After claiming first prize for low voter turnout in the US, Mayor Bloomberg wants to kill the fun and make it easier for us to exercise our rights. According to a new study, New York has the most restrictive election policies in the country, and Bloomberg wants to make it simpler for New Yorkers to vote. He said in a statement, “Voter turnout in elections for all levels of government is unacceptably low, and the State’s antiquated election laws are part of the problem. Reforms like early voting and extended registration deadlines will help New Yorkers make their voices heard." But if it's easier then we only have our apathy to blame!
The proposal calls for four reforms: "Creating an early voting period; allowing New Yorkers to fill out their ballots at home and bring to a polling site; modernizing registration process and extending registration deadline from 25 days to 10 days before Election Day; and simplifying the ballot design with plain language instructions." And hopefully in a bigger print! City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said, "The Council’s Governmental Operations Committee citywide voter survey found that more than 1 in 3 surveyed voters had difficulty reading the ballot on General Election Day."
But could there be a conspiracy afoot? Dick Dadey, executive director of Citizens Union, told the Post that Albany has not been receptive to voting reforms in the past, and suspects it's because they don't want the people to be heard. He said, "The more people who can participate in our elections, the more likelihood that there's a greater chance that they can't control the outcome."
