Let NY Vote Declares Sweeping Victory w/$25M for Early Voting and Electronic Poll-books

NEW YORK, NY (03/31/2019) (readMedia)-- The 2019 New York State budget includes $14.7 million for electronic poll-books and $10 million for counties to implement early voting; almost exactly the combined $25 million the Let NY Vote coalition had asked for. New York is now the 38th state in the nation to pass and fund early voting, and the 35th state with electronic poll-books.

Susan Lerner, Common Cause/NY Executive Director and Co-founder of Let NY Vote, issued the following statement:

"This budget is a major victory for all New Yorkers who spent countless hours texting, calling, protesting, and tweeting to let New York vote! Thanks to our champions in the Legislature, Elections Committee Chairmen Senator Zellnor Myrie and Assemblyman Chuck Lavine, Senator (former Assemblymember) Brian Kavanagh, and the steadfast leadership of Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Carl Heastie, we have a fully funded early voting program with electronic pollbooks. The Let NY Vote coalition is proud to finally help usher New York into the 21st century with efficient and accessible elections."

"Today legislative leaders in New York State passed historic voting rights reforms that will increase accessibility and participation for voters across the state. But it will also have a profound impact on marginalized communities, taking the dream of unfettered access to the ballot for African-American and minority voters one step further toward reality," added André Richardson, the Campaign Director for Let NY Vote.

In addition, the budget expands primary voting hours upstate to 6am-9pm, allowing more time off for workers to vote on election day proper, as well as establishing online voter registration. Starting in 2021, New York voters will be able to register to vote online through the State Board of Elections website. Currently, New York voters are only able to register or update their voter registration through an online DMV portal if they have a license.

Common Cause/NY also weighed in on the fate of Fair Elections:

"This proposed Public Financing Commission is a ploy to remove power from the Legislature, by delegating the authority of our duly elected representatives to a mystery commission. Regardless, Common Cause/NY is now excited to participate with the Senate and Assembly in a real legislative process with hearings, public input, and ultimately a well crafted bill. Public financing of elections is too important to rush through the still opaque budget process. New Yorkers deserve to get it right," said Susan Lerner.

Background

The Let NY Vote Coalition is a statewide network of over 175 member organizations ranging from 32BJ, to NAACP New York to New York State Indivisible. Full coalition list here.

In January, the NYS Legislature passed - and Governor Cuomo signed into law -- early voting, consolidation of primaries, pre-registration of 16 and 17 year olds, and registration portability, which allows New Yorkers who move within the state to have their voter registration automatically updated via the USPS.

The Let NY Vote coalition has been demanding common sense voting reform in New York for years such as:

• Early Voting: in place in 37 other states and now New York, allowing citizens to cast ballots in person days, sometimes weeks, before an election.
• Pre-registration of 16 and 17-year-olds: 13 states plus DC allow for pre-registration for voting at 16 and 17 years old. Pre-registration increases the likelihood of voter participation among young adults. Engaging potential voters at a young age and bringing them into the voting process early helps create lifelong voters.
• Consolidation of Primary Dates: Currently New York has two primary days in June and September, confusing voters. New York is the only state with two primaries.
• Vote by mail: No eligible voter should have to provide a reason to be able to vote absentee.
• Same day registration: 18 states and DC have Same Day Registration. Same Day Registration enables voters to register and vote at the same time and increases voter turnout.
• Automatic Voter Registration: where registering to vote becomes seamless, electronic, and automatic.
• Flexibility to Change Party Affiliation: New York has the most restrictive deadline in the country, locking out hundreds of thousands of voters during the primaries. The change of party deadline must be shortened to allow people to make an informed decision.
• Voting Rights for People on Parole: the restoration of voting rights for people on parole needs to be codified in law, so that restoration becomes an automatic process.