LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Time for early voting

Posted

To the editor:

We are a grassroots organization working for voting reform in New York.

Several of us went to Albany for the first time to lobby our state lawmakers to make this nonpartisan issue a priority.

We stand behind the Souls to the Polls initiative put forth by the Women’s March Alliance. However, even registered voters face a myriad of obstacles to voting in New York.

New York is supposed to be a progressive state, yet we were surprised to learn that it ranked 41st in voter participation in the 2016 election. New York has the distinction of being one of only 13 states that doesn’t offer early voting.

We are calling on Gov. Cuomo to put money in the budget to fund early voting. This is a reform that would alleviate major obstacles to casting ballots. Not only do we want to get Souls to the Polls, but also make it easier for every soul.

Gabrielle R. Shatan

The author writes on behalf of Guadalupe Arellano Anzo, Meichelle Matteson, Carol Hillson and Rudolph Pongnon.

Gabrielle R. Shatan

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