The Independent View: NY Redesigning Voter Registration Form

After every gubernatorial election, the state Board of Elections prepares new voter registration forms reflecting a fresh line-up of recognized political parties.

Presently, there are six; Democrats, Republicans, Conservatives, Green, Working Family, and Independence. With the 2015 addition of the Women’s Equality Party and the Stop Common Core Party, there will be eight.

As the board adds the two organizations, it must also redesign the forms to explain the difference between the Independence Party and being an “independent” or “No Party Preference”.

The Independence Party counts almost a half-million members. But a large number unwittingly fell onto its rolls by mistakenly checking the Independence box when they actually wanted no party affiliation.

Registration forms have facilitated the errors by offering registrants a choice of parties, including Independence, followed by a final possible selection that reads “I do not wish to enroll in a party.”

In redrawing the paperwork, the board can eliminate confusion by giving voters two clearly marked choices under bold headings. The language would be along these lines:

A) I wish to enroll in a political party, with a list of the Full Party Names below, or

B) I do not wish to enroll in a political party.

Doug Kellner, a Democrat who is co-chair of the state Board of Elections, backs such a change, as does Ed Cox, chairman of the state Republican Party. Even the chairman of the Independence Party, Frank MacKay, claims he wants a less confusing form so that his members have knowingly registered.

During my ten years of getting signatures for my and other elected official's petitions, I always told a voter to re-register if they realized they made a mistake. During this time as a representative of the Independence Party for the 73rd Assembly District (Midtown and the Upper East-side of Manhattan), I represented 3,511 active voters and met many of they, on the street, at their doors, and in their homes.

Now the Legislature should approve this change.