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Future Of Voter Access Measures Uncertain In New York State Senate

Hans Pennink
/
AP

Bills to improve voter access advanced in a State Senate committee, but their ultimate passage is uncertain.

The measures, which would allow same day voter registration and early voting, were approved in the Senate Elections Committee, and moved to a second committee. Last year, the second committee, on local government, never met before the session ended, and advocates hope that 2017 is different.

Senate GOP Leader John Flanagan cast doubt on the measures, saying he has concerns about potential costs.

“How do you do that without costing astronomical amounts of money?” Flanagan asked. “I think we have a procedure that on the whole works very well.”   

Flanagan says he does think it’s time for a “discussion” on voter access, and says some items he does support include having a larger font on ballots so they can be more easily read by voters.

Karen has covered state government and politics for New York State Public Radio, a network of 10 New York and Connecticut stations, since 1990. She is also a regular contributor to the statewide public television program about New York State government, New York Now. She appears on the reporter’s roundtable segment, and interviews newsmakers.