[ THEME MUSIC ] WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF NEW YORK NOW.

I'M SHANTEL DESTRA.

IT MAY BE HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT ELECTION DAY IS IN LESS THAN ONE WEEK AWAY.

IN THE HOME STRETCH, CANDIDATES FOR ELECTED OFFICE HAVE ALL BEEN MAKING THEIR LAST PUSH TO VOTERS WITH RALLIES ACROSS THE STATE, DOOR KNOCKING EFFORTS AND MEDIA APPEARANCES.

BUT DESPITE ALL OF THEIR WORK, THERE IS A LINGERING CONCERN FOR CANDIDATES.

AND THAT IS: VOTER TURNOUT.

EVEN WITH NEW YORK'S LARGE POPULATION, VOTER TURNOUT HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY LOW YEAR AFTER YEAR.

FOR EXAMPLE LAST YEAR, ABOUT THREE MILLION NEW YORKERS SHOWED UP TO CAST THEIR BALLOT WHICH.

EQUATES TO JUST 18 PERCENT OF REGISTERED VOTERS.

GIVEN THAT REALITY, WE WANTED TO UNPACK THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING.

IN THIS NEXT NY&; EPISODE, WE SPOKE WITH ELECTION EXPERTS TO UNDERSTAND THE FACTORS AT PLAY THAT MAY STOP PEOPLE FROM WANTING TO VOTE AND HOW THE STATE IS WORKING TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO THE BALLOTS.

HERE'S THAT SEGMENT.

WELCOME TO NEW YORK AND VOTING.

I'M YOUR HOST DAN CLARK.

WITH THIS SHOW WE LIKE TO EXPLAIN THE IMPACT THAT LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT HAS ON PEOPLE'S LIVES.

WE'RE ALSO ENCOURAGING FOLKS TO BE CIVICALLY ENGAGED AND ACTIVE AND THERE'S NO WAY TO MAKE A CIVICS EDUCATION SHOW WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT VOTING.

CONSIDERING HOW COMPLEX AND POWERFUL THE EMPIRE STATE IS, CASTING YOUR BALLOT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

AND YET, NEW YORK'S VOTING NUMBERS ARE NOT THAT IMPRESSIVE.

AND IN THE LAST SEVERAL ELECTION CYCLES, THERE'S BEEN PLENTY OF TALK ABOUT VOTER FRAUD AND VOTER SUPPRESSION.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHY EVERY SINGLE VOTE, INCLUDING YOURS, MATTERS AND WHY YOU CAN VOTE WITH CONFIDENCE.

IN 2017, THERE WAS A CITY COUNCIL ELECTION IN TROY, NEW YORK THAT WAS DETERMINED BY ONE VOTE, JUST ONE.

WHILE AN ELECTION BEING DETERMINED BY A SINGLE VOTE IS A RARE OCCURRENCE, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT LOCAL ELECTIONS CAN RUN INCREDIBLY CLOSE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN HAVE A GREATER IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S LIVES THAN YOU MIGHT THINK.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN AFFECT THINGS LIKE WHAT YOUR COMMUTE IS LIKE, WHAT HOUSING GETS BUILT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOUR PROPERTY TAXES, POLICING.

DESPITE THIS, LOCAL ELECTIONS TEND TO BE THE ONES THAT PEOPLE PAY THE LEAST AMOUNT OF ATTENTION TO.

BUT EVEN OUTSIDE OF LOCAL ELECTIONS, NEW YORK'S STATEWIDE VOTER TURNOUT IS UNDERWHELMING WITH A STATE GENERALLY RANKING IN THE BOTTOM QUADRANT OF THE COUNTRY.

THERE CERTAINLY ARE REASONS WHY PEOPLE MAY CHOOSE NOT TO VOTE.

MAYBE THEIR DISTRICT IS GERRYMANDERED AND THEY FEEL THAT THE ELECTION RESULTS ARE ALREADY PREDETERMINED.

MAYBE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE VOTING FOR THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS AND ARE THINKING I CAN'T BELIEVE THESE ARE THE TWO OPTIONS I'M LEFT WITH.

MAYBE THEY FEEL LIKE POLITICIANS SIMPLY ARE NOT LISTENING TO THEM.

THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT LAURA BIERMAN OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF NEW YORK HOPES CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM COULD HELP ADDRESS.

SO OFTEN, CANDIDATES ARE INFLUENCED BY THEIR BIG DONORS.

THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE MONEY ARE, YOU KNOW, DONATING TO CANDIDATES AND THE CANDIDATES FEEL THAT THEY NEED TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THOSE DONORS TO CONTINUE TO GET THE MONEY.

THAT'S WHY THE PUBLIC MATCHING CAMPAIGN FINANCE SYSTEM THAT'S STARTING NEXT YEAR IS SO IMPORTANT AND WE PUSH SO MUCH FOR CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM SO THAT THE CANDIDATES WILL LISTEN TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS.

NEW YORK'S NEW CAMPAIGN FINANCE PROGRAM WILL ALLOW CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR STATEWIDE OFFICE, THE STATE SENATE AND THE STATE ASSEMBLY TO APPLY FOR A PUBLIC MATCH OF DONATIONS RECEIVED BETWEEN $5 AND $250 WITH CERTAIN STIPULATIONS.

THE IDEA IS TO ALLOW CAMPAIGNS TO COMPETITIVELY FUNDRAISE WITHOUT RELYING ON BIG MONEY DONORS THAT SOME MAY THEN FEEL BEHOLDEN TO.

BUT IN ADDITION TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM, NEW YORK IS WORKING TO MAKE IT EASIER TO VOTE.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

[MUSIC] WE'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU ABOUT WHY PEOPLE MAY CHOOSE NOT TO VOTE.

BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT NEW YORK STATE AND ITS COUNTIES HAVE BEEN CRITICIZED IN THE PAST FOR A LACK OF STREAMLINED VOTING.

VOTER SUPPRESSION IS WHEN ACTION IS TAKEN TO PREVENT OR REDUCE VOTER REGISTRATION OR THE NUMBER OF BALLOTS CAST IN AN ELECTION.

THIS CAN INCLUDE ADDING RED TAPE TO THE REGISTRATION AND VOTING PROCESS, MOVING A COMMUNITY'S POLLING SITE TO AN INCONVENIENT LOCATION OR COMMITTING ACTS OF VOTER INTIMIDATION.

BUT THE STATE HAS BEEN WORKING ON WAYS TO MAKE THE VOTING PROCESS EASIER FOR FOLKS IN HOPES OF IMPROVING TURNOUT.

WE SPOKE WITH JENNIFER WILSON FROM THE NEW YORK STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.

SO SHE COULD TELL US THE WAYS THE STATE IS WORKING TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO THE BALLOT BOX.

WE HAVE REALLY INCREASED OUR ACCESS TO VOTING.

PREVIOUSLY, WE DIDN'T HAVE EARLY VOTING.

NOW WE DO HAVE EARLY VOTING AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP BUILD OUR VOTER PARTICIPATION.

WE HAVE ALSO DECREASED THE VOTER REGISTRATION TIME SO NOW VOTERS CAN REGISTER 10 DAYS BEFORE AN ELECTION.

THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT CAN HELP BOOST TURNOUT AND WE WILL SOON BE IMPLEMENTING AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION HERE IN NEW YORK STATE AND THAT IS ANOTHER THING THAT WILL ELIMINATE THE BARRIER OF HAVING TO REGISTER TO VOTE.

PEOPLE WILL ALREADY BE REGISTERED AUTOMATICALLY THROUGH THE DMV, SO THAT WILL ALSO HELP BOOST TURNOUT OVER TIME.

BETWEEN CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM AND EASIER ACCESS TO VOTING, NEW YORK IS WORKING TO MAKE ELECTIONS MORE MEANINGFUL.

BUT WHAT ABOUT ANOTHER VOTING ISSUE THAT'S BEEN IN THE HEADLINES LATELY?

VOTER FRAUD AND ELECTION INTEGRITY.

WE'LL GET INTO THAT NEXT.

[MUSIC] VOTER FRAUD IS THE ILLEGAL ACTION OF ATTEMPTING TO IMPACT ELECTION RESULTS BY CASTING FALSE VOTES, VOTING MULTIPLE TIMES, OR GENERALLY CONSPIRING TO ALTER ELECTION RESULTS.

THROUGH ILLEGAL MEANS, IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT RARELY HAPPENS.

THERE CERTAINLY ARE CASES OF FRAUD.

RECENTLY IN RENSSELAER COUNTY, MULTIPLE COUNTY OFFICIALS, AS WELL AS A TROY CITY COUNCILWOMAN, WERE INDICTED ON FEDERAL CHARGES FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT FRAUD.

