New Yorkers reject expanded voting access in stunning result

[SouthBayDem]

Source: The Guardian

Amid an array of discouraging election results for Democrats last week, there was one under-the-radar outcome that was especially perplexing. In New York, one of the country’s most progressive states, voters overwhelmingly rejected initiatives that would have expanded voting access in future elections.

The vote, which came in a year when Republican-led states have passed dozens of laws to restrict voting access, left voting rights advocates stunned.

One of the proposals would have paved the way for lawmakers to get rid of a longstanding states policy that requires voters to give an excuse if they want to vote by mail (34 states and the District of Columbia allow anyone to vote by mail for any reason). Another would have allowed people to register to vote on election day, a reform advocates believe significantly increases political participation.

None of the measures came anywhere close to passing. Republicans waged a well-funded and aggressive campaign to oppose the amendments, a move that caught supporters of the proposal off guard. The reforms were also hampered by low turnout and confusing wording on the ballot, which may have prompted some voters to choose to skip voting on the measures altogether.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/nov/09/new-york-voters-reject-ballot-measures-voting-access

[CurtEastPoint]

1. Why do Republicans hate the Amurka they claim to love? They are a vile pox on this planet.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. Just us non-white

Folks. Poor folks. White Folks all socioeconomic status - that lean left.

[CurtEastPoint]

3. Infuriating.

[AZLD4Candidate]

7. As said during Clinton's time: They love America, they hate Americans.

[Polybius]

8. A huge percentage of Democrats voted against this as well

It overwhelmingly was rejected. Republicans don't have the power to do that on their own in NY.

[blm]

4. It's almost ALWAYS poor wording. Stupid, stupid, stupid

of Dem officials to OK poorly worded ballot measures.

[LymphocyteLover]

19. Yes, every time I've seen a ballot measure on the ballot it's been very confusingly worded

I'm sure it's done on purpose, not sure why this wasn't fixed or who was in control of the final wording.

[electric_blue68]

52. I've sometimes skipped proposals waaay back, but then..

I started reading the voters guide for those (while I followed candidate races in general), along with the newspapers. Then finding public radio I also listened about candidates, and proposals. 👍

To be clear, I skipped them way back usually because of poor wording. It'd be so confusing at times.

[George II]

5. All voters in Connecticut were allowed "no excuse" absentee ballots the last two elections....

...and it looks like it may become permanent with large Democratic majorities in both Houses and Democratic Governor.

Voting was a piece of cake - we filled out our applications, dropped them off at Town Hall. A few days later the absentee ballots arrived, we filled them out and dropped them off again at Town Hall.

We were finished by October 5.

[geretogo]

6. Rethuglicans are guided by the spirit of Adolf Hitler , their fuer in Mara Lago .

[Polybius]

9. Many of us Democrats voted against it here in NY

It was overwhelmingly rejected.

[Lonestarblue]

13. Just curious--why did so many Democrats voted against these measures?

[Polybius]

14. I can only speak for myself, so here goes

I voted in person on Election Day, and after voting straight D, I was caught off guard by the ballot initiatives. If I recall right, there were three of them.

One of them was same-day registration, which I think is unbelievably last-minute, so I rejected it. I registered the 25+ years ago, the Summer before Election Day. It wasn't hard, I'm black, and I did it with no internet. By the 2000's, all you had to do was search "How to register in NY" and it would tell you. Simple, just don't do it last-minute day. If someone wants to register on Election Day itself, that leads me to believe that they weren't following the election until that day.

Another ballot question was NY state policy that requires voters to give an excuse if they want to vote by mail. I know that I will be hammered for this, but I don't like mail-in voting unless there's a reason (you're out of state on business/vacation, in the hospital, elderly, etc.). I vote in-person every year and don't think it's hard. What if a person votes early by mail-in, and that candidate has a rape charge two weeks before the election? That's one of the main reason that I voted no. Here in NYC, there are many, many places to vote. Lines are never more than 20 minutes (this year I waited about that, which was unusual in an off-year).

As for the third question, I can't recall.

[intrepidity]

15. So, someone who is eligible to vote should be denied

because they procrastinate?

And the ultra-convenient mail-in voting should not be allowed, because you don't need it, and believe all decisions should be made on election day?

(The juxtaposition of both not-waiting/waiting til the last minute (election day) is ... interesting. In one case it is justified, in the other, inexcusable.)

