[MUSIC] ON THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW," WE CONTINUE OUR COVERAGE OF NEW YORK'S INFLUX OF ASYLUM SEEKERS, WITH A PERSPECTIVE FROM UPSTATE NEW YORK WHERE MORE MIGRANTS ARE BEING RELOCATED.

AND LATER, HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW NEW YORK'S ELECTIONS SYSTEM?

WE'LL TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE WITH A NEW INSTALLMENT OF "NEW YORK AND."

I'M DAN CLARK AND THIS IS "NEW YORK NOW."

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

I'M DAN CLARK.

IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS WE'VE TRIED TO BRING YOU A FEW DIFFERENT VIEWS ON NEW YORK'S INFLUX OF ASYLUM SEEKERS.

AND MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS SITUATION IS COMPLEX, AND IT'S NOT GOING AWAY ANYTIME SOON.

IT'S ESTIMATED THAT AS MANY AS 100,000 PEOPLE SEEKING ASYLUM HAVE NOW ARRIVED IN NEW YORK.

MOST OF THEM ARE IN NEW YORK CITY BUT A VERY SMALL FRACTION HAVE BEEN RELOCATED UPSTATE, WITH MORE EXPECTED TO LEAVE THE FIVE BOROUGHS AS THE CRISIS CONTINUES.

BUT THIS SITUATION HAS HIGHLIGHTED AN IDEOLOGICAL DIVIDE IN NEW YORK AT A TIME WHEN POLITICAL TENSIONS ARE HIGH AHEAD OF NEXT YEAR'S MIDTERM ELECTIONS.

AND POLITICS, AS WE'VE TOLD YOU, IS VERY MUCH AT PLAY HERE.

SOME UPSTATE OFFICIALS -- NOT ALL -- HAVE BEEN RESISTANT TO THE ASYLUM SEEKERS SAYING THIS SHOULD BE HANDLED BY DEMOCRATS IN NEW YORK CITY, WHO'VE TOUTED THEIR WILLINGNESS TO WELCOME MIGRANTS IN THE PAST.

BUT NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ERIC ADAMS SAYS ALL OF NEW YORK SHOULD BE HELPING WITH THE CRISIS WHICH HE SAYS COULD COST THE CITY $12 BILLION BY SUMMER 2025.

THAT'S $12 BILLION.

THAT HAS TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE.

EVERY SERVICE IN THIS CITY -- WHEN WE WERE AT $4 BILLION I STATED THAT EVERY SERVICE IN THIS CITY WILL BE IMPACTED.

SO IMAGINE WHEN WE HAVE $12 BILLION.

EVERY SERVICE IN THIS CITY IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED.

AND IT'S NOT JUST THE CITY.

I ASKED GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL THIS WEEK HOW THAT COST COULD AFFECT THE STATE'S FINANCES AS SHE PREPARES A STATE BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR JANUARY.

HERE'S WHAT SHE SAID.

WE ARE GONNA BE HELPING THE MAYOR, WITHOUT A DOUBT, AND THAT'S WHY THE CONVERSATIONS ARE STARTING NOW ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA NEED NEXT YEAR AS WELL, SO....

SO THAT IS A VERY HIGH NUMBER.

IT MAY BE LESS THAN THAT ULTIMATELY, BUT I KNOW THE STATE IS GOING TO CONTINUE HELPING THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK WITH THE UNPRECEDENTED HUMANITARIAN CRISIS TO MAKE SURE THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE TREATED WITH THE DIGNITY AND RESPECT THEY DESERVE.

AND PART OF THAT COST SHIFT COULD COME WITH RELOCATING MORE ASYLUM SEEKERS TO OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE, WHICH UPSTATE OFFICIALS ARE MIXED ON.

BUT THEY ALSO SAY THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE PLANNING AND COORDINATION WITH CITY OFFICIALS.

AND THAT HASN'T ALWAYS HAPPENED.

WHILE OFFICIALS IN ROCHESTER GOT A HEADS-UP THIS WEEK BEFORE 77 ASYLUM SEEKERS WERE SENT THERE AND WELCOMED THOSE MIGRANTS, A RECENT SITUATION IN SCHENECTADY COUNTY PLAYED OUT DIFFERENTLY.

THAT'S WHERE, IN JULY, A SUPER8 MOTEL EVICTED ALL OF ITS GUESTS, INCLUDING LONGTERM RESIDENTS, TO MAKE ROOM FOR A GROUP OF ASYLUM SEEKERS.

