Albany, NY – In response to the positions of Julie Killian and Shelley Mayer on voting reform, Citizen Action of New York, Westchester for Change, VOCAL-NY Action Fund, Community Voices Heard Power (CVHP), New York Communities for Change (NYCC), Make the Road Action, New York Progressive Action Network (NYPAN), Communications Workers of America District 1 (CWA), Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) have issued the following joint statement:
“There has been a growing momentum over the past year for New York to join the 37 other states that allow early voting. Voters overwhelming support reforms that would make the voting process easier and more inclusive, include early voting, automatic voter registration, same day registration, and restoring voting rights to New Yorkers on parole.
“While State Senate candidate Shelley Mayer has been a strong supporter of expanding voting rights, her opponent Julie Killian has said she would block critical reforms like early voting, and has even advocated for racially biased voter ID laws.
“Early voting, primed to pass in the state budget deal last week, was cut out in part because we have Republican Senate leadership on the wrong side of this issue. New York needs a State Senator in District 37 who will fight for an inclusive and vibrant democracy, and that is Shelley Mayer. No worker, parent, or student should have to choose between their daily responsibilities and their vote.”
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