Doesn't sound very progressive, to me.

[brooklynite]

17. Your example would also call for banning early in-person voting.

[Polybius]

22. To answer both of your questions:

Definitely no for the first one. I am 100% opposed to registering on the final day of the election. Yes, procrastinating until the very last day is ridiculous.

As for no-excuse mail-ins, I ponder about this one, but I listed my reasons in my previous post. The comparison isn't a good one. Election Day is known infinity in advance. We know when Election Day will be in 2022, 2024, and 2080. You vote on that day, and resister by October. The rules don't change last-minute.

As for it not sounding progressive, I never said that I was a progressive. I'm a Democrat. I'm to the left of Manchin, and to the right of AOC.

[Gregory Peccary]

30. Regarding "procrastinating to the very last day"....

You sound like those republicans who say a women should not have access to "abortion on demand" because she was irresponsible in getting pregnant.

Things are never so black & white, extenuating circumstances do exist.

[Polybius]

33. Unfair comparison

I don't support the Texas law at all.

[Gregory Peccary]

35. Why is that an unfair comparison? They both stances based on a perceived irresponsibility of others.

I wasn't referencing the Texas law BTW, just abortion in general.

[Polybius]

36. Because you can't compare abortion to waiting until the very last day to register

The date is well known in advance. I registered two months before the election as a teen in the 90's. It wasn't hard then and it's even easier now.

[Gregory Peccary]

38. Sure you can compare those, you just don't want to :)

[Devil Child]

39. Of course you can compare them

Doesn't mean the comparison has validity.

[Gregory Peccary]

41. I'm not comparing voting to abortion by any means...

.... I'm comparing the mindset of perceiving someone else's irresponsibility as a reason to support a law or measure. "I acted responsibly, you did not, therefore what you want should not be allowed". Simple as that.

[electric_blue68]

53. 🤔 Still some people's minds don't work the way your's...

does. They shouldn't be disallowed for that.

[msfiddlestix]

63. I used to share your feelings and thoughts about the voting process

I was a poll worker for several years but even before then I never took advantage what we in California use to refer to as "absentee ballots". Mainly because I absolutely loved the ritual of personally going to my precinct and going through the entire ritual.

But when Covid shutdown happened I didn't work the poll and voted by mail instead, and found I enjoyed it as much as I did the traditional procedure.

In so far as same day registrations... I evolved on that point as well once I understood the propensity of young people procrastination to register in advance because that's how it is with younger would be voters. We need those people to vote. It's in our interest.

When I had the opportunity I would council those voters to vote D in every office possible, and council which way to vote on the initiatives particularly vital, but if they didn't understand the initiatives, leave them blank.

Bottom line is my thoughts on this evolved. There are many precincts around the country which are extremely hard to travel to or find. I understand your point about your location is different, but even standing in line for twenty minutes may be a hardship for some voters for very valid reasons.

Just putting it out there, there's more to this than one might otherwise think.

[Lonestarblue]

16. Thank you. I think there are always different views, and it's good to consider them.

Like you, I always vote in person, and you make an excellent point about potentially damaging information coming out after you’ve already voted by mail. I need to think more about same-day registration. I have generally supported it because I think too many people who do follow some politics get busy and forget to register until the last minute. I hate to deny them the right to vote just because they forgot to register. I think of the nurse in Houston who was able to vote only when Houston kept a drive-through site open 24 hours because her hospital shift hours were so long with Covid that she could not vote when regular polls were open. If she had not been registered, would she have even had the energy to go online to find out where to register? Possibly not.

[LymphocyteLover]

21. Yes, I think same-day voter registration is a good thing and helps a lot of people

We want to expand ballot access as much as possible though I know it can backfire on us too in some elections. Over time it should help the left more than the right.

[PSPS]

20. "I don't or didn't need it, so I don't want anyone else to get it."

[Polybius]

23. Yeah, I vote for my interests

It's what works for me.

[Gregory Peccary]

31. How is not allowing people to register to vote on election day in your "interests"?

Not picking a fight, I'm genuinely curious. I guess I don't see how that could negatively impact you in any way.

[Polybius]

34. My answer will start a fight, and I don't want to cause any more problems

I already was attacked more than enough here.

[Gregory Peccary]

37. You are not causing a problem, you are educating others about how in the world these failed in NY.

Stand up for what you believe in!

[Polybius]

42. I voted with the liberal majority of my state

Republicans are a minority here.