THE THING WITH VOTER FRAUD IS THAT IT'S PRACTICALLY ALWAYS CAUGHT.

HERE'S JENNIFER WILSON'S TAKE ON IT.

OUR STATE AND MOST STATES HAVE REALLY EXTENSIVE CHECK AND BALANCE IN PLACE.

SO WHEN INSTANCES OF FRAUD DO OCCUR AND THEY ARE VERY, VERY RARE, BUT WHEN IT HAPPENS, THEY ARE ALWAYS CAUGHT.

WE CATCH THE PEOPLE WHO TRY AND SUBMIT FAKE BALLOTS OR VOTE UNDER A FAKE NAME.

WE CATCH THEM AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY GO TO PRISON.

SO IT IS A VERY RISKY THING TO DO TO TRY AND COMMIT VOTER FRAUD.

SO I WOULD SAY IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULDN'T BE AS CONCERNED ABOUT BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHEN IT HAPPENS IN THE SMALL INSTANCES THAT IT DOES HAPPEN WE CATCH THOSE PEOPLE AND THEY GET IN A LOT OF TROUBLE.

TO HELP EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT OUR ELECTIONS ARE SECURE WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR BALLOT AFTER YOU CAST IT.

YOU FILL OUT YOUR BALLOT AND PUT IT IN THE MACHINE.

AT THE END OF THE ELECTION, THE MACHINE PRINTS OUT A TOTAL TABULATED VOTE COUNT.

THE SUBMITTED BALLOTS ARE THEN COLLECTED AND SECURELY TRANSPORTED OFTEN BY A POLICE ESCORT TO THE COUNTY'S RESPECTIVE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.

BUT WHAT IF THE MACHINES COUNTED THE VOTES WRONG?

WELL, THAT DOESN'T REALLY HAPPEN.

FOR A VOTING MACHINE TO BE USED IN NEW YORK STATE, IT MUST RECEIVE CERTIFICATION.

ACCORDING TO THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, IN ORDER FOR A MACHINE TO GET CERTIFIED, IT MUST COUNT ONE MILLION BALLOTS CORRECTLY.

ANY MISTAKE IN THAT CHAIN OF ONE MILLION MEANS THAT THE MACHINE WILL NOT BE USED.

BUT EVEN WITH THE USE OF EXTREMELY ACCURATE MACHINES, AN AUDIT IS STILL PERFORMED AFTER THE ELECTION, WHERE COUNTIES CHOOSE 3 PERCENT OF THE VOTING MACHINES THEY USED AND COMPARE A HAND VERSUS MACHINE COUNT.

IF DISCREPANCIES ARE FOUND, THE AUDIT EXPANDS TO POTENTIALLY REACHING A COUNTY WIDE HAND COUNT.

BUT THAT HASN'T HAPPENED BECAUSE THE MACHINES, AGAIN, ARE INCREDIBLY ACCURATE.

VOTES ARE TALLIED BETWEEN EARLY VOTING, ABSENTEE VOTING, AND DAY OF VOTING.

EVEN AFTER A WINNER IS DECLARED, IT CAN TAKE A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE ELECTION RESULTS ARE OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED, SINCE THE BOARDS WANT TO BE AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE WITH THEIR SAFEGUARDS.

SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THIS, VOTE WITH CONFIDENCE.

IT WILL COUNT.

SO WE KNOW THAT NEW YORK HAS MADE CHANGES TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE AND HAS TAKEN STEPS TO MAKE VOTING EASIER.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT YOUR VOTE AND OUR ELECTIONS ARE SECURE AND LEGITIMATE.

BUT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE AGAIN THAT YOUR VOTE REALLY COUNTS.

REMEMBER WHEN I MENTIONED THE TROY CITY COUNCIL RACE THAT WAS DETERMINED BY JUST ONE VOTE?

WELL, IN 2020, A CONGRESSIONAL RACE IN NEW YORK'S 22ND DISTRICT WAS DETERMINED BY JUST 109 VOTES OUT OF MORE THAN 300,000.

SO EVEN AT A LARGER SCALE, YOUR VOICE MATTERS.

BUT YOUR VOTE MATTERS BEYOND THE NUMBERS.

WE ASKED LAURA BIERMAN ABOUT HER THOUGHTS ON WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO GO OUT AND VOTE.

THE YOUNGER PEOPLE HAVE VOTER PARTICIPATION RATES MUCH LOWER THAN THE OLDER GENERATION.

