We Have Designated Our Candidates for 2024!

At the Monroe County Democratic nominating convention on Saturday, February 24, 2024, the following outstanding candidates were designated to stand for election in November:

  • Joseph Morelle – US House of Representatives

  • Jeremy Cooney – NYS Senate District 56

  • Sarah Clark – NYS Assembly District 136

  • Jamie Romeo - Monroe County Clerk

  • Ella Marshall – Monroe County Family Court

  • John Falk – Brighton Town Justice

Our next step: get our candidates on the ballot! Brighton Democratic Committee members will begin Tuesday, February 27th to secure the hundreds of signatures needed to do just that. We will be visiting the registered Democratic voters in your neighborhood through the month of March to request your signature on the petitions to be delivered to the Board of Elections.

In addition, our members will also need petition signatures to help them remain BDC members and continue to represent you and your interests on the Committee. We ask for your support of these candidates and committee members by signing the petitions when our members arrive at your door!

Seeking Candidates for Brighton Town Justice

The Brighton Democratic Committee is seeking candidates for the position of Brighton Town Justice for the term beginning January 1, 2024. Candidates must be Brighton residents. All interested individuals are asked to contact the Committee at brightondems@gmail.com with a letter of intent and resume so appointments may be made to fully discuss the process and place their name as a candidate.

Early Voting Begins Saturday

The Monroe Country Board of Elections has released information about early voting.

General Election season is upon us and the Board of Elections would like to ensure Monroe County voters are informed and prepared.

Early Voting commences Saturday, October 29th. Early voting lasts for 9 days through November 6th.

Any eligible voter in Monroe County may go to any of the 14 Early Voting locations.

  • Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 9 am – 5 pm

  • Tuesday and Thursday 11 am – 8 pm

Brighton’s early voting location is at SUNY Empire State College - 680 Westfall Rd, Rochester, NY 14620. An ASL Interpreter available on site. Please visit the Board of Elections website for a complete list of early voting locations.

CRITICAL – NEW this year, if a voter applies for an absentee ballot, they can no longer change their mind and decide to vote on the machine. If a voter would like to go to a polling location during Early Voting or their specific site on Election Day, they will only be allowed to vote by Affidavit.

Any voter who would like to check their registration status or Election Day polling site can visit the Monroe County Board of Elections voter app at https://www.monroecounty.gov/etc/voter/

From the Monroe County Board of Elections...

MEDIA RELEASE

RELEASE DATE: Sept. 16, 2022

Rochester, NY – Monroe County Board of Elections (MCBOE) celebrates National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, with a coordinated day of various public voter registration drives all around the County. Our BOE booth will be located at Rochester Educational Opportunity Center (REOC) at 161 Chestnut St from 11 am to 1 pm. Join us to register to vote or update your registration. Snacks, giveaways, and resources will be provided while you learn about your polling place and make a plan to vote on Election Day Tuesday, November 8th. 

Community members also hosting registration drives include Nazareth College, University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, Monroe Community College, St. John Fisher University, Suny Brockport, and League of Women Voters.  Residents can also electronically register at County DMV locations, and or acquire forms at County Post Offices. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Board of Elections at 585-753-1550 or visit us at www.monroecounty.gov/elections

Important Information Regarding Monroe County Redistricting Public Input Sessions

MCDC Chairman Zach King recently provided an update on Monroe County redistricting and shared that the Republican-majority Redistricting Commission will present new maps to the public at six hearings beginning Monday May 2. You are encouraged to speak up at one of the hearings. Click here to see meeting dates and locations and instructions to speak or submit written comments.

 

Chairman King specified keeping the following in mind when providing your feedback:

· “Redistricting shouldn't break up neighborhoods, villages, towns, or cities in ways that disenfranchise voters.

· Where practical, proposed districts should be compact and avoid gerrymandering; they should not divide communities of interest.

· The process should be transparent: residents should have access to the proposed maps ahead of public hearings, and to the final maps ahead of the Legislature's vote.

· The process should be fair: ample time should be provided for the public to ask questions, and comments submitted by email should be distributed and considered equally with those offered in-person.”

We hope you’ll consider participating in this very important process.

Petitioning kudos are in order

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all our members who carried petitions for our designated candidates and to all the registered Democrats who signed these petitions! Because the candidates are running for federal, state, or county positions, they are required to obtain a set number of signatures covering their entire district (not just Brighton).

The BDC submitted approximately 1,000 signatures for each of the following designated candidates toward their required totals:

  • Joseph Morelle – Congressional Representative (25th District)

  • Jeremy Cooney – State Senator (57th District)

  • Sarah Clark – Member of Assembly (136th District)

  • Deral Givens – Monroe County Family Court

This is proof positive of what we can accomplish when we work TOGETHER to support this most basic aspect of democracy!!

During the petitioning period, our members also donated over 100 lbs of nonperishable food items for the Brighton Cupboard. Thank you for your generosity!


URGENT! Your help is needed with redistricting in Monroe County!

From Monroe County Democratic Committee Chairman Zach King:

The Monroe County Legislature Redistricting Commission is scheduled to meet this Thursday, March 24, 2022, at 11 am in the Legislative Chambers (room 406) of the County Office Building.

