The Independent View: Make NY Absentee Voting Easy

New York State Senate Leaders must let Ballot Access Legislation go before the Full Chamber.

The battle in a Local Town Clerk Race might not seem like a big deal, but it's yet another example of how Democracy in New York doesn't work for its People, when too many Absentee Ballot Voters gave Insufficient Reasons for not being able to Vote in Person.

A Judge Dismissed their Lawsuit, but there's a bigger Issue here: Voters shouldn't have to list a Reason at all.
Eligible Voters in New York may Legally cast an Absentee Ballot only for certain reasons: Sickness, Disability, Infirmity, or being Out of Town on Election Day. But those who juggle Work and obligations like Child Care, or who lack Transportation, or who simply have no time to get to the Polls, are left with a choice: Forfeit their Democratic Right, or Falsely claim a Legal Excuse, as some admit they do.

This Obstacle is likely a Key reason why Turnout to choose Local, State, and National Leaders is so poor in the Empire State. This form of Voter Suppression, intentional or not, is fundamentally little different from Strategies employed in States that purposely make it difficult for many People, especially Low-Income Urban Residents, to Vote, from requiring Photo IDs to having fewer Polling Sites or locating them out of the way for those without Personal Transportation.

New York has plenty of room for Improvement on Voting Access. If New York allowed Early Voting by Mail with No Excuse Required, as 37 States already do, including Three that Mail Ballots to All Voters, more New Yorkers surely would Vote.

There's Broad Support for that idea, but the Legislation routinely dies in the State Senate, where Majority Leader John Flanagan (R, 2nd District-Smithtown), and his fellow Republicans are determined to keep this Voter-Suppression Tool in place. Their allies in the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), led by Sen. Jeff Klein (D, 34th District-Bronx), seem to shrug off the Issue.

If the IDC wants to show it really stands for Reform, it should force this simple Change to the Senate Floor for a Vote. New Yorkers shouldn't have to Lie to Cast a Ballot, and Senators Flanagan and Klein shouldn't stand in the way of steps to help more Citizens participate in their Democracy.