For Immediate Release: March 2, 2016

Contact: Gary Ginsburg | ginsburg@nysenate.gov | 518-455-2415

Statement from Senate Democratic Communications Director Mike

Murphy
The Senate Republicans are playing the classic Albany shell game of passing a one house fake
reform measure. This measure and their continued blocking of pro-voter legislation like same
day registration, automatic registration and early voting are further proof that the Senate
Republicans are following their national Republican allies by actively suppressing voter turnout
and making it more difficult for New Yorkers to exercise their Constitutional rights. As
responsible elected officials we need to encourage more voter participation and stop cynical
measures like this bill. If the Senate Republicans truly cared about this issue they would pass the
consolidation bill creating a June primary that has already passed in the Assembly.
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BACKGROUND:
Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins carries a bill that has already passed
the assembly that would consolidate the primaries but make the date in June when more
people are likely to participate. Good Government groups and reformers agree that June
is the best option.
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2015/s6452a

Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York, a good-government group
that supports June primaries, points out that New York held primaries in June for decades
without any noticeable interference with legislative work.
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/cecilia-tkaczyk/separate-nyfederalprimaries-cost-millions

And Ms. Lerner also rejected the Senate Republicans' notion of holding state and federal
primaries in August, saying that would fall during summer vacations and therefore limit
turnout.
"We are very concerned that an August primary takes our already abysmal turnout
numbers and brings them down," she said.
http://www.recordonline.com/article/20140201/NEWS/402010323/0/SEARCH

Earlier this year, Democrats in the Assembly passed a bill that would have made voting
much easier, and almost certainly would have increased turnout.

David Firestone of the New York Times editorial board said, The bill died, as so many
hopes do, in the state Senate, which is controlled by Republicans. The leaders there
sounded the usual hollow objections: its too expensive, too complicated, we dont really
need it. The most Albany of all explanations came from Dean Skelos, the Senate
Republican leader, who raised the frightening possibility that a voter would cast an early
ballot for a candidate who is then arrested just before Election Day. Yes, that could
definitely happen, but around here its more likely the candidate would be arrested after
being sworn in.
http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/12/new-yorks-miserable-voter-turnout-isntan-accident/

ELLIE DRAKE and SANDRA KELLER, Co-Chairs of the Wayne County League of
Women Voters, have also bashed the August primary proposal, saying: Moving the
primary to August is a particularly bad idea. Too few New Yorkers turn out to vote now;
imagine scheduling a primary during a month when many are away from home. Not
everyone preparing for vacation will have the foresight to go through the multiple steps
necessary to vote absentee in New York.
http://www.mpnnow.com/article/20120220/NEWS/302209993
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New York State Senate | DemocraticConferenceNews@nysenate.gov | 518-455-2415