New York State Legislature leaves all election reforms on back burner despite the dire state of voting. A new article on the subject, “New York Legislature Adjourns without Passing Any Election Law Bills”, was posted on Ballot Access News by Richard Winger. Take a look.
The New York legislature adjourned on the evening of June 21. Although 222 bills to amend the election law had been introduced this year, none of them passed (many of these bills are duplicates of other bills). Bills that would have improved the appearance and clarity of the ballot were SB 2792 and AB 7333. Bills that would have somewhat liberalized the law on residency of circulators were AB 567 and SB 218.
SB 4780 and AB 5735 would have provided that the state should spend money educating voters that New York has closed primaries. AB 3052 and SB 3562 would have moved the independent candidate petition deadline from August to May. Many bills would have made voting easier, by allowing early voting or same-day voter registration, or easing the deadline for primary voters to join parties so as to be able to vote in their primaries.
According a review by the New York City based Gotham Gazette:
Democrats in both legislative houses have introduced a slew of voting reform bills — including legislation on early voting, automatic voter registration, electronic poll books, and “no excuse” absentee ballots, among other measures — as they do each year. While most passed the Democrat-controlled Assembly, as usual, the efforts are stalled in the Senate, where Republicans control the chamber by a slim majority given the help of Senator Simcha Felder, a nominal Democrat who conferences with Republicans, and bolstered by the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) in a coalition agreement.
The Senate has passed a significantly slimmer electoral package, most of which would do little to increase voter access or enhance voter registration.
An update from a new article on the Associated Press by David Klepper:
The six-month legislative session began in January with big proposals from Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo to modernize the state’s antiquated voting system and make state college tuition free for middle-class students.
The voting reforms never materialized and Cuomo’s college tuition plan was significantly altered. The program will cover the tuition — though not room and board — for in-state students from families earning $125,000 or less. But the students must remain in New York for as many years as they receive the benefit, or else repay the money as a loan.
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