As co-facilitators of the NY Voters Coalition, Common Cause/NY and NYPIRG provide assistance to voters on election days, jointly running the Voter Helpline in New York City for over 20 years. On November 5th, 2013 the good government groups received reports of alarming conduct at five polling places in Manhattan, the Bronx and Brooklyn which, potentially constitute civil rights violations.
In each instance a poll worker instructed voters to vote only for candidates for a particular party. When challenged, the poll workers reportedly stated that they were trained to tell voters that they must vote only for candidates from the same party. Despite the fact that the complainants all appear to be independent of one another and that the complaints alleged misconduct in three different boroughs, the allegations are virtually identical. In one location, voluntary poll monitors, including a Common Cause/NY staff member, received confirmation from the poll worker that she had been told to so instruct voters.
They received these complaints in person, on their Voter Hotline and online via PollWatchUSA. All reports have been verified and are believed to be credible.
Joining with their Voter Hotline partners, NYPIRG, a joint letter was sent to the New York City Board of Elections and relevant law enforcement agencies detailing the nature of each complaint and violations of law.
"Competitive and free elections are essential to our democracy, and these disturbing reports directly undermine those principles. Voters can not trust the election process if election administration is so flagrantly flawed. We are calling on the BOE to zealously investigate these allegations and correct the problem immediately," said Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY.
"The reported behavior of these poll workers from sites across the city is deeply troubling. An investigation into whether these allegations were a failure of training, were outright illegal acts, were isolated or were caused in some other way needs to be determined, and the cause released to the public," said Neal Rosenstein, Government Reform Coordinator for NYPIRG. "Public confidence in the conduct of elections is vital to both voter participation and trust in our elected system," he added.
CLICK HERE to read the letter.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!
Michael H. Drucker
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