Healthy New York Democracy…now and far into our future.

I’ve witnessed the count in Queens for the New Reformers for the last week and will continue on Monday. I hugely appreciate the Board of Elections’ hard work and diligent focus. To make the process better for November, New York election law must be fixed next week when the NY state legislature is back in session.

Our Queens state legislators must lead the charge on these election bills to show the US that although this president who tries to poison our democracy was born here he in no ways represents us or our Queens values — let’s make that clear by passing these bills!

Use this⤵️tracker to learn about the bills and see where your Queens Senator and Assembly Member stand and call, email, tweet them to get them onboard — to prioritize, to cospsonor, and to push their colleagues to do the same. https://bit.ly/ElectionReformQueens

Don’t live in Queens? Call and email your state Senator and Assembly Member too!

We must start by codifying the expansion of absentee voting for the duration of the public health crisis. Bill S8015B/A10217A. https://www.nysenate.gov//legislation/bills/2019/S8015

To ensure every properly cast absentee ballot is counted the NY state legislature must pass the following⤵️four bills.

1️⃣ S8368​/A10744 to protect ballots where voters intent is unambiguous + provides that if absentee voter doesn’t date absentee ballot envelope the ballot won’t be voided. https://www.nysenate.gov//legislation/bills/2019/S8368

2️⃣ S8369​/A10746 so ballots will be counted even if envelope is partially sealed or sealed with tape, paste, etc provided voter can verify in writing that voter submitted envelope in observed condition. https://www.nysenate.gov//legislation/bills/2019/S8369

3️⃣ S8370​/A10830 sets procedure for absentee voters to respond to BOE notice that their ballot has been challenged & provides opportunity to submit statement to address deficiency. https://www.nysenate.gov//legislation/bills/2019/S8370

4️⃣ S8367​ absentee ballots received by BOE no later than seven days following day of the election shall be deemed timely if ballot bears. timestamp of the receiving BOE indicating receipt. https://www.nysenate.gov//legislation/bills/2019/S8367

Let NY Vote recommends that this bill be amended to require the BOE to use the USPS Full Service Intelligent Mail, which allows tracking of the absentee ballots through the postal service​ which would eliminate the possibility that a late-mailed ballot would be counted.

Also our state legislature must pass S8004​/A​2327​ to provide a return postage guaranteed envelope with absentee ballots. https://www.nysenate.gov//legislation/bills/2019/S8004

The pandemic has caused drop in voter registration. S​6463/A8473​ allows temporary use of NYC Campaign Finance Board’s online portal to sunset as soon as BOE online voter registration goes live. https://www.nysenate.gov//legislation/bills/2019/S6463

Additionally the NY Assembly must pass the following bills already passed by the NY senate.

➡️ A8998 provides students w/voter info+application for registration https://www.nysenate.gov//legislation/bills/2019/A8998

➡️ A9791 increases minimum number of early voting sites to ten https://www.nysenate.gov//legislation/bills/2019/A9791

This is only the start to get us ready for November. Later this year or next, we must continue to enact bold democracy reforms to assure no New Yorker is disenfranchised, all valid ballots are counted, and our system is uncorrupted and robust in good and bad times.