New York Gov. Cuomo's plan to boost voter registration in in the state is meeting resistance from New York City lawmakers who fear it will reduce the Big Apple’s political clout.
Cuomo's plan, which calls for drivers to be automatically registered to vote when they obtain or renew a driver’s license, could spur big registration numbers in the motorist-rich suburbs and upstate but do relatively little for the city, which has fewer drivers, lawmakers said.
"That is problematic from the prospective of cities versus suburbs and rural areas where people are more likely to drive," said Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh (D-Manhattan). "Over time, it is likely to skew the electorate in ways that are not desirable or fair."
Assembly Elections Committee Chair Michael Cusick (D-Staten Island) said his committee is concerned about the proposal’s potential impact on the city and is studying it.
Drivers account for roughly 54% of the city's adult population compared to 94% of the adult population in the suburbs around New York City, according to census data and state DMV statistics compiled by the New York Public Interest Research Group.
“I am fine with the DMV to start, but I think eventually we need a broader reach,” said Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Queens), who has introduced legislation to create automatic voter registration at the Department of Motor Vehicles and several other state agencies. “There are legitimate questions about the many residents of New York who don't have cars and don’t interact with the DMV,” Gianaris said.
A Cuomo administration spokesman said the Governor was open to discussions on the issue. "We're open to discussing more ways to get more people involved in the electoral process, but we hope it's nobody's position that protecting political power is a valid reason for blocking a common sense reform that would make more New Yorkers eligible to vote,” said Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi.
Cuomo announced the proposal during his State of the State Address last month, presenting it as a way to boost voter participation and modernize the election system. If approved, New York would be the third state in the nation to have automatic voter registration through the DMV.
Drivers who did not wish to register to vote would simply check and "opt out" box on their application.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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