AND IN THAT SITUATION NO ONE SAYS THEY WERE GIVEN NOTICE FROM THE NEW YORK CITY MAYOR'S OFFICE, WHICH CREATED A LOT OF CONFUSION AND LEFT SOME PEOPLE WITHOUT A HOME.

SO NOW WHILE THIS SITUATION CONTINUES TO EVOLVE SOME STATE LAWMAKERS SAY THERE NEEDS TO BE A FIX.

THAT INCLUDES ASSEMBLYMEMBER ANGELO SANTABARBARA, A DEMOCRAT WHO REPRESENTS THE CITY OF ROTTERDAM.

HE'S SPONSORING A BILL THAT HE SAYS WOULD PREVENT A REPEAT OF WHAT HAPPENED IN HIS DISTRICT AS MORE ASYLUM SEEKERS MAKE THEIR WAY UPSTATE.

WE SAT DOWN THIS WEEK TO DISCUSS THE BILL AND HOW THIS CRISIS HAS PLAYED OUT.

ASSEMBLYMEMBER SANTABARBARA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS, DAN.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON THE SHOW.

GOOD TO BE BACK.

OF COURSE, ANYTIME.

SO THIS IS A NEW BILL.

IT HAS A FEW PARTS TO IT.

WANT TO GO OVER THE BILL UNWRAP WHAT'S INSIDE OF IT, WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF IT WOULD BE THE FIRST IS ABOUT COMMUNICATION.

I THINK THIS IS KEY TO THE ENTIRE SITUATION WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO OVER THE PAST YEAR.

WHEN THE ASYLUM SEEKERS CAME TO NEW YORK CITY, THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION FROM THE GOVERNOR OF TEXAS, SENDING THE MIGRANTS TO NEW YORK CITY ORIGINALLY.

THIS IS A BILL THAT YOU'RE SAYING THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE COMMUNICATION COMING OUT OF NEW YORK CITY TO UPSTATE COMMUNITIES OR IN LONG ISLAND WHERE THESE MIGRANTS WOULD BE GOING.

TELL ME HOW THAT WOULD WORK AND WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN TERMS OF MORE COMMUNICATION THERE.

ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU SAID IS RIGHT, THERE WERE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE OTHER STATES, LACK OF COMMUNICATION FROM OTHER STATES, THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, AND UNFORTUNATELY WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT MAYOR ADAMS IS ENGAGING IN THAT SAME TYPE OF BEHAVIOR.

AND THE MOST RECENT SITUATION IS WHAT HAPPENED AT THE SUPER8 MOTEL IN ROTTERDAM WHERE WE RECEIVED ZERO COMMUNICATION.

ZERO COORDINATION.

WE WERE JUST AS SURPRISED AS EVERYONE ELSE, LEFT TO DISCOVER WHAT HAPPENED, ONLY AFTER IT HAPPENED.

PEOPLE THAT WERE THROWN OUT OF THE SUPER8, WITH AN HOUR'S NOTICE, JUST ESSENTIALLY EVICTED THAT DAY, TOLD TO GATHER THEIR BELONGINGS AND LEAVE.

THEY WEREN'T TOLD WHY.

SOME OF THEM THOUGHT THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY OF SOME SORT.

SO WHAT THIS BILL DOES IS THIS BILL'S GOING TO REQUIRE THAT ADVANCED NOTICE, IF YOU ARE MOVING INDIVIDUALS, 30-DAY NOTICE TO LET THE RECEIVING COUNTY KNOW THAT, HEY, WE'RE PLANNING TO DO THIS SO THAT IT'S NOT A SECRETIVE PROCESS, WHICH FOR GOVERNMENT TO OPERATE IN SECRET LIKE THIS, IT'S JUST UNACCEPTABLE.

IT'S NOT GOOD FOR ANYBODY, IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION, IF THEY'RE NOT PREPARED TO TAKE THESE MIGRANTS AT THE LOCATION, THEN FOR, ONE, IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE ASYLUM SEEKERS BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING SENT AROUND.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AND FOR THE LOCALITY, I ASSUME IT'S FRUSTRATING NOT TO GET THAT HEADS-UP.

IN THE ROTTERDAM SITUATION, I'M CURIOUS, HOW DID YOU FIND OUT, IF YOU WEREN'T GIVEN A HEADS-UP BY THE MAYOR?

WE STARTED TO GET PHONE CALLS AT OUR OFFICE ASKING WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE.

SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT THE BUILDING WAS BEING CONDEMNED, SHUT DOWN.

WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHO WAS ON THE BUSES AT THAT POINT, BUT THEN WE WERE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING, AND THEN WE RECEIVED NEWS OF PEOPLE BEING FORCED OUT OF THEIR HOME, WHICH, LOOK, THERE'S A WHOLE OTHER DISCUSSION GOING ON WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE WHICH I THINK AMOUNTS TO ILLEGAL EVICTIONS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HOPEFULLY WILL BE LOOKING INTO THAT.

THIS BILL WILL REQUIRE THAT YOU REPORT THIS INFORMATION AND PROVIDE SOME RELEVANT INFORMATION THAT CAN HELP COUNTIES MAKE A DETERMINATION, FOR STARTERS, HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE COMING.

THIS NUMBER, IN ROTTERDAM, KEPT CHANGING.

AND IT'S STILL CHANGING, AND IT IS CHAOTIC.

IT'S UNFAIR, AND IT DOESN'T BENEFIT ANY PARTY INVOLVED.

IT REALLY ENDS UP HURTING EVERYBODY.

IT'S JUST NOT A GOOD SITUATION THAT'S GOING TO LEAD TO A POSITIVE OUTCOME.

MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY, I WROTE HIM A LETTER.

I EXPLAINED TO HIM.

I EXPLAINED TO MAYOR ADAMS, THIS IS IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR.

THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR HAS TO STOP.

NOT TO TAKE AWAY MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT HAPPENED AT THE SUPER8 IN ROTTERDAM.

PEOPLE GOT THROWN OUT.

THE MOTEL OWNER, AS WE DISCUSSED BEFORE THE SHOW STARTED, THEY BEAR RESPONSIBILITY HERE.

THEY WENT THROUGH AND THEY ACTUALLY THREW PEOPLE OUT.

THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY CONTINUING THIS BEHAVIOR THAT IS HURTING COMMUNITIES.

IT'S HURTING THE INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO HELP.

SO IT'S NOT A GOOD SITUATION.

SO THE AG REALLY NEEDS TO GET BEHIND THIS.

THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THIS, TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED HERE.

YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WROTE THE NEW YORK CITY MAYOR AFTER THIS HAPPENED.

HAVE YOU HEARD BACK?

I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.

THAT'S THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT THERE WAS NO ADVANCED NOTICE.

I DID WRITE A LETTER.

I DON'T HAVE A RESPONSE, WHICH WHAT CONCLUSION CAN I COME TO BESIDES THE FACT THAT YOU'RE JUST GOING TO CONTINUE THIS.

YOU DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR UPSTATE COMMUNITIES.

YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF OUR CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE.

WE HAVE POSITIVITY, WE HAVE PEOPLE WITH PERSONAL HARDSHIPS.

WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE, AS I SAID, PLACED THERE BY SOCIAL SERVICES FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REASONS.

THEY COULD BE CRIME VICTIMS.

THEY COULD BE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

IT COULD BE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REASONS.

I THINK THE ATTORNEY GENERAL REALLY SHOULD GO FORWARD WITH THIS AND FIND OUT WHO IS RESPONSIBLE.

WE NEED TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE THIS SITUATION COULD EASILY REPEAT ITSELF AND IT COULD BE MORE INDIVIDUALS NEXT TIME AROUND.

ANOTHER BILL COULD REQUIRE THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY, OR IF THIS WAS ANOTHER SITUATION WHERE ANOTHER MAYOR WAS RELOCATING ASYLUM SEEKERS ACROSS THE STATE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO FILE MONTHLY REPORTS ON WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE, HOW MANY PEOPLE, WHERE HAVE THEY GONE, EVERYTHING, BASICALLY TRACKING ALL THIS INFORMATION AND KEEPING IT IN ONE PLACE, AND MAKING IT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

WHAT'S THE BENEFIT OF THOSE REPORTS?

WHY WOULD YOU WANT THOSE?

I THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE BILL.

THIS BILL IS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.

THIS BILL IS ABOUT LETTING EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT INFORMATION IS OUT THERE, WHAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.

I THINK IT'S ALL HELPFUL INFORMATION.

THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CATEGORIES IN THESE MONTHLY REPORTS.

TO HAVE AN IDEA, HOW MANY CHILDREN ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NOW, IN ROTTERDAM, IS ASKING QUESTIONS.

