This week the New York State Government Lawmakers plan to introduce a new plan to modernize the State's Restrictive Voting Rules.
Democrats in the State Senate plan to unveil sweeping changes to Election Rules intended to make it easier to cast a Ballot.
New York is one of a Minority of States that doesn't allow Early Voting, and has some of the most Restrictive Registration rules in the Country.
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, both Democrats, have already unveiled their proposals, which include Automatic Voter through the State's Motor Vehicle system and Early Voting.
Schneiderman's office received 1,500 Voter complaints about the April Presidential Primary, about 10 times more than any previous Election. Many of the calls concerned mistakes in Registration rolls or a deadline that required Voters seeking to change their Party affiliation to do so more than six months before the Primary.
"Protecting voting rights is crucial to protecting democracy," said Senate Minority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers. "After the last elections it should be clear voting matters."
The biggest challenge facing the new Voting Reform plan from Senate Democrats may be the Senate Democrats themselves, thanks to the schism within their Party that has empowered Republicans.
Democrats technically have a One-Seat Majority in the 63-Member Senate, an advantage that should ease the way for Democratic Proposals. But Republicans lead the Chamber thanks to the Eight-Member Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), whose members have broken with mainline Democrats to give Control of the Senate to Republicans.
The long-simmering tensions between the two Factions were on full display last week when Stewart-Cousins referred to the IDC as "Rogue" Democrats.
A spokeswoman for the IDC then accused mainline Democrats of "grandstanding" and called them a "Failing Conference."
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
No comments:
Post a Comment