Rockland Lawmakers Support Beefing Up Voter Participation

NEW CITY, NY – Rockland County Legislators are supporting a proposed new initiative, the Democracy Project, that would remove barriers to voter registration and make voting easier for everyday citizens.

The initiative, introduced last month by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, would allow early voting, as well as automatic and same-day voter registration. The goal is to make both registering to vote and the casting of ballots easier and more convenient.

“Every American has a fundamental right to vote,” Legislator Alden H. Wolfe, who sponsored the initiative, said in a written statement. “But sometimes, registering to vote can be far more difficult than it needs to be and sometimes, actually casting a ballot can prove difficult – people lead very busy lives and they need more opportunities to vote, not just a 15-hour slot on one specific day.”

Research shows that work, school and personal commitments are some of the main reasons voters choose not to participate in elections in the U.S. Early voting can also translate into shorter lines on Election Day, early detection and correction of registration errors and greater access to voting.

Currently, New York is one of just 13 states that does not allow early voting and where an excuse is required to request an absentee ballot; 37 states and the District of Columbia already allow voters to cast their ballots in person prior to Election Day. In the 2016 election, nearly twice the number of voters cast early ballots in early-voter states as had in the 2012 election.

Under the Democracy Project proposal, every county in New York state would be required to offer residents access to at least one early-voting poll during the 12 days prior to Election Day; voters would also be allowed to cast their early ballots during at least eight hours on weekdays and five hours on weekends.

The proposal would also streamline state Department of Motor Vehicles’ services by automatically sending voters’ information used on a DMV application directly to the boards of election. People can already register to vote at the DMV, but often face unnecessary, onerous regulations requiring additional information to be submitted.

Automatic voter registration can lead to improved accuracy of voter registration lists, reduced costs and a more convenient and efficient process for voters and election officials.

Also under the proposal, New York residents would be allowed to register and to vote on the same day, removing the obstacle of onerous and counter-intuitive registration deadlines that keep some people from casting ballots.

The resolution approved by the Rockland County Legislature also requires sufficient funding be provided if additional costs are to be incurred to implement the new process.

“By simplifying the overall process, we can allow increased participation by the citizens from which our governments were born and by which our governments serve,” Wolfe said. “I’m proud to sponsor this forward-thinking initiative, which recognizes that we must change to meet the changes needs of our citizens.”

Legislators voted 15-0 on Feb. 7 to support the measure.