THERE'S A HUNDRED KIDS COMING INTO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, OR WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT.

HOW CAN WE PREPARE?

SEPTEMBER'S ALMOST HERE.

I UNDERSTAND THERE WERE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE PREGNANT.

THERE WERE PREGNANT WOMEN.

SO THE MEDICAL NEED.

MEDICAL -- OUR EMS CONTACTED ME.

THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE PREPARED.

ONE SOURCE WE DIDN'T HEAR INFORMATION FROM, THAT WAS THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY.

WE DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING FROM THEM.

BUT WE HEARD EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON AFTER THE FACT FROM EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S NOT THE WAY THIS IS SUPPOSED TO WORK.

I SHOULD CLARIFY THAT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE KICKED OUT OF THE MOTEL, THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY THE NEW YORK CITY MAYOR'S DECISION, IT WAS THE DECISION BY THE SUPER8 MOTEL MANAGEMENT, THEIR OWNER, PRESUMABLY BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO GET FUNDING FROM THE NEW YORK CITY MAYOR'S OFFICE THAT MIGHT HAVE PROVIDED MORE STABILITY OR MAYBE MORE REVENUE FOR THEM.

WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHY.

WHY NOT HAVE ANY PART OF THE BILL TARGET THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR AGAINST BUSINESS OWNERS LIKE THAT KICKING THESE PEOPLE OUT?

THIS BILL IS A TRANSPARENCY BILL, A GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY BILL.

AND I THINK THE COMMUNICATION PART, IF THIS BILL WERE IN PLACE, THAT ADVANCED COMMUNICATION MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED THAT FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE.

WE COULD HAVE KNOWN.

AND MAYBE COULD HAVE PREVENTED ALL THIS.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, THE MOTEL OWNER DOES BEAR RESPONSIBILITY HERE.

PERHAPS THAT IS A SEPARATE BILL THAT COULD BE FORTHCOMING, AND I THINK IT MAY BE NEEDED AT SOME POINT.

I KNOW SCHENECTADY COUNTY DID PASS A RESOLUTION THAT TALKED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS WELL.

AND THERE MAY BE -- THIS IS WHERE THE AG'S INVESTIGATION COMES IN.

AND I THINK IF THIS INVESTIGATION GOES FORWARD -- AND I HOPE THAT IT WILL -- WE MAY GET SOME MORE INSIGHT ON WHAT EXACTLY CAN BE DONE LEGISLATIVELY, OR IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S IN PLACE ALREADY THAT HOLDS INDIVIDUALS LIKE THIS RESPONSIBLE.

THERE MAY BE SOMETHING ON THE BOOKS ALREADY, BUT UNTIL WE HAVE THIS INVESTIGATION COMPLETED, WE PROBABLY WON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.

BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I THINK THAT GETTING THIS BILL IN PLACE WILL PROBABLY PREVENT THE SITUATION IN THE FUTURE.

THE LEGISLATURE IS OUT OF SESSION UNTIL JANUARY, UNLESS YOU COME BACK BEFORE JANUARY, WHICH I THINK MAY BE IN THE CARDS ANYWAY BECAUSE OF OTHER SITUATIONS LIKE THE GAMING COMPACT, A LOT OF THINGS UP IN THE AIR.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE WHAT THE SUPPORT MIGHT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THIS WHEN IT COMES UP IN JANUARY?

BASED ON WHAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR -- I'VE TALKED TO MY COLLEAGUES.

I'M INTERESTED IN GARNERING AS MUCH SUPPORT AS I CAN BECAUSE I DO HAVE A SENATE SPONSOR AT THIS POINT.

I HAVE IT PLACED IN BOTH HOUSES.

I AM TALKING TO FELLOW LEGISLATORS.

EVERYONE SEEMS VERY SUPPORTIVE.

THERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS.

SO YOU MAY SEE SOME CHANGES TO THE BILL.

SOME AMENDMENTS.

USUALLY HAPPENS.

ALMOST ALWAYS THERE'S SOME CHANGES.

BUT I'M GATHERING THOSE THOUGHTS AHEAD OF TIME SO THAT IF THERE ARE SOME CHANGES THAT I HAVE TO MAKE, SOME MINOR CHANGES, WE CAN DO THAT BECAUSE WE WANT TO HAVE FULL SUPPORT.

I AM HEARING THE SAME THING YOU'RE HEARING THAT THERE'S A GOOD POSSIBILITY WE'LL GO BACK BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

I KNOW THERE'S OTHER BILLS OUT THERE THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

SO I WANT THIS BILL TO BE READY.