AND SO THEN YOU THINK ABOUT, WELL, WHAT ARE MOST OF THE DISCUSSIONS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL OR EVEN THE STATE LEVEL?

IT HAS TO DO WITH SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT AFFECT THOSE PEOPLE.

NOW, IF THE YOUNGER PEOPLE HAD A HIGHER VOTER PARTICIPATION, DON'T YOU THINK THAT THOSE CANDIDATES OR THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS MIGHT BE THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE MORE IMPORTANT TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE.

IF CANDIDATES KNOW THAT SPECIFIC GENERATIONS OR GROUPS WON'T CONSIDER VOTING FOR THEM UNLESS CERTAIN ISSUES ARE ADDRESSED, THEN THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE ISSUES THOSE GROUPS FIND IMPORTANT.

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD AND REMINDING OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN OUR GOVERNMENT.

VOTING IS ONE OF THE EASIEST WAYS TO DO THAT.

THANKS FOR WATCHING AND UNTIL NEXT TIME, BE WELL.

AND FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PREPPING FOR ELECTION DAY, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

AGAIN, THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

NOW SWITCHING GEARS TO SOME ELECTION LAW NEWS.

LAST YEAR, GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL SIGNED LEGISLATION MEANT TO MOVE LOCAL ELECTIONS EXCLUDING THOSE IN NEW YORK CITY TO EVEN YEARS, LINING UP WITH STATE AND FEDERAL ELECTIONS.

SUPPORTERS ARGUE THAT THE SHIFT WOULD HELP IMPROVE VOTER TURNOUT.

A FEW WEEKS AGO, A NEW YORK SUPREME COURT JUDGE RULED THAT THE LAW VIOLATED THE STATE CONSTITUTION.

THE JUDGE SIDED WITH REPUBLICANS WHO ARGUED THAT THE LAW WOULD IMPEDE ON THE AUTHORITY OF LOCAL COUNTIES TO BE ABLE TO SELF GOVERN WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTIONS.

WE SAT DOWN WITH STATE SENATOR JAMES SKOUFIS WHO SPONSORED THE LEGISLATION TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF THIS RULING AND WHAT'S TO COME.

HERE'S THAT CONVERSATION.

[MUSIC] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY, SENATOR.

MY PLEASURE AS ALWAYS.

THANK YOU.

NOW, EARLY THIS MONTH, A NEW YORK STATE SUPREME COURT JUDGE RULED THAT THE NEW STATE LAW MEANT TO MOVE MANY LOCAL ELECTIONS, EXCLUDING THOSE IN NEW YORK CITY, TO EVEN YEARS TO LINE UP WITH STATE AND FEDERAL ELECTIONS VIOLATED THE STATE CONSTITUTION.

SO AS THE SPONSOR OF THE ORIGINAL LEGISLATION, WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO THIS RULING?

WELL, CERTAINLY I WAS DISAPPOINTED, OF COURSE, BUT QUITE FRANKLY, COMPLETELY UNSURPRISED.

THE PLAINTIFFS, AND THESE ARE ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS, THESE ARE PARTISANS, THESE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE LOOKING TO, QUITE FRANKLY, MAINTAIN LOW TURNOUT ELECTIONS IN ODD NUMBERED YEARS.

THAT'S A CRAZY THOUGHT, BUT THAT'S AT THE CRUX OF THIS.

THEY WANT FEWER PEOPLE VOTING IN THEIR ELECTIONS AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE SUING TO STOP THIS LAW FROM TAKING EFFECT.

THEY WERE ABLE TO HANDPICK THIS JUDGE.

FROM ALL THE JUDGES, ALL THE STATE SUPREME COURTHOUSES IN THE STATE, THEY HANDPICKED THIS JUDGE BECAUSE HE'S ONE OF THEIR GO TO GUYS.

HE'S A PARTISAN JUDGE.

HE HAD A WHOLE LOT OF RULINGS THAT THEY'VE HANDPICKED IN THE PAST AND THAT HAVE BEEN QUICKLY OVERTURNED BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN TRANSPARENTLY RIDICULOUS RULINGS.

HE HAD A LOT OF COVID ERA RULINGS THAT WERE QUICKLY OVERTURNED BY OTHER JUDGES AND SO THIS TYPE OF COURTROOM SHOPPING IS TYPICAL AND THE RULING WAS UNSURPRISING.

