A Bill before the New York State Legislature Expanding Online Voter Registration in New York City has taken on particular Urgency amid the Coronavirus Pandemic, its Sponsors say, as In-Person Voter Registration Drives become Impossible and New Yorkers are told to Avoid Leaving their homes but for Essentials and Emergencies.
The New York City Board of Elections currently Only Allows an Individual to Register to Vote Online through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website. But any Potential Voter must First have a DMV-Approved Identification. In New York City, at the End of 2018, 3.8 Million People had Driver’s Licenses in the City, which has a Population of over 8.5 Million, though many are Under Voting Age of course. Driver’s Licensing Rates tend to be Higher in Rural and Suburban Counties, compared to the City’s Dense and Transit-Rich Boroughs.
The New York City Council attempted to Open Up the Voter Registration Process through Legislation under which the City’s Campaign Finance Board (CFB) created an Online Voter Registration Portal that was ready last year. But the Board of Elections imposed Additional Burdens on the Process, making it even more onerous than Registering by Mail, amid Contradictory Opinions about whether the City had the Authority to Create such a Portal.
A Bill that gave the CFB the Express Permission to Launch that Portal, Passed the Senate’s Election Committee, but has Not yet Moved to a Full Chamber Vote or anywhere in the Assembly.
The Pandemic has already led to Upheaval in the State’s Democratic Processes. Two Special Elections in New York City, for a Brooklyn City Council Seat and Queens Borough President, as well as the Statewide Presidential Primary, were All Postponed to June 23rd to Coincide with the Congressional and State Legislative Primaries. Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) Suspended Ballot Petitioning and Reduced the Threshold for getting on the Ballot.
Along the Lines of the Online Voter Registration Push, there are now calls for Expanding Automatic Absentee and Mail-In Voting.
The Registration Deadline for New Voters to Participate on June 23rd is May 29th, and the Deadline for the November 3rd General Election is October 9th.
The Legislature is doing Modified, Social-Distance Appropriate Voting in Albany this Week as Legislators and Governor Cuomo (D) attempt to Finalize a State Budget by the April 1st Deadline of the New Fiscal year. As usual, many Policy Issues are on the Table as well as Fiscal ones.
If the Bill should Pass, the CFB would be able to Launch its Portal almost Immediately. The Bill would then become Redundant in 2021, when the State Board of Elections is meant to Launch a Statewide Registration Portal.
"We urge our state leadership to protect our democracy during this emergency by establishing an online voter registration system that all New Yorkers can access,” said Amy Loprest, Executive Director of the New York City Campaign Finance Board, in a Statement. “With in-person voter registration events shut down, we are concerned that young voters and naturalized citizens, in particular, will be disenfranchised during this critical election year.”
"The NYC Campaign Finance Board's online registration system is a sensible, secure and timely alternative to paper applications and in-person registration efforts during this unprecedented public health crisis,” said Luis Feliz Leon, a Spokesperson for DemocracyNYC, a New York City Mayor de Blasio Initiative aimed at Improving Voter Participation in the City. "We hope the City Board of Elections will work with the CFB to accept voter registrations submitted this way."
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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