I THINK IT MAKES SENSE.

IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE GOOD GOVERNMENT BILLS THAT SAYS, HEY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, YOU'VE GOT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S TOO MUCH TO ASK.

NOT TO HEAR FROM MAYOR ADAMS AT THIS POINT -- IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME NOW.

I DID TALK TO MY CONGRESSMAN, WHO REPRESENTS THE AREA, WHO HAS ALSO BEEN TRYING TO REACH MAYOR ADAMS.

HE SAID THE SAME THING.

IT'S BEEN COMPLETE SILENCE.

WE HAVEN'T HEARD BACK.

I THINK TO CHANGE COURSE HERE, CEASE THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR, AND COME UP WITH A NEW WAY THAT'S MORE, A BETTER STRATEGY, THAT'S COORDINATED, IS THE WAY TO GO.

FOR THE MOTEL OWNER, I WROTE HIM A LETTER AS WELL.

I WROTE THE COMPANY THAT OWNS IT A LETTER AS WELL.

AND I ASKED THEM, YOU NEED TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION HERE.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO FIX THIS, IS WHAT MY LETTER SAYS.

YOU CAN'T JUST WALK AWAY HERE.

YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY.

YOU WERE PART OF THIS.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO CHANGE YOUR PRACTICES GOING FORWARD BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY AND BE PART OF THE SOLUTION, AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO HELP THE INDIVIDUAL THAT GOT THROWN OUT?

THIS IS CLEARLY A SITUATION THAT IS NOT GOING AWAY, AT LEAST NOT ANYTIME SOON.

THESE PEOPLE ARE COMING HERE TO SEEK ASYLUM, THAT'S NOT A PROCESS THAT'S DONE IN TWO MONTHS.

IT'S USUALLY SOMETHING THAT IS MORE THAN A YEAR, MAYBE UP TO TWO YEARS, OR MORE AT SOME DIFFERENT POINTS.

DO YOU THINK THAT THE STATE SHOULD TRY TO STEP IN AND PLAY A LARGER ROLE IN CONNECTING THESE TYPES OF THINGS?

THE GOVERNOR AND THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY HAVE A PRETTY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP, DO YOU THINK THAT SHE SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT?

YES, CERTAINLY THE STATE HAS A ROLE.

BUT REALLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO STEP IN HERE.

I'VE WRITTEN LETTERS TO ALL OF OUR FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES, AND THEY REALLY NEED TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS SITUATION AND ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES THAT PROMOTE GOOD GOVERNMENT.

THAT PROMOTE THE COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION.

THEY NEED TO DO THAT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

BUT THEY ALSO NEED TO ADDRESS THE MIGRANT ISSUE.

IT IS A FEDERAL ISSUE, AT THE END OF THE DAY.

THE STATES ARE BEING FORCED TO DEAL WITH THIS JUST AS THE TOWN OF ROTTERDAM THIS SITUATION WAS FORCED ON US.

IT WAS FORCED ON THE STATE.

I KNOW IT'S THE TOWN OF ROTTERDAM BUT YOU REPRESENT THE TOWN OF ROTTERDAM AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

THEY ALL NEED TO BE INVOLVED AND BE A PART OF THIS SOLUTION.

THEY ALSO NEED TO BE CONTACTING THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, SAYING, HEY, WE CAN'T HAVE THIS.

THIS IS A SITUATION WE CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE GETTING THROWN OUT ONTO THE STREET THAT HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CHALLENGES THEMSELVES.

WHAT CAN BE DONE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, A LOT MORE CAN BE DONE.

SO, HENCE, THE NEED FOR THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THIS SITUATION, WHAT HAPPENED IN ROTTERDAM, WHAT ELSE CAN HAPPEN?

THE NEXT TIME THIS HAPPENS, COULD IT BE MORE PEOPLE, COULD IT HARM MORE INDIVIDUALS?

THE ANSWER IS, IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, IT'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT IT WILL.

SO YOU JUST CAN'T SIT AROUND AND WAIT FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.

YOU HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE AT THIS POINT AND PUT A STOP TO THESE PRACTICES, THESE IRRESPONSIBLE PRACTICE THAT THE MAYOR AND NEW YORK CITY IS ENGAGING IN, AND PUT AN END TO THAT AND GET INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSION ON GOING FORWARD HOW IS THIS GOING TO WORK.