I FULLY EXPECT THE DECISION TO BE APPEALED AND I EXPECT A MORE OBJECTIVE PANEL OF JUDGES WHO ARE NOT PARTISANS, LIKE, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS JUDGE IS, TO RULE THAT THIS LAW IS VERY CLEARLY CONSTITUTIONAL.

THE STATE PASSES LAWS THAT INFLUENCE OUR ELECTION RULES ALL THE TIME.

THIS IS NO DIFFERENT.

AND ONCE WE GET A FAIR COURTROOM, I BELIEVE THAT JUDGES WILL RULE EXACTLY THAT WAY.

AND THE JUDGE SEEMED TO TAKE ISSUE WITH THE LAW EXCLUDING NEW YORK CITY AND THE JUDGE RAISED CONCERNS THAT THE LAW MAY POTENTIALLY VIOLATE THE RIGHTS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THEIR OWN AFFAIRS.

SO I WANTED TO GET YOUR RESPONSE TO THESE SPECIFIC CONCERNS BY THE JUDGE.

YEAH, THIS HIGHLIGHTS EXACTLY WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE RULING.

THE JUDGE IS ONLY SUPPOSED TO RULE ON CONSTITUTIONALITY.

THIS JUDGE IN HIS RULING WAS WEIGHING IN ON HIS PERSONAL OPINIONS ON POLICY.

THAT IS NOT WHAT JUDGES ARE SUPPOSED TO DO, AT LEAST JUDGES WHO WERE OBJECTIVE.

AND YOU HAD THIS JUDGE OPINE ON THE BALLOT BEING TOO LONG.

YOU HAD THIS JUDGE OPINE ON ALL KINDS OF POLICY QUESTIONS THAT ARE LEFT, THAT ARE RESERVED FOR LAWMAKERS TO DECIDE.

IF THIS JUDGE WANTS TO OPINE, HE SHOULD RUN FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

HE SHOULD NOT BE RUNNING FOR STATE SUPREME COURT JUDGE.

AND SO THIS THIS LAW IS VERY CLEARLY CONSTITUTIONAL.

I EXPECT, AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO BE APPEALED.

I BELIEVE THAT WE'LL SEE A RULING IN THE COMING MONTHS.

ELECTION LAW CHALLENGES ARE FAST TRACKED IN OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM.

AND THAT IS BY LONGSTANDING STATUTE.

AND SO I DO EXPECT WE'RE GOING TO SEE NEW JUDGES AT THE APPELLATE DIVISION AND POSSIBLY THE COURT OF APPEALS DECISION TAKE A LOOK AT THIS RULING.

AND I FULLY EXPECT FAIRER OBJECTIVE JUDGES TO DEEM THAT THIS LAW IS VERY OBVIOUSLY CONSTITUTIONAL.

AND CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THOSE PLANS TO APPEAL?

LIKE WHAT WILL THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE, HOW LONG ARE YOU EXPECTING THAT TO TAKE?

SO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS REPRESENTING THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN THIS CASE, AND ANY CASES THAT ARE LIKE THIS.

AND SO THEY ARE THE ONES WHO FORMALLY APPEAL THE LOWER COURT DECISION.

AND AGAIN, THESE ELECTION LAW CASES, THEY ARE INTENTIONALLY AND BY DESIGN, THEY'RE FAST TRACKED TO BE HEARD AND GET DECISIONS ON IN AN EXPEDITIOUS MANNER BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE ELECTIONS COMING UP NEXT YEAR, ABSENT TO THIS LAW, WE HAVE ELECTIONS COMING UP EVERY YEAR, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET A RULING ON THIS DECISION AND OTHER ELECTION LAW CONTROVERSIES IN AN EXPEDITIOUS WAY SO THAT THEY'RE IN PLACE FOR THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLE.

AND SO I EXPECT IN THE COMING MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO SEE MOVEMENT AND APPEALS AND NEW DECISIONS.

AND AS YOU MENTIONED, THE EVEN YEAR ELECTION LAW WAS POSITIONED AS A WAY TO INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT, BUT THERE WAS A BIT OF CRITICISM FROM THE NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO ARGUED THAT THE DIVISIVENESS OF MANY HIGH PROFILE RACES, PARTICULARLY ON THIS FEDERAL LEVEL, SHOULD BE SEPARATE FROM LOCAL ELECTION.

SO WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT PERSPECTIVE.

SO FIRST, I'LL SAY A FEW THINGS.

