Chair Jacobs Praises Gov. Hochul and NY Dems’ Organizing Efforts Amidst Massive Early Voting Turnout

Chair Jacobs Praises Gov. Hochul and NY Dems' Organizing Efforts Amidst Massive Early Voting Turnout

For Immediate Release: October 31, 2026

New York State Democratic Committee

Contact: [email protected]

Chair Jacobs: "We have opened 40 field offices and have been organizing in all 62 counties… our thousands of volunteers have doorknocked and called over 1.4 million voters so far, and are still going strong."

In a new op-ed in Empire Report today, New York State Democratic Party Chairman Jay S. Jacobs praised the efforts of Governor Kathy Hochul to supercharge the state party's coordinated campaign that is organizing in every county across the state and resulting in massive levels of early voting turnout.

"Governor Hochul has supercharged our state's Democratic Party through a coordinated campaign stronger than any New York has ever seen, opening field offices and knocking doors in every battleground," wrote Chair Jacobs. "Across the entire Empire State, we have opened 40 field offices and have been organizing in all 62 counties. Yes, really: our thousands of volunteers have doorknocked and called over 1.4 million voters so far, and are still going strong."

The results cannot be ignored: Early voting "so far shows a historic level of enthusiasm: over the first three days of early voting, we've seen an increase in turnout from four years ago in every single one of New York's 62 counties."

Read the full op-ed here:

Election Day is nearly upon us, and voters across New York are already fired up to make their voices heard in these midterm races.

Early voting, which began last weekend and continues through Sunday, so far shows a historic level of enthusiasm: over the first three days of early voting, we've seen an increase in turnout from four years ago in every single one of New York's 62 counties. Through four days, turnout is up 88% statewide - including a 97% increase outside of New York City.

We've still got a few days to go - and of course, we've got Election Day - but make no mistake: this is due to the work we've done all year through the New York State Democratic Party's coordinated campaign to turn out voters, an effort spearheaded by our party's leader, Governor Kathy Hochul.

These voters are not being reached by accident. Governor Hochul has supercharged our state's Democratic Party through a coordinated campaign stronger than any New York has ever seen, opening field offices and knocking doors in every battleground.

Her efforts allowed us to flip four House seats in 2024 - and we're only getting started, as this coordinated campaign has set ambitious goals to double voter contact from two years ago. Across the entire Empire State, we have opened 40 field offices and have been organizing in all 62 counties. Yes, really: our thousands of volunteers have doorknocked and called over 1.4 million voters so far, and are still going strong.

None of this would be possible without Governor Hochul. Thanks to her leadership, here's what we know from early voting so far:

Turnout is up and up everywhere, from New York City to the North Country, where Blake Gendebien has a real chance at flipping a House seat that Republicans won by over 24 points just two years ago.

Downstate, over 75 percent more voters turned out in New York City over the first three days of early voting than in 2022. And on Long Island, Bruce Blakeman's backyard, nearly double the number of New Yorkers turned out last weekend compared with four years ago, with more Democrats showing up than Republicans.

The stakes of next Tuesday's elections across New York state could not be higher. We need to re-elect Governor Hochul and defeat Bruce Blakeman, take back the House and hold Donald Trump's enablers in D.C. accountable, and elect Democrats up and down the ballot so we can stand up to every attack that comes our way from MAGA Republicans.

Our work is never finished, not after Election Day and not in off-cycle years. We have a safer, more affordable, and stronger state to build together. New York Democrats are committed to that work, and thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul, after these midterms we'll be in the strongest possible position to keep it going for every New York family.

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