Please attend this meeting to make sure all voices are heard as the Commission draws new legislative maps, which will impact all of us for the next 10 years. You do not have to sign up to speak to the Commission in-person, although those who wish to pre-register may call (585) 753-1950. 
 

  • Please remind the Commission that redistricting should not break up neighborhoods, villages, towns, and cities in ways that divide communities and disenfranchise voters.

  • Tell them the redistricting process should be transparent and that this should not be the only meeting that they open to the public.

  • Remind them that they are required to share their proposed maps with the public and provide ample time and a clear process for feedback.


If you cannot attend the meeting at 11 am Thursday, March 24, you may email your comments to redistricting@monroecounty.gov.

Please speak up and advocate for a fair and transparent Monroe County redistricting process. 

Petitioning starts March 1st!

Brighton Democratic Committee members will begin collecting signatures on March 1st to help our designated candidates qualify to be placed on the ballot for the November general election.

If you are a registered Democrat, we ask for your help by signing the petitions for the following designated candidates:

US House of Representatives – Joseph Morelle

State Senator – 57th District – Jeremy Cooney

Member of Assembly – 136th District – Sarah Clark

Monroe County Family Court – Deral Givens

 

In addition, we will also have petitions for ourselves as Brighton Democratic Committee members to allow us to continue as your area’s representative on the Committee, a process that occurs every two years.

 

Thank you for your support! If you’d like to set up a specific time for us to stop by for your signature, please feel free to reach out to us here:

The MCDC designating convention results are in!

With the recent designating caucuses at both the town and county level, the Brighton Democratic Committee is excited to announce our list of designated candidates for the 2022 election cycle.

We’re happy to report the following individuals were overwhelmingly voted as our designated candidates at the MCDC Convention Saturday February 19, 2022:

US House of Representatives - Joseph Morelle

NYS Senate - 57th District - Jeremy Cooney

Member of Assembly - 136th District - Sarah Clark

Monroe County Family Court - Deral Givens

Great job to everyone who worked to make the designating caucus happen in such a tight timeframe, and congratulations to the designated candidates! We look forward to petitioning next!

Free rapid COVID test kits!

A message from Supervisor Bill Moehle:

“The Town of Brighton will be conducting a drive thru COVID rapid test kit distribution this Saturday, December 11, from 1-3pm and Sunday, December 12 from 10am-noon, at Temple B’rith Kodesh, 2131 Elmwood Avenue. Participants must show proof of Brighton residency. Thank you Temple B’rith Kodesh, Rabbi Peter Stein and Executive Director Michael Yudelson for again making TBK available to the community and thank you to County Executive Adam Bello for having the foresight to use federal ARPA funds for this important effort.”

If you don’t live in Brighton, check your town for similar test kid distributions. Lots are happening in the Rochester area.

Re: The cancellation by Republican candidates in Brighton to participate in the LWV debate

The Brighton Democratic Committee is disappointed that the Republican candidates in Brighton chose not to participate in a debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters. Government works best when the people are engaged, and the Republican candidates show their disdain for the people of Brighton by ducking this debate. The excuse given by the Republicans, a demand to limit debate questions to Brighton residents, would exclude Brighton business owners, educators, and others with connections to Brighton but who do not to live in Brighton.

We are disappointed but not surprised. Republican candidates across Monroe County have dodged debates this year. The extreme positions taken by Republican candidates in Brighton are far removed from Brighton’s core values. Opposition to Planned Parenthood, participation in an anti-vaccine rally at Strong Memorial Hospital and a call for “traditional family values,” all demonstrate their disdain for inclusion, women’s rights and public health. It is no wonder the Republican candidates did not want to be forced to justify these extreme positions in a public debate.

Brighton’s Democratic candidates will continue to visit Brighton neighborhoods and events, not just during campaign season, but throughout the year. They look forward to hearing the ideas and ideals that make Brighton a community we can all be proud of.

ARPA Community Input and Meetings

Thanks to the America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021, Monroe County has received $144 million in federal funds invest in our community. The County plans to hold meetings to help determine how to spend those funds.

County Legislator Linda Hasman (LD-23) provided the following information involving opportunities for community input. (Thank you, Linda!) Here are three ways to participate:

  1. Attend in-person and virtual community hearings at the following times/locations:

    • Wednesday, October 27, 2021 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Millennium Lodge – Greece
      Canal Park (241 Elmgrove Road, 14626)

    • Wednesday, November 10, 2021 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Joseph C. Wilson Magnet
      High School (501 Genesee Street, 4611)

    • Wednesday, December 1, 2021 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Grand View Lodge – Powder Mills Park (154 Park Road, 14534)

    • Wednesday, December 8, 2021 from noon to 1:30 p.m. a virtual forum held via Zoom. Participants should email BringMonroeBack@monroecounty.gov for the link.

  2. Take place in a community-wide survey available at www.monroecounty.gov/BringMonroeBack, or request hard copies of the survey for your group or organization by contacting BringMonroeBack@monroecounty.gov. Hard copies will also be available in public locations.

  3. Direct written testimony from community organizations, who can request a Community Organization Statement Form by contacting BringMonroeBack@monroecounty.gov.

 
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