Solutions to New York State's Election Day Problems
Assembly Member Kellner voting on Election Day -- after waiting an hour and a half
Many New Yorkers - myself included - experienced long delays when they tried to cast their ballots on Election Day. The long lines, broken ballot scanners and lack of competent poll workers illustrated just how antiquated New York’s election law is. Clearly our current election system could not handle the number of New Yorkers who attempted to cast a ballot. We need to institute a voting process that is easy, efficient and secure as possible.
I believe mail-in balloting is a solution that New York State should study. It has proven to be an effective and secure method of voting in other states, such as Oregon and Washington. It provides voters with the same capacity to make their vote count with convenience and without the human or technical error that New Yorkers faced in this last Presidential election. Vote-by-mail elections improve the accuracy of voter registration and also simplify the electoral process.
Oregon's voting is done 100% by mail. Their ballot marking program allows voters to mark, review, and print a ballot for return. Washington State also votes primarily through mail-in ballots. Ballot materials are mailed or made available to voters at least 18 days prior to an election. The ballots are completed by the voter and placed in an inner security envelope. That envelope is then placed in the outer return envelope where the voter signs an affidavit to ensure a ballot’s authenticity, making mail-in voting safe and secure. Signed envelopes are then mailed no later than Election Day.
I have also signed onto legislation which establishes early voting in New York State. This legislation would enact a number of fixes to help alleviate problems our state may face in future elections. All registered voters would be able to cast their ballots as early as two weeks before a general election and one week before a special election. Also, at least five polling places would be required in each of our 62 counties. These are much needed steps on the way to reforming our entire elections process and I look forward to making this legislation a reality.
New Yorkers deserve a voting system that is both simple and convenient.