Proposed Res. No. 1034-A
Title
Resolution urging the Senate to pass and the Governor to sign State Assembly Bill 8831 (A.8831), a bill that would amend the current paper ballot instructions to explicitly clarify the importance of avoiding casting overvotes and notify voters of their right to a replacement ballot.
Body
By Council Members Perkins, Barron, Comrie, Foster, Jackson, Quinn, Rivera, Sanders and Yassky.
Whereas, The 2000 presidential elections and the subsequent vote recount ignited scrutiny of the adequacy of the voting process throughout the nation and precipitated voluminous discussion on a wide range of topics, including voter access to polls, registration and registration roll issues, voter discrimination and lost vote rates; and
Whereas, Two of the highest lost vote rates in the nation during the 2000 elections were 4.4% in Miami-Dade County, Florida and 4.0% in Brooklyn, NY; and
Whereas, New York City is in need of electoral reform because of its troubling voting history requiring three of its five counties to be subject to preclearance under the Voting Rights Act due to historical discrimination against black and Latino and other minority voters; and
Whereas, To respond to this antiquated, dilapidated and, within certain areas, discriminatory state of the voting process within the nation, Congress passed the Help America Vote Act of 2002 ("HAVA"), which was promoted as a bi-partisan election reform package; and
Whereas, Assembly Member Keith Wright introduced Assembly Bill 8831 ("A.8831"), a bill that would amend the current paper ballot instructions to explicitly clarify the importance of avoiding casting overvotes and notify voters of their right to a replacement ballot; and
Whereas, The New York State Assembly passed A.8831 on June 17, 2003, whereupon it was delivered to the Senate; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York urges the Senate to pass and the Governor to sign State Assembly Bill 8831 (A.8831), a bill that would amend the current paper ballot instructions to explicitly clarify the importance of avoiding casting overvotes and notify voters of their right to a replacement ballot.
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9/29/2003 4:33 PM