WASHINGTON, D.C., June 9, 2016 – The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyers’ Committee) submitted a letter of support for automatic and online voter registration bills under consideration by the New York State Assembly to leaders in the State Legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo. The letter encourages the Legislature to adopt two bills before the end of the legislative session next week: Assembly Bill 10370, which establishes an electronic personal voter registration process through the New York State Board of Elections website, and Assembly Bill 10371, which creates an integrated automatic voter registration process for people who apply for services at various state agencies or have their rights restored.
“New York is long overdue in taking steps to move its voting system into the 21st century. The automatic and online registration bills now pending before the Assembly are important reforms that would create new opportunities for New Yorkers to register to vote and make it easier for them to engage in the political process,” said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee. “Enacting these bills will improve New York’s dramatically abysmal voter participate rates and demonstrate that New York is committed to joining states such as California, West Virginia, Illinois, and Vermont, which have taken a leadership role nationally by passing laws to facilitate participation.”
About the Lawyers’ Committee
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyers’ Committee), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. Formed over 50 years ago, we continue our quest of “Moving America Toward Justice.” The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice under law, particularly in the areas of fair housing and community development; employment; voting; education; environmental justice; and criminal justice. For more information about the Lawyers’ Committee, visit www.lawyerscommittee.org.
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