Friday, January 11, 2013

Early voting for NY

From the Times Newsweekly:

[Assembly Speaker Sheldon] Silver noted that experts estimate that voter participation in November was barely 46 percent and exceeded turnout of just two other states.

In order to encourage more voter participation and decrease waits and lines at polling places, Silver introduced a bill (A. 689) to institute early voting for all general, primary, and special elections in New York. If enacted, New York would join 32 other states and the District of Columbia that already permit an alternative to in-person voting on election days.

Voters would be permitted to vote at designated locations beginning 14 days prior to any general election and seven days prior to any primary or special election.

Under the bill, each county Board of Elections and the Board of Elections of the City of New York must designate at least five polling places for voters to cast an early ballot. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day during the early voting period, including Saturdays and Sundays, and ballots cast during the early voting period will be counted at the close of the polls on Election Day and included in the election night tally.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Making New York State more voter fraud-friendly.

Anonymous said...

Or making it easier to vote, without having to wait on immense lines, as we did in November. It depends on what your point of view is.

Anonymous said...

Making New York State more voter fraud-friendly.

+

Or making it easier to vote, without having to wait on immense lines, as we did in November. It depends on what your point of view is.

=


Saying goodbye to any semblence of a two party system at all

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Making New York State more voter fraud-friendly.
-------------------------------------------------------
To me, this is the reality!

Anonymous said...

Anon No. 3:

Why?

Who says that only Democrats would take advantage of early voting?

What is wrong with more people voting, regardless of their registration?

In a district in which there is a relatively even split between parties, or places upstate, it could mean more Republicans winning. Could have helped Frank Padavan against Tony Avella two years ago.

Anonymous said...

This is ridiculous. People have NO excuse for not voting. If they are unable to go in person on Election Day they have the option to apply for an absentee ballot. And there is already an option to submit an absentee ballot in person in NYC.

We don't need early voting. We should not be sending the message that participating in democracy is only something that is done when it is convenient or easy for you.

The most compelling argument for not instituting early voting is financial. We should not have to funnel millions of dollars into the corrupt and incompetent BOE just so they can start and inevitably fuck up a new program. Maybe if our city and state was in tip-top financial shape we should, but right now there are more important things to fund.

Anonymous said...

the only thing that will help a republican candidate to win in Queens County is to ban the democrat party forever.

or to have a judicial decree that all G.O.P.who have moved out of nys in the past 30 years ,..........be FORCED to return.

Anonymous said...

the only thing that will help a republican candidate to win in Queens County is to ban the democrat party forever.

or to have a judicial decree that all G.O.P.who have moved out of nys in the past 30 years ,..........be FORCED to return.

................................

or for Republicans to field electable candidates. But that would be too much work.

Anonymous said...

Anon No. 7: Which is wishful thinking in both cases on your part. So maybe you ought to focus on fielding better candidates.