NYACP Presidents Message

October  2026
Michael LoCurcio, MD, FACP

Dear Fellow NYACP Members,

I have been thinking about a conversation I had with a patient; a retired schoolteacher from the Bronx who told me she had stopped voting years ago. Not out of apathy, but because she just didn't think it mattered. Her primary care physician, a colleague, told me she showed up to her follow-up visit with an “I VOTED” sticker and a big smile.

As the November 3rd midterm elections approach, I am reminded of how consequential moments like this are. New York voters will choose a Governor, Attorney General, Comptroller, and all 26 Congressional seats. These races will shape the policies governing our patients' health and our profession's future for years to come.

As physicians, we occupy a unique position of trust. Our patients listen to us; not because we tell them what to think, but because they know we care about their wellbeing. Encouraging them to participate in democracy, in a non-partisan way, is an extension of that care. Ask them if they're registered to vote. The deadline to register in New York State is October 24, 2026, the same day early voting begins. Registration takes minutes at vote.gov.

And I want to speak directly to you: Vote. The ACP has long fought for guaranteed vaccine access, Medicare payment reform, and relief from crushing medical education debt. Those fights are won or lost at the ballot box as much as in the hearing room.

The NYACP is firmly non-partisan. We do not tell you how to vote. We ask only that you do; and that you encourage your patients, your trainees, and your colleagues to do the same. Last year I registered with Vot-ER to help patients check if they are registered/wish to register. There is also another resource for the Civic Health Alliance to help your patients and colleagues.

Register or check status: vote.gov

Registration deadline: October 24, 2026

Early voting: October 24 – November 1, 2026

Election Day: November 3, 2026

Democracy, like medicine, requires showing up.

With optimism,

Michael LoCurcio, MD, FACP

President, New York Chapter of the ACP