Ward System: Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Ward System?

The Ward System is the way council members are elected in a Town. Under
Wards, each council member is elected from a defined area called a ward or
district within the Town.
2. How is this different from the system we have now?
Currently the four council members are elected Town wide, also referred to
as at large. This means all the voters in the Town can vote for all the
candidates seeking the office of councilman. In the Ward system, there will
be candidates who run for office in a specific area or ward and only the
citizens who live in that area can vote for those candidates seeking office in
that area.
3. Is the ward system permitted in Clarkstown?
Yes, a ward system is authorized under town law in sections 81 and 85. Only
towns of the first class, or towns with populations over 10,000 can
implement a ward system, or towns that choose to become towns of the first
class. About 106 towns of the 932 towns in New York State are towns of the
first class.
4. When would the vote take place?
The proposition to create a Ward system in Clarkstown will be on the ballot
on November 3, 2015, providing that the current Town board passes a
resolution to do so. Otherwise, the people have an opportunity to seek the
same result by collecting signatures and forcing a referendum on the
proposal.
5. Is this the only proposition that citizens will be asked to vote on?
No, there will be a second proposition asking to increase the number of
council members from 4 to 6.

6. How are the individual wards or districts established?

After the proposition is passed by the voters in November, the Rockland
County Board of Elections is responsible to draw a map and establish the
specific wards.

7. How are they determined?

The Town would be divided into equal parts based on population. There
would be about 14,000 citizens in each ward.

8. How many wards or council members will there be?

There will be 6 wards and 6 councilmen if the second proposition is passed.
Based on the current proposal there will be 6 wards and as a result 6 council
members elected. In addition, a Town Supervisor would be the 7th member
of the Town Board.
9. When would the new system take effect?
The November 2017, Town elections would have candidates for these wards
on the ballot, and they would take office on January 1, 2018.
10. What is the term of office for each council member in the new ward system?
2 years
11. What are the advantages of the ward system?
It would be much easier to seek and win office as a council member since the
cost to run a campaign is significantly reduced since the campaign would
take place in a much smaller geographic area.
The influence of the political bosses and special interests would also be
severely diminished since their influence is not as great in an election in a
smaller area.

The council member would be more sensitive and accountable to the local
issues in their own neighborhood.
12. What is the salary of each council member under the new system?
Borelli and Hoehmann proposed a reduced salary of $30,000 for each council
member in each ward, and the elimination of the Deputy Supervisor salary
when the new system takes place.
13. Is this more of a burden on the taxpayer, then our current system since you
are increasing the number of council members?
No, the salary for a council member is currently higher and the total cost for
all council members under the new system will remain the same.
14. What happens to the office of Town Supervisor under the Ward system?
The Town Supervisor will continue to be elected At Large or by all town
citizens every 2 years.
15. Would the cost of pensions increase under this system?
No, since the total amount of salary paid to all of the council members would
be the same, the amount of pension eligible salary is also the same.
In addition, under State law the amount of time needed in order to vest or
qualify for a pension is 10 years.
We have term limits in place in Clarkstown that would restrict anyone from
serving more than 8 consecutive years as a council member.