Two Election Law Experts Say New York Could Fall Short in Election Reform Efforts 6/19/2003
From: Christy Hicks of The Century Foundation, 212-452-7723 or hicks@tcf.org NEW YORK, June 19 -- Within the next few days, a state task force will release its plan for how the state ought to overhaul its system of voting in order to comply with the new federal election reform law, the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). There has been concern in some quarters about the final product of the New York HAVA task force because of the manner in which its members and leadership were chosen and how it went about its work, which has been widely criticized. The recommendations it makes to the governor and the legislature could have profound implications for how New Yorkers register, vote and have their votes counted. Implemented well, the law could mean an expansion of voting rights not seen since 1965. Done poorly, greater disenfranchisement becomes a risk. Former New York State Attorney General Robert Abrams and election law expert Arthur Fried, the authors of a recently released report, "The Help America Vote Act: Impact and Potential for New York," worry that the state's HAVA task force report won't provide the guidelines for improving elections that New Yorkers need and deserve. They believe the task force's plan for improving state elections will be incomplete at best, and will not provide a detailed guide for making the changes necessary to comply with the new federal election laws. "The preliminary indications are that the task force is missing the opportunity to show New York State how to move into the forefront of leadership in registering new voters, training those who administer elections and providing the citizens of New York with the best voting machines," said Robert Abrams. "Legislators are getting ready to go home and legislation to accomplish election reform is nowhere in sight. New Yorkers deserve better." "So far, the state task force has failed to address many of the issues whose resolution could lead to a significant enhancement in elections in New York State, and not just a change in machinery," said Arthur Fried. "New York should have the most voter friendly, accessible and secure election technology available." Passed in response to the presidential election debacle of 2000, the Help America Vote Act includes requirements regarding replacing old machines, disabled and language accessibility, identification for voter registration, and the creation of a statewide voter registration database. In the "Help America Vote Act: Impact and Potential for New York," which was published in March of this year by The Century Foundation, Robert Abrams and Arthur Fried examine every provision of the federal legislation, analyze its legal implications, and detail what specific action New York's elected leaders and election administrators should take to best comply with the new law. They hope that after the preliminary report has been reviewed and revised by the task force members, the final report will contain an action plan that is more detailed and specific. Abrams, Fried, and the director of the project, Tova Andrea Wang, are available to comment on the state's plan for instituting voting reforms. A copy of The Century Foundation report is available at http://www.tcf.org. For more information, contact Christy Hicks at 212-452-7723 or hicks@tcf.org. ------ The Century Foundation is a research foundation that undertakes timely, critical, and analytical studies of major economic, political, and social institutions and issues. Nonprofit and nonpartisan, TCF was founded in 1919 and endowed by Edward A. Filene. | |