[Gregory Peccary]

43. You are a slippery eel, you must be in marketing :) But glad you voted!

[Devil Child]

40. I found your responses insightful and having more worth than snipes from outsiders

who couldn't even vote on local issues you were presented with.

Take care and thank you for sharing your voting experience.

[manicdem]

24. Good point, responsibility

On the late registration I agree. Voting is a big responsibility, the most important thing a citizen can do. It makes sense to have people register early and take responsibility to learn about the candidates before voting.

[TiberiusB]

26. That title is ironic...

By voting against these attempts to expand voting access, you didn't speak for yourself, you joined the Republican chorus that consistently acts to limit the voices of those that don't see things as they do. In effect, you decided to speak for New York.

"Voting on election day is easy for me, so no one else should have other options."

"Voting in person for me is easy, so no one else should have the option to vote by mail unless they provide an acceptable excuse...acceptable to me."

These expansions of voter access have no downside beyond fraud fantasies and imagined last minute revelations that virtually never happen, but which seemed tailored to trigger fear and distrust (RAPE!). The only apparent reason you voted against them is, "I put in the effort to do it one way and am bothered at the idea that someone else may not put in the same effort"...(which you describe as easy).

How about listing an actual reason to oppose those measures beyond personal indignance? Do you buy into the fraud argument? Last minute party switching to alter the outcome? A run on stamps?

[Polybius]

28. I didn't vote to limit anything in NY, I voted for the status quo

I already listed my reasons and I'm sticking to them. I respect your views and understand why you disagree.

[MichMan]

44. I wonder how many people arguing with your reasons even live in NY ?

[TiberiusB]

64. Well, I do live in NY

Though I'm not sure how that's relevant. I don't live in Georgia or Texas (or Ohio, or Arizona, or...), and I'm pretty appalled by the Jim Crow 2.0 laws getting pushed through there. NY state is very red in many, actually most, areas. Expanding voter access might push some of those red counties into purple territory. Given where this country is headed, I'd say that shoring up blue margins, even in Democratic strongholds, is as important as pushing back on Republican efforts to crush any ascendant minority influence in previously reliable GOP states (an effort they will push nationwide if they retake the WH in 2024 https://www.politico.com/news/2021/10/15/trump-allies-election-law-reelection-516077 ).

People are free to vote however they wish. I am not debating that in any regard. However, I struggle to understand voting to sustain voting restrictions that serve no demonstrable purpose other than to unnecessarily limit voter participation. And yes, voting against this measure was a vote "for" the status quo. With the GOP moving to restrict voter access across the country, along with their repeated attempts to portray voting by mail as rife with fraud (which succeed in further radicalizing their base even as they fail in court), why would it be prudent to not expand voter access wherever possible? What harm is there in any of the measures proposed? So what if people have an easier time voting than I did?

Voting access shouldn't be a test of virtue.

[Retrograde]

29. New York is more than NYC

I remember early snowstorms in Buffalo in November that shut down a lot of roads. Most of upstate is rural, and there places to vote aren't as common (and outside of the counties around NYC and Erie, upstate counties have shorter primary voting times). I've voted by mail in California for over 20 years: I often traveled near election day, and I worried that my return trip might be delayed for some reason. When I worked in San Francisco, I worried that train delays might keep me from getting to the polling place on time. Plus, we go in for lengthy ballots here and I find it easier to vote at home with all the reference material at hand.

[Karma13612]

45. Excellent points.

Yea, I live in NY most of the year and am just astounded that the ballot measures failed. There were 5 of them, and the ones about no-excuse absentee voting, and same day registration I THOUGHT would be a slam dunk.

A lot of people forget that for the longest time, NYS had the most draconian registration laws in the country. You had to change your party registration like 6 months prior to the primary. And if you missed it, you couldn’t vote in that party primary. I think for new registrations, it wasn’t as bad. But, I still think that these failed ballot measures are a disgrace to everything democracy and Democrats supposedly stand for.

Still shaking my head in disappointment. I blame the email campaign that happened that said vote no!!!

[electric_blue68]

54. I probably forgot about those draconic registration laws...

but I registered as a Democrat, and never looked back! 😁

[Karma13612]

56. I know it's

A sore subject now, but I learned about it back in 2016 when Bernie ran. They were trying to get people to register in time to vote for him in the primary, over Hillary.