THERE ARE THERE ARE MANY LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO HAVE PUT ASIDE THEIR OWN PERSONAL SELFISH INTERESTS AND HAVE SUPPORTED THIS LEGISLATION.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MENTIONED THE THE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES WESTCHESTER COUNTY EXECUTIVE GEORGE LATIMER WAS A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THIS LEGISLATION SOON TO BE CONGRESSMAN GEORGE LATIMER.

AND SO THERE ARE PLENTY OF LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT HAVE SUPPORTED THIS.

NOW, MY RESPONSE TO THAT PARTICULAR CONCERN, CRITICISM, WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE IS SUPPORTED BY THE FACTS, I AM LIVING PROOF THAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A PRESIDENTIAL RACE, A GOVERNOR'S RACE AND DOWN BALLOT RACES LIKE ASSEMBLY AND SENATE AND IN THIS CASE LOCAL TOWN AND COUNTY RACES.

TWO YEARS AGO, LEE ZELDIN WON MY SENATE DISTRICT BY 13 PERCENTAGE POINTS.

HE'S A REPUBLICAN.

I, A DEMOCRAT, WON THAT SAME STATE SENATE DISTRICT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S VOTERS SHOULD BE OFFENDED WHEN THEY HEAR THAT FROM FOLKS LIKE THE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES THAT OH, THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH, THEY'RE NOT SMART ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A PRESIDENTIAL RACE AND CASTING A BALLOT FOR A COUNTY EXECUTIVE OR A TOWN SUPERVISOR.

I HAPPEN TO THINK THAT VOTERS ARE MORE THAN SMART ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN RACES ON A BALLOT AND CONSUME THAT INFORMATION IN A FEW ADDITIONAL RACES.

AND I'VE SEEN IT MYSELF EVERY TWO YEARS, WHERE I SEE TOP OF THE TICKET REPUBLICANS, VOTE FOR A CERTAIN CANDIDATE AND THEN CROSS OVER AND VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE LIKE MYSELF DOWN BALLOT.

VOTERS SHOULD BE OFFENDED WHEN THEY HEAR A CRITICISM LIKE THAT COMING FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, THE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, THE ASSOCIATION OF TOWNS.

FOR SOME REASON, THEY THINK THAT VOTERS ARE DUMB.

I DO NOT THINK THAT SAME SENTIMENT.

AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO AGREE TO DISAGREE ON THAT POSITION.

LASTLY, ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES WITH THE LAW, WITH POTENTIAL UPDATES TO IT LEGISLATIVELY IN THE UPCOMING SESSION?

THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES.

AND THERE'S CLEARLY SOME MORE WORK TO DO ON THIS BECAUSE AS YOU NOTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEGMENT, THERE ARE SOME OFFICES, THERE ARE SOME PLACES IN THE STATE THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE SHIFT WITH THE LAW THAT WAS ENACTED.

NEW YORK CITY, FOR EXAMPLE, IS NOT INCLUDED.

IN FACT, ALL CITIES IN NEW YORK STATE ARE NOT INCLUDED.

AND DESPITE WHAT THE OPPONENTS MIGHT SAY OR THIS JUDGE WHO OPINED AGAIN ON POLICY, THIS WAS NOT A CHOICE.

THIS WAS NOT SOME CONSPIRACY.

WE LEFT OUT CITIES ON PURPOSE, THE REASON WHY CITIES AND SOME OTHER OFFICES WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS ODD TO EVEN SHIFT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION, THE STATE CONSTITUTION, IN ORDER TO MOVE CITIES.

WE COULD NOT JUST DO THAT WITH A BILL, A TRADITIONAL LAW CHANGE.

AND SO I HAVE, IN FACT, A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT WOULD MOVE THE REMAINDER OF THOSE OFFICES.

I STRONGLY SUPPORT DOING SO.

AND SO THERE IS MORE WORK TO DO ON THIS ISSUE TO MOVE ALL THE REMAINDER, THE BALANCE OF THOSE OFFICES.

WE WERE NOT ABLE TO MOVE WITH THAT BILL.

WE NEED A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO DO SOME OF IT.

AND THAT'S THE LAST PIECE OF THIS THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON.

WELL, CERTAINLY A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR NOW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING WITH US TODAY, SENATOR.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

AND WE WERE SPEAKING WITH STATE SENATOR JAMES SCOUFIS.

REPRESENTING THE 42ND STATE SENATE DISTRICT.

