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NY’s voting system is antiquated. Why it may improve

Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to improve the voting system in New York with more transparent political ads, same-day registration and early voting.
Credit: Journal News
A sign directs people to vote at a New York polling place

ALBANY -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to improve the voting system in New York with more transparent political ads, same-day registration and early voting.

The governor announced the proposals as part of his State of the State address Jan. 3 that includes several changes to the voting laws in New York could help to make voting more accessible for New Yorkers.

New York has long been criticized for an antiquated system that limits voter participation.

"What we saw during the last election was a systematic effort to undermine and manipulate our very democracy," Cuomo said in a statement.

"With these new safeguards, New York — in the strongest terms possible — will combat unscrupulous and shadowy threats to our electoral process, as well as break down fundamental barriers that for far too long have prevented New Yorkers from being heard and from exercising their right to vote.”

Under the governor's proposal, New Yorkers would be able to vote prior to Election Day. It would make it easier for people with work or school obligations to make it to the polling booths. Currently, New York is one of 13 states where people cannot vote early.

If passed, New Yorkers would be able to cast to vote in an election up to 12 days prior to Election Day.

The proposal would also allow New York voters to register to vote on Election Day. Currently, the law requires New Yorkers to register to vote and register with their chosen party long before the actual voting day.

The measure would give people more time to register and get more people in New York voting.

New York would join 15 other states that currently have same-day registration.

New York's voting system was also criticized during the presidential primaries last year because people have to switch parties to vote in primaries almost a year in advance.

Also, New York doesn't have an open primary system -- so only people registered in a party can vote in that party's primary.

As a result, that meant more than 2 million independent voters and other third-party enrollees couldn't vote in the state's Democratic and Republican primaries -- an issue then-presidential candidate Bernie Sanders raised in visits to New York.

"That's totally absurd. That's a corrupt system, and everybody knows what's going on," Sanders said in Albany in June 2016.

Current law requires that advertisements on television radio and in print must disclose who is sponsoring the political ad.

The governor's plan would require that political advertisements online and on social media be regulated and fact checked in the same way traditional forms of advertisements are.

Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause, a good-government group, said Cuomo's steps are positive, urging him to back it up with state aid to implement the plans.

“While Governor Cuomo's recent push in cyber security and transparency for elections is an important step forward to ensure that New York's elections remain fair and safe, our basic voting processes also demand improvement,” she said in a statement.

“Common Cause/NY urges the Governor to include early voting in his upcoming budget to create a more equitable voting process for all.”

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