Yesterday, the Let New York Vote Coalition submitted a letter to NYS Legislative leaders, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Heastie, outlining our coalition’s budget priorities in FY 2023-24. We recognize and commend the Legislature for its leadership in improving New York election administration in recent years, from reducing barriers to voter registration, providing more convenient balloting options, adding due process to protect rights and ensure legitimate votes are counted, and enacting measures to ensure the integrity and accuracy of election results. Adequate funding levels must now be allocated to implement these reforms and to ensure modern, high-quality election administration in New York State.
Our coalition supports the following FY 2023-24 budget proposals:
- $20 million for local election administration
- $2.5 million for the state and local boards to conduct voter outreach, media campaigns, and civic education to encourage participation in elections; inform the public of upcoming contests, key deadlines, and balloting options; and, to educate voters regarding the major recent changes to voting laws and the safeguards to ensure due process.
- $16.6 million for Automatic Voter Registration Implementation
- $5 million for John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York implementation
- $114.5 million for the new, voluntary statewide public financing program
Let NY Vote is a nonpartisan, statewide coalition of grassroots networks, civil rights and civil liberties organizations, re-entry communities, good government groups, unions, social service providers, immigrant rights groups, and everyday citizens fighting to improve our elections by making registering and voting more accessible and equitable for every eligible New Yorker.
Read more in the letter here