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Voter Registration and Participation
Fact Sheets & Resources for New York State Advocates
Let’s
face it, New York, like most states in the country has rotten voter
participation rates. Barely two thirds of the state’s eligible
citizen electorate are registered to vote and it’s rare if more
than 50% of those even turn out on Election Day. Rotten state campaign
finance laws, gerrymandered districts designed to reduce competition
and protect incumbents and election laws designed to facilitate throwing
challengers off the ballot all depress turnout. But unfortunately, New
York State doesn’t even try very hard to make sure its citizens
are even registered in the first place. Case in point…New York
holds the dubious distinction of being the only state in the Union being
sued by the federal government for failing to adequately implement the
national Motor Voter law designed to register voters in Department of
Motor Vehicles AND social service agencies.
The state’s
outdated voter registration laws create unnecessary barriers to increasing
electoral participation. Ultimately, reforms like Election Day Registration,
which have been proven to work in seven states, should be introduced
in New York. But with politicians elected from the current voter registration
rolls, don’t hold your breath. In the meantime, groups like NYPIRG
will continue to work to register and educate voters across the state.
We hope this selection of fact sheets and resources will be of use.
New federal
legislation, The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) means there will be some
significant changes to the voter registration and participation process
in New York. Check here for Fact Sheets on Voting Rights and Procedures.
As the state implements HAVA the information here will be updated.
HAVA
Fact Sheet on Voter Registration and ID Checks
Common
Voter Registration Questions and Answers Fact Sheet
How
do I Vote? I Don’t Want to Look Stupid Fact Sheet
HAVA Implementation
Memos – A Sampling of the Coalition’s detailed suggestions
on how to implement HAVA:
New
Voting System Standards (New Machines)
(Also see the Coalition’s Updated
Statement of Principles for New Machines)
How
to Minimize the Discriminatory Impact of HAVA’s ID Requirements
Memo
With Suggestions for HAVA’s Provisional Ballot Requirement –
An Opportunity to Reform NY’s Affidavit Ballot System
Detailed
Coalition Testimony Before the State Implementation Task Force –
July 10th, 2003
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