AND FOR MORE NY& EPISODES, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

NOW THAT WE'VE UNPACKED THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING IN ELECTIONS, IT'S TIME TO DIVE INTO THE PROCESS OF ACTUALLY CASTING YOUR BALLOT.

THIS INCLUDES ALL OF THE STEPS FROM REGISTERING TO VOTE, TO FINDING YOUR POLLING SITE AND FILLING OUT A BALLOT.

IN THIS NEXT SEGMENT, OUR ELISE KLINE TOOK A TRIP TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS TO WALK US THROUGH THE PREPARATION AND PROCESS OF CASTING A BALLOT.

HERE'S THAT STORY.

VOTING IN AN ELECTION, WHETHER IT'S STATE, LOCAL OR FEDERAL, MEANS YOU GET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS OF SELECTING LEADERS OR OFFICIALS THAT MAKE DECISIONS THAT IMPACT YOU.

SO TODAY WE'RE GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS OF HOW TO VOTE.

THE FIRST STEP TO VOTING IS REGISTERING, WHICH YOU CAN DO ONLINE WITH THE NEW YORK STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS OR IN PERSON.

TO REGISTER IN PERSON, YOU CAN EITHER GO TO YOUR LOCAL ELECTION OFFICE OR THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES.

WHEN I REGISTERED TO VOTE IN THE STATE, I DID IT AT THE DMV WHERE I ALSO GOT A NEW DRIVER'S LICENSE AND SAVED MYSELF A TRIP TO ANOTHER STATE BUILDING.

YOU CAN ALSO PRINT OUT THE NEW YORK STATE VOTER REGISTRATION FORM, FILL IT OUT, AND MAIL IT IN.

YOU JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION TO FILL OUT, ALL THE BLANKS APPROPRIATELY, BRING IDENTIFICATION WITH YOU TO REGISTER.

IF YOU DON'T, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO BRING ID THE FIRST TIME YOU SHOW UP TO VOTE IN PERSON.

THERE ARE DEADLINES TO REGISTER TO VOTE AHEAD OF ELECTIONS, WHICH CAN BE FOUND ON THE NEW YORK STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE.

TO VOTE, NEW YORKERS HAVE TO REGISTER 10 DAYS BEFORE ELECTION DAY.

ONCE YOU REGISTER TO VOTE, YOU ARE READY TO GO.

THE NEXT STEP IS FINDING YOUR LOCAL POLLING LOCATION, AND IF YOU'RE UNABLE TO GO TO THE POLLS IN YOUR DISTRICT FOR ELECTION DAY, YOU CAN VOTE BY MAIL.

TO VOTE BY MAIL, YOU SIMPLY FILL OUT A MAIL IN BALLOT APPLICATION WHICH YOU CAN DO ONLINE OR VIA MAIL.

FOR THOSE VOTING IN PERSON, YOU CAN FIND OUT WHERE THE CLOSEST LOCATION TO VOTE IS TO YOU ON THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE.

I SIMPLY TYPE IN MY INFORMATION ON VOTERLOOKUP.ELECTIONS.NY.GOV AND, POOF, THE WEBSITE GENERATES THE ALBANY PUBLIC LIBRARY WHERE I CAN VOTE ON ELECTION DAY.

BUT LET'S SAY I CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY.

I CAN ALSO VOTE EARLY, SO I SIMPLY CLICK ON THE EARLY VOTING PLACE BOX HERE AND IT SHOWS ME SEVERAL EARLY VOTING SITE LOCATIONS.

NOW THAT WE'VE REVIEWED WHERE TO GO, THE NEXT STEP IS USING THE VOTING MACHINES AT THE POLLS.

SINCE YOU'VE ALREADY REGISTERED TO VOTE AT THIS POINT, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO WHEN YOU WALK IN IS TELL THE POLL WORKER YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

THEY WILL HAND YOU YOUR BALLOT AND YOU TAKE IT INTO A PRIVATE VOTING BOOTH TO MAKE YOUR CHOICES.

SO WHEN YOU'VE MADE YOUR CHOICES AND YOU ARE READY TO OFFICIALLY SUBMIT YOUR VOTE, YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE YOUR BALLOT AND SUBMIT IT INTO A VOTING MACHINE LIKE THE ONE BEHIND ME, WHICH I'M GOING TO DEMONSTRATE RIGHT NOW.

I'M GOING TO TAKE MY BALLOT AND INSERT IT INTO THE MACHINE LIKE THIS.

