Local Pols Seek Voter-Friendly Reforms

(courtesy of the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President.)

As New Yorkers prepare to vote in the presidential primary election tomorrow, April 19, several local elected officials are teaming up to push for reforms to improve voting access and voter experiences.Our own Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon and State Senators Jesse Hamilton and Velmanette Montgomery are among those joining this effort, called Vote Better NY, along with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Assemblymembers Felix Ortiz, Joseph Lentol, Steven Cymbrowitz, Rodneyse Bichotte, and Latrice Walker.

Among their asks are: better ballot design, early voting, and an upgraded voter registration system. “Americans have fought and died for the right to vote,” said Hamilton. “Yet today, New York’s voter participation is embarrassingly low. There are simple solutions to increase voter participation, and new technology provides enticing opportunities to pursue this goal. Failure to make changes is a threat to our democratic system.”“In 2014, New York ranked 46^th out of 50 states, and Brooklyn’s turnout was just 20 percent of registered voters,” said Assembly Member Simon. “Our voices are heard when we vote. New Yorkers work hard, but too many of them have to work long hours and are not able to get to the polls after work. Voting should be easy. We need to allow online voter registration, automatically register 17-year-olds, permit early voting, and make sure the ballots themselves are legible. I applaud Borough President Adams for focusing our attention on this fundamental American right.”The voting reforms proposed are these:

Early voting (A8582A/S3813B) would establish a two-week voting period, including Saturdays and Sundays, to ease long lines on Election Day and give voters flexibility as they balance family and work obligations.
The Voter Empowerment Act (A5972/S2583A) would help ensure every eligible citizen is registered to vote and make it easier to update their voting information; features of the bill include an expansion of online registration, the ability for 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register so their registrations become active when they turn 18 years of age, as well as the capacity for government agencies who interact with voters to automatically register them with the Board of Elections unless a voter chooses to opt out.
The Voter Friendly Ballot Act (A3389) would create a ballot that is easier to read and understand, addressing font size and layout concerns.

What do you think of these proposals? Would you support them? Would it help you vote?