1. Early Voting Begins
Saturday, October 24 is the first day of early voting! It is also the last day to register to vote and apply for an absentee or early mail ballot.
Early voting runs through November 1. Check times and locations for early voting at your county’s Board of Elections website.
Make sure to check your voter registration and review CSEA’s endorsed candidates before going to the polls!
2. Unemployment Insurance Shutdown
The New York State Department of Labor is shutting down its unemployment insurance system starting November 2, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. to replace the 50-year-old processing platform. The system will remain offline for 9 to 12 days. All online and phone unemployment services, including filing new claims or certifying for weekly benefits, will be unavailable during this period. Payments missed during the shutdown will be issued retroactively once the new platform is live.
For more information, visit the Department of Labor’s website.
3. School Lunch Program
Schools in New York State offer universally free school meals to all students. This program depends on a mix of state and federal funding, with the amount of federal assistance dependent upon the number of students eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid. Changes enacted under H.R. 1, which restrict eligibility for SNAP and Medicaid, may reduce federal aid for the program. According to State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, if the number of students qualifying for these federal programs drops, the state’s financial responsibility for maintaining universal school meal program is likely to grow.
4. Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit
This week, Governor Hochul signed legislation to quadruple New York State’s personal income tax credit for eligible volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers. The new law increases the annual personal income tax credit from $200 to $800 for individuals and from $400 to $1,600 for married couples. The increased credit will apply beginning in tax year 2027, allowing eligible New Yorkers to claim the benefit when filing their taxes in 2028.
5. CSEA Endorsement Highlight: Toby Ann Stavisky & Jessica Scarcella-Spanton
CSEA is proud to endorse State Senators Toby Ann Stavisky and Jessica Scarcella-Spanton in their re-election campaigns.
Senator Stavisky, who represents parts of Queens in State Senate District 11, serves as the Chair of Higher Education. As chair, she has been a fierce advocate for SUNY and led the charge to secure funding to keep SUNY Downstate Hospital open and operational.
Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, who represents parts of Staten Island and Brooklyn in State Senate District 23, has been a strong ally of CSEA and a leading voice on Tier 5 & 6 reforms.
See all of CSEA’s endorsements on our website.
6. Support CSEA’s Endorsed Candidates
On Monday, October 26, CSEA is hosting a virtual phone bank in support of our endorsed NYS Statewide slate – Governor Kathy Hochul, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and Attorney General Tish James. To participate, you will need a cell phone and a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. We’ll meet on Zoom at 6:00 p.m. for quick training before we start making calls. To join, click here.
Below is a list of events for the upcoming weekend, please click on the link to register.
Region 1
Labor Walk for Tom Suozzi and Rory Lancman
Date/Time: Sat, Oct 24th at 10am
Location: Glen Cove Campaign Office
168 Main St 5 Forest Ave
Glen Cove, NY 11542
Date/Time: Sat, Oct 24th at 10am
Location: 18 Woods Corner Rd
East Setauket, NY 11733
Region 2
Rally with Governor Kathy Hochul & Mayor Zohran Mamdani
Date/Time: Sun, Oct 25th at 2:30pm
Location: Edison O. Jackson Auditorium
638 Bedford Avenue, Academic Complex Building AB1
Brooklyn, NY 11225
Region 3
Virtual Phone Bank for Cait Conley, Joe Rand and Pat Carroll
Date/Time: Sat, Oct 24th at 10am
Virtual Phone Bank for Josh Riley and Michelle Hinchey
Date/Time: Sat, Oct 24th at 10am
Region 4
Labor Walk for Blake Gendebien
Date/Time: Sat, Oct 24th at 10am
Location: UA Local 773
37 Luzerne Rd
Glens Falls, NY 12804
Labor Walk for Blake Gendebien
Date/Time: Sat, Oct 24th at 10am
Location: 411 State Rte 3
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
Region 5
Labor Walk for John Mannion, Chris Ryan, and Ian Phillips
Date/Time: Sat, Oct 24th at 12pm
Location: UA Local 81 Training Center
150 Midler Park Dr, Syracuse, NY 13206
Labor Walk for Blake Gendebien & Jonathan Lipe
Date/Time: Sat, Oct 24th at 10am
Location: 1721 Black River Blvd N
Rome, NY 13440
Labor Walk for Blake Gendebien
Date/Time: Sat, Oct 24th at 10am
Location: Ogdensburg Public Library
312 Washington St
Ogdensburg, NY 13669
Labor Walk for Blake Gendebien
Date/Time: Sat, Oct 24th at 10am
Location: Canton Village Park
Park Place
Canton, NY 13617
Date/Time: Sat, Oct 24th at 3pm
Location: UA Local 81 Training Center
150 Midler Park Drive
Syracuse, NY 13206
Region 6
Labor Walk for Aaron Gies, Adam Bojak, and Steve Meyer
Date/Time: Sat, Oct 24th at 9:30am
Location: UAW Amalgamated Local 897
3796 Lake Shore Rd
Buffalo, NY 14219
Date/Time: Sat, October 24th at 9:30am
Location: TR Inaugural Site
641 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14202
Date/Time: Sat, Oct 24th at 12pm
Location: IBEW Local 86
2300 E River Rd
Rochester, NY 14623
Date/Time: Sat, Oct 24th at 1pm
Location: Irondequoit Town Campus
1280 Titus Ave
Rochester, NY 14617
7. CSEA Legislative Toolkit
We’re encouraging members to get the word out about our legislative successes. Click the icons below for informational documents that you can print, share, and post on social media to spread the news. A summary of the FY 2027 New York State Budget is available, here.
30/55 for Unified Court System Court Officers
Panic Buttons for Social Services Caseworkers
25-Year Retirement for Emergency Dispatchers
Full Pay and Benefits for Injured Probation Officers
Expanded Work Zone Camera Program