I'M GOING TO LINE UP MY ARROWS HERE, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO DO THAT.

BUT JUST TO BE SAFE, LET'S MAKE SURE IT GOES IN CORRECTLY.

AND THE SCREEN SHOULD PULL UP THAT IT'S COUNTING MY BALLOT.

YOU SHOULD SEE ON THE SCREEN THAT YOUR BALLOT WAS INSERTED, LET'S JUST GIVE IT A SECOND.

THE SCREEN IS SHOWING ME THE NUMBER WENT UP COUNTING MY BALLOT SO I NOW KNOW I AM GOOD TO GO.

THE VOTING MACHINES AT THE POLLS SHOULD ACCEPT YOUR BALLOT WITH NO ISSUES.

BUT TO ENSURE THAT HAPPENS LET'S REVIEW A FEW COMMON ERRORS THAT COULD PREVENT YOUR BALLOT FROM PROPERLY BEING PROCESSED.

SO I HAVE WITH ME HERE AN IMPROPERLY FILLED OUT BALLOT WHICH MEANS THERE ARE MARKS STRAYING FAR OUTSIDE OF THE BUBBLE CIRCLES.

SO WE'RE GOING TO PUT THIS INTO THE VOTING MACHINE AND SHOW YOU WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SUBMIT A BALLOT THAT IS IMPROPERLY MARKED.

SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE BALLOT AND I'M GOING TO TRY AND PUT IT INTO THE MACHINE HERE AND IT'S GOING TO BRING UP AN ERROR AND IT'S GOING TO GIVE IT BACK TO ME.

SO IT'S TELLING ME THAT THERE ARE AMBIGUOUS MARKS WHICH MEANS THE VOTING MACHINE WILL NOT COUNT IT AND I NEED TO ASK MY POLL WORKER FOR A NEW BALLOT SINCE THE MARKS ARE NOT GOING TO BE COUNTED ON THIS BALLOT.

MCGRATH SAYS IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT VOTERS LOOK AT BOTH SIDES OF THE BALLOT AND ONLY FILL OUT THE NUMBER OF CANDIDATES ALLOWED PER RACE.

IF YOU CHOOSE TWO FOR PRESIDENT, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS IS AN OVERVOTE AND THE MACHINE WILL NOT COUNT YOUR BALLOT.

FOR NEW YORKERS WHO NEED ACCOMMODATION FOR DISABILITIES OR LANGUAGE, THERE ARE OPTIONS.

ALL POLL SITES HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A BALLOT MARKING DEVICE, A BMD, WHICH ANY VOTER IS ENTITLED TO USE IF THEY REQUEST IT.

THAT MAY ASSIST SOMEONE WITH ACCESSIBLE VOTING.

IN TERMS OF LANGUAGE ACCESS, IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE STATE THERE ARE MULTILINGUAL BALLOTS AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, KOREAN, CHINESE AND BENGALI, AND THAT'S BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF VOTERS THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA SPEAKING THAT LANGUAGE.

ALSO IN NEW YORK CITY, WE ALSO HAVE INTERPRETERS AT THE POLLS AS WELL TO HELP FOLKS.

CURRENTLY, SPANISH, CHINESE, KOREAN AND BENGALI ARE OFFERED IN ABOUT A HANDFUL OF COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE, PRIMARILY IN THE BOROUGHS OF NEW YORK CITY.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT MULTILINGUAL BALLOTS, YOU CAN CONTACT YOUR LOCAL COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT CASTING YOUR BALLOT EARLY OR ON ELECTION DAY, DON'T BE AFRAID TO TALK TO YOUR LOCAL POLL WORKER AND MAKE SURE YOU GRAB AN "I VOTED" STICKER ON THE WAY OUT.

THAT'S PERSONALLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF THE PROCESS.

ELISE KLINE, NEW YORK NOW.

AND FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THAT RULING, YOU CAN SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER BY GOING TO NEWSLETTER.NYNOW.ORG OR BY SCANNING THE QR CODE ON YOUR SCREEN.

NEXT WEEK ON THE SHOW, WE'LL BE BRINGING YOU IN DEPTH COVERAGE AND ANALYSIS OF ELECTION DAY RESULTS.

YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS IT.

WELL THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF NEW YORK NOW.

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

[ THEME MUSIC ] ANNOUNCER: FUNDING FOR "NEW YORK NOW" IS PROVIDED BY WNET.