I DON'T KNOW WHEN THIS BILL IS GOING TO PASS.

HOPEFULLY I SAID MAYBE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, WHAT ELSE COULD HAPPEN?

A LOT COULD HAPPEN.

HENCE, WE NEED FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES TO GET INVOLVED IN THE SITUATION AND DEAL WITH WHAT IS A FEDERAL ISSUE.

THIS IS A BILL WE'LL DEFINITELY BE WATCHING.

ASSEMBLYMEMBER SANTABARBARA, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, DAN, FOR HAVING ME ON THE SHOW.

AS WE SAID THERE, THE STATE LEGISLATURE ISN'T COMING BACK TO ALBANY ANYTIME SOON.

WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THEY DO AND KEEP YOU UPDATED AS THIS SITUATION EVOLVES.

BUT TURNING NOW TO OUR CIVICS SERIES "NEW YORK AND."

DO YOU REMEMBER LAST YEAR WHEN WE HAD AN ELECTION RIGHT AROUND THIS TIME?

IF YOU SAID NO, YOU'RE NOT ALONE.

IT WAS A PRIMARY ELECTION SO SOME AREAS DIDN'T HAVE AN ELECTION THAT DAY.

BUT DATA FROM THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHOWS THAT WHERE THERE WAS AN ELECTION, TURNOUT WAS LOW.

AND THAT'S NOT UNCOMMON, THOUGH WE'VE SEEN SOME OUTLIERS IN THE PAST FEW ELECTION CYCLES.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS WHY SOMEONE MIGHT NOT VOTE FROM A LACK OF MOTIVATION TO FORGETTING TO REGISTER OR NOT KNOWING THERE'S AN ELECTION AT ALL.

SO IN THIS INSTALLMENT OF "NEW YORK AND," WE'RE GONNA LAY OUT NEW YORK'S ENTIRE ELECTION SYSTEM AND WHY YOU SHOULD FEEL CONFIDENT IN YOUR VOTE.

WELCOME TO "NEW YORK AND" VOTING.

I'M YOUR HOST, DAN CLARK.

WITH THIS SHOW, WE'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN THE IMPACT THAT LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT HAS ON PEOPLE'S LIVES, WHILE ALSO ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO BE CIVICALLY ENGAGED AND ACTIVE.

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.

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 STATEWIDE VOTER TURNOUT IS UNDERWHELMING WITH THE 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 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 THAT 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 DONATING TO CANDIDATES AND 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 PER 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 FIVE AND $250 WITH CERTAIN STIPULATIONS.

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

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 TO JENNIFER WILSON FROM THE NEW YORK STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SO SHE COULD TELL US THE WAYS THAT 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 TEN DAYS BEFORE AN ELECTION.

THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT CAN HELP BOOST TURNOUT.

AND WE'LL SOON BE IMPLEMENTING AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION HERE IN NEW YORK STATE, AND THAT'S 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 OVERTIME.

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.

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.

THOUGH ILLEGAL, 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 IT'S PRACTICALLY ALWAYS CAUGHT.

HERE'S JENNIFER WILSON'S TAKE ON IT.

OUR STATE, AND MOST STATES, HAVE CHECKS AND BALANCES IN PLACE.

WHEN INSTANCES OF FRAUD DO OCCUR, THEY'RE 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.

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

TO HELP EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT 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 A TOTAL TABULATED VOTE COUNT.

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

BUT WHAT IF THE MACHINE 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 1 MILLION BALLOTS CORRECTLY.

ANY MISTAKE IN THAT CHAIN OF 1 MILLION MEANS THAT THE MACHINE WILL NOT BE USED.

BUT EVEN WITH A USE OF EXTREME ACCURATE MACHINES, AN AUDIT IS STILL PERFORMED AFTER THE ELECTION WHERE COUNTIES CHOOSE 3% 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.

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 THOSE THINGS THAT AFFECT PEOPLE.

NOW, IF THE YOUNGER PEOPLE HAD HIGHER VOTER PARTICIPATION, DON'T YOU THINK THAT THOSE CANDIDATES, 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 YOUR 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 YOU CAN FIND MORE FROM OUR CIVICS SERIES ON OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S ALSO WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE COVERAGE FROM US.

ALL THAT AND MORE IS AT NYNOW.ORG.

THAT DOES IT FOR THIS WEEK.

THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS WEEK'S "NEW YORK NOW."

HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND BE WELL.

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