A lot of people were shocked at the deadline.

[electric_blue68]

58. Got it. But even in...

2016? Wow.

[RicROC]

11. Hair Furor in Mara lago.

[Jose Garcia]

62. There are a lot more Democrats than Republicans in NY

[RicROC]

10. Unlike California, which publishes a voter guide explaining the pros and cons of ballot issues,

and mails it to each voter, New York State has no such tradition so that voters are presented with the surprises when entering the booth. It's a matter of a snap decision and if the amendment is confusing, the 'go-to' choice is no.

I live in NYS and if I didn't hear about these amendments via DU, I wouldn't even know the amendments were on the ballot.

[brooklynite]

18. I get a voter guide for every NY election.

[electric_blue68]

49. I also get a voters guide here in NYC just about every time...

I just don't quite remember that far back about that. 😄

[RicROC]

59. I'm in Western New York and I never remember receiving a voter information pamphlet..

and definitely did not get one this year.

[electric_blue68]

50. Do you listen to Public Radio? Our WNYC Station went over them...

at least several days earlier. They mentioned several times before then to let people know they were going to cover it up coming, or gave the definitive time once they knew.
Just asking.

I went on line also because I wasn't paying really that close attention so I had to double check stuff. 👍

[andym]

12. Illustrates weakness of American Democracy: voters can't recognize benefits of greater democracy

NY is a state with a large majority of Democratic party and moderate to liberal voters. In the long past, Republicans elected from NY tended to be moderates like Nelson Rockefeller. Still, pro-Democracy measures went down to easy defeat when they were a no-brainer to pass. Understanding the root problem of how this happened should cast light on getting the nation back on the road to progress and off the road to fascism.

[brooklynite]

25. I voted against the Redistricting proposal...

You may that a change that makes it easier for Democrats to gerrymander against Republicans is a good thing; but this is a Constitutional Amendment, and would make it easier for Republicans to do the same if they got legislative control in the future.

[brooklynite]

27. FWIW - I reported this a week ago when the polls closed.

[RussBLib]

32. was it rigged?

just askin'

[Karma13612]

46. Sadly, probably not

There was an online/email campaign reminding people to “Vote No” on these two voting rights measures.

I had to dig and research to understand what the ballot measures were, their meaning and consequences. It was difficult because the wording was poor (as mentioned above).

I voted for them in the affirmative and am disgusted that they failed so miserably.

[RussBLib]

48. sounds like New York and the Dems...

did a pretty bad job of explaining the measures.

Kinda typical of Democrats. We give people a lot of credit, thinking they will understand complex issues and will do the right thing, when we need to be much more methodical about these things.

[Karma13612]

55. Agree!

Not only did they not explain the measures at a high school grade level, they also did NOT fight the Republican’s campaign to discourage passage of the measures.

[brooklynite]

57. No, of course not.

Just tellihg.

[myohmy2]

47. the whole country...

...is suffering from 'trump & puke' syndrome...

"..Republicans waged a well-funded and aggressive campaign to oppose the amendments.."

...given time, lies and plenty of money pukes seem to be capable of turning an average American into an idiot...

...we need a stronger antidote...

[electric_blue68]

51. I was surprised at the rejections over all...

I did vote for same day registration; so yup, Michman here's an NYC'r. 🙂

I do so bc you just never know what might keep a person from doing so earlier, Polybus. I, myself, registered at some point before my first primary election in '71. I was in the first year of 18 yrs olds voting (exciting!).

Yeah, I'm pretty aware of the risks, but I think it usually turns out in our favor. I hope I'm not proven wrong!

[BumRushDaShow]

61. Why the

" " ?

[Danmel]

65. Democrats got complacent, Republicans came hard against the voting referenda

Every time I went online, I got ads saying 9vote no on ballot measures 1, 3 &4, which were the voting measures. Democrats assumed it was a slam dunk and did nothing, I mean nothing to educate voters and encourage them to support these measures.
The language was opaque and incomprehensible.
Since these changes require a constitutional amendment, it will now take 2 successive legislative votes to approve the measure, which will then have to go back to the public for another refernendum.
Given the red "wave" in New York and the likely heavy republican turnout for the midterms, it is by no means a guarantee that Democrats will retain control of the state senate, and if we lose that, kiss every progressive measure goodbye. And God have mercy on us if Lee Zeldin is elected. This was a colossal wasted opportunity.
Heads should roll.