If you are from New York, this election day can be monumental to get your voice heard by lawmakers. The New York ballot now includes 5 proposals at the back that you, the voter, can give your opinion on and define the laws in your state. Some of the 5 proposals included in the ballot can change the New York State Constitution if the proposal gets more than a 50% approval rate from the voters.
The 5 New York 2021 ballot measures address the topics of environment, redistricting, elections, and judiciary of the state. The 5 proposals on the New York ballot go as:
- Proposal 1: Changes to the redistricting process in New York
- Proposal 2: A state constitutional right to clean air, clean water, and a healthful environment
- Proposal 3: Allows the legislature to pass a law for same-day voter registration
- Proposal 4: Allows the legislature to pass a law for no-excuse absentee voting
- Proposal 5: Increase the NYC Civil Court’s jurisdiction from civil cases involving $25,000 to $50,000
2 of the above proposals (Proposal 3 and 4) behind the New York ballot, directly impact voters’ rights and access in the state. But giving current voters the power to expand that access, the state allows further participation in the elections. Both of these proposals, if approved, will allow many underrepresented communities to register the same day to vote and raise the overall voting rates.
Republicans are clearly against the two proposals that expand voter access, even after minute support in the state legislature. Nick Langworthy, the state Chair of GOP actively organized to oppose the two proposals with his ‘Just Say No’ statewide tour and online campaigning. “They are trying to change New York. They are trying to change our country by changing New York,” said Langworthy.
Langworthy also called the New York ballot measures, “red carpet for fraud”. The concerns of Republican politicians are backed by reasons of administration activities and costs, as well as questioning the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election.
