1,622,19554.38%2,983,238Rejected2,983,23886.69%456,84113.28%1,0310.03%3,441,11012,318,34727.93% Proposal 2: Right to Clean Air, Water, and Healthful Environment2,129,05170.12%907,15929.88%3,036,210Passed3,036,21088.23%404,00611.74%8940.03% Proposal 3: Allow Legislature to Pass Same-Day Voter Registration1,336,32743.70%1,721,81156.30%3,058,138Rejected3,058,13888.87%381,52011.09%1,4520.04% Proposal 4: Allow Legislature to Pass No-Excuse Absentee Voting1,370,89744.97%1,677,58055.03%3,048,477Rejected3,048,47788.59391,13311.37%1,5000.04% Proposal 5: Raise New York City Civil Court Limit to Claim1,874,51564.06%1,051,80335.94%2,926,318Passed2,926,31885.04%514,21014.94%5820.02%

Proposals 2 (Right to Clean Air, Water, and Healthful Environment) and 5 (New York Civil Court Limit) passed, while proposals 1 (Redistricting), 3 (Voter Registration), and 4 (Absentee Voting) were rejected.

State legislature

State Senate District 30 + 2021 State Senate District 30 Special General ElectionPartyCandidateVotes%New York Democratic PartyCordell Cleare39,93188.61%New York Republican PartyOz Sultan2,7076.01%IndependentShana Harmongoff2,4275.39%Total45,065100%

State Supreme Court

District 1 In District 1, two winners are allowed. + 2021 District 1, State Supreme Court General ElectionPartyCandidateVotes%New York Democratic PartyMargaret A. Pui Yee Chan185,00538.41%New York Democratic PartyJohn Joseph Kelley153,43231.85%Total338,437100%

District 2 In District 2, seven winners are allowed. + 2021 District 2, State Supreme Court General ElectionPartyCandidateVotes%New York Democratic PartyConsuelo Melendez234,19514.51%New York Democratic PartyGina Abadi230,32414.27%New York Democratic PartyLillian Wan229,22614.2%New York Democratic PartyJoy Campanelli227,39814.09%New York Democratic PartyRichard Montelione221,39213.72%New York Democratic PartyDena Douglas207,06512.83%New York Democratic PartyCarolyn Walker-Diallo197,77612.25%New York Republican PartyRobert Mazzuchin66,5174.12%Total1,613,893100%

District 3 In District 3, three winners are allowed. + 2021 District 3, State Supreme Court General ElectionPartyCandidateVotes%New York Democratic PartyKevin R. Bryant88,23619.21%Working Families PartyKevin R. Bryant27,4344.56%TotalKevin R. Bryant115,67019.21%New York Democratic PartyLaura M. Jordan87,73014.57%Working Families PartyLaura M. Jordan27,3674.54%TotalLaura M. Jordan115,09719.11%New York Democratic PartyDavid M. Gandin81,12613.47%Working Families PartyDavid M. Gandin25,7134.27%Total337,606100%

District 5 + 2021 District 5, State Supreme Court General ElectionPartyCandidateVotes%New York Democratic PartyAnthony J. Brindisi76,64044.16%New York Republican PartyDanielle Fogel96,92655.84%Total173,566100%

District 6 In District 6, three winners are allowed. + 2021 District 6, State Supreme Court General ElectionPartyCandidateVotes%New York Democratic PartyMolly Fitzgerald51,18614.16New York Republican PartyElizabeth Aherne61,59616.10%New York Republican PartyPatrick J. O'Sullivan66,07817.27%Total178,860100%

District 7 In District 7, two winners are allowed. + 2021 District 7, State Supreme Court General ElectionPartyCandidateVotes%New York Democratic PartyMaurice Verrillo81,19119.35%New York Democratic PartyDeral Givens76,06518.13%New York Republican PartyElena Cariola131,76531.41%New York Republican PartyJim Walsh130,54231.11%Total419,563100%

District 8 In District 8, four winners are allowed. Rather unusually, the New York Democratic, Republican, Working Families and Conservative parties all endorsed the same justices. + 2021 District 8, State Supreme Court General ElectionPartyCandidateVotes%New York Democratic PartyGrace M. Hanlon92,3467.94New York Republican PartyGrace M. Hanlon103,0768.86%Conservative Party of New YorkGrace M. Hanlon30,3572.61%Working Families PartyGrace M. Hanlon10,1570.87%TotalGrace M. Hanlon235,93620.28%New York Democratic PartyJohn B. Licata84,1917.24%New York Republican PartyJohn B. Licata101,7528.75%Conservative Party of New YorkJohn B. Licata30,7652.64%Working Families PartyJohn B. Licata9,8050.84%TotalJohn B. Licata226,51319.47%New York Democratic PartyFrank Caruso87,7157.54%New York Republican PartyFrank Caruso101,7898.75%Conservative Party of New YorkFrank Caruso32,8762.83%TotalFrank Caruso222,38019.11%New York Democratic PartyRaymond W. Walter86,4107.43%New York Republican PartyRaymond W. Walter99,2698.53%Conservative Party of New YorkRaymond W. Walter32,1642.76%TotalRaymond W. Walter217,84318.72%Total902,672100%

District 9 In District 9, five winners are allowed. + 2021 District 9, State Supreme Court General ElectionPartyCandidateVotes%New York Democratic PartyJames L. Hyer146,3028.31%Conservative Party of New YorkJames L. Hyer23,3651.33%TotalJames L. Hyer169,6679.63%New York Democratic PartyRobert M. Berliner142,4278.09%New York Republican PartyRobert M. Berliner117,1806.65%Conservative Party of New YorkRobert M. Berliner24,9571.42%TotalRobert M. Berliner284,56416.15%New York Democratic PartyChristie L. D'Alessio154,8738.79%Conservative Party of New YorkChristie L. D'Alessio27,7871.58%TotalChristie L. D'Alessio182,66010.37%New York Democratic PartyThomas Quinones149,8078.50%Conservative Party of New YorkThomas Quinones25,5711.45%TotalThomas Quinones175,3789.96%New York Democratic PartyThomas R. Davis148,6798.44%New York Republican PartyThomas R. Davis124,2707.05%TotalThomas R. Davis272,94915.50%New York Republican PartyRichard J. Guertin110,5686.28%Conservative Party of New YorkRichard J. Guertin24,7781.41%TotalRichard J. Guertin135,3467.68%New York Republican PartyJames M. Hendry III120,3926.83%New York Republican PartyMark T. Starkman117,7176.68%Total1,458,673100%

District 10 In District 10, eight winners are allowed.