Voting Rights

Advocating for pro-voter legislation and combating voter suppression is a critically important issue for the preservation of our democracy and it is more vital than ever as the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to fundamentally change our electoral process. Our mission to create a more accessible and inclusive voting process, especially for students and lower income communities, will help ensure all voices in our diverse community are heard and equally represented.

We must adopt progressive voting legislation to embolden civic participation and guarantee equal representation of New York state residents. Automatic Voter Registration has been adopted in 16 states and allows eligible citizens to “opt-in” to voter registration when engaging with government agencies – such as the DMV. If a citizen decides to “opt-in” to voter registration, the government agency electronically transfers the registration information directly to state voter registration systems. Automatic voter registration simplifies the voting process for citizens by removing the barrier of meeting registration deadlines. New York should be a leader not a follower on this.

New York state has made significant strides to expand voter access to its residents. I intend to further advocate for and secure the voting rights of all residents through progressive, pro-voter policy. I support the New York State Senate’s bill that removes the need to state “cause” for absentee ballot voting. The bill has yet to pass and I strongly encourage the Senate to expedite its adoption for the general election. I firmly believe that Ranked Choice Voting should be implemented not only in New York City elections, but in statewide primary and general elections. Ranked Choice Voting yields more equitable election outcomes by drawing a broader spectrum of voter preference. Ranked Choice Voting provides more choices for voters, increases diverse representation, and reduces political polarization. I support New York State’s newly adopted election law, which provides employees the right to take time off to vote with up to three hours paid leave, and New York’s adoption of voter pre-registration. Both pieces of legislation would effectively enfranchise certain voting demographics that are often excluded from our current electoral process. I yearn to create an electoral and voting system that is inclusive and accessible for all New York state residents.