New York Lawmakers Approved Several Elections-related Bills this week.

- A Constitutional Amendment Ending the Requirement Voters have an Excuse to obtain an Absentee Ballot was given Final Approval in the State Assembly. New York’s Constitution lists only a Narrow set of Stipulations for Voters to Apply for and Receive an Absentee Ballot in the days before Election Day.

- A Provision allowing New Yorkers to Register to Vote on Election Day.

The Amendments will go before Voters, in November 2021, for Final Consideration before they can be added to the State’s Constitution.

Both Amendments are long-sought Goals for Good-Government Advocates, who have hoped the Changes will Increase Voter Participation and Access at the Polls.

Lawmakers, on Tuesday, also Approved Measures that would allow Absentee Ballots to be Requested Electronically and Allow for Election Day to be the Last Day an Absentee Ballot can be Postmarked in order to be consistent with Hand-Delivered Ballot Deadlines.

A Manhattan Judge, Carol Edmead, Rejected a Lawsuit from a Group of New York City Council Members to bar Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV) from Upcoming New York City Primary Elections in June.

Edmead Ruled that the Lawmakers waited Too Long to file the Suit. New York City already used RCV on Three Special Elections for City Council Seats.

She said the Council Members also Failed to Show that Elections Officials and Voters are Ill-Prepared to use the New System. “(Abandoning ranked choice voting) would do little more than create unnecessary confusion, delay, and prejudice to the Voters of the City of New York,” Edmead said in a 20-page Decision.

Six Council Members, all Lawmakers of Color from Brooklyn or Queens, filed the Lawsuit in December 2020 claiming that the New System is Stacked against Minority Voters.

They were joined by several Community Groups, although others Backed the City in Defending the New Plan.

Edmead essentially Ruled that it was Not up to her to Second-Guess what she said appears to be a Robust Preparation Effort by officials.

The Judge also noted that the Lawmakers should have Filed the Suit as soon as they Received Key Details of the Plan that they Oppose.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker