WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES JULY 29, 2021 17
NYC’s #1 Source for Political & Election News
Cuomo signs Queens senator’s absentee voting reform bill
BY JULIA MORO
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
Governor Andrew Cuomo on July
16 signed legislation sponsored
by a Queens senator that would
make voting by absentee ballot easier.
State Senator Michael Gianaris sponsored
the bill in order to ensure more
absentee ballots are valid and counted.
“At a time when voting rights are under
attack in other states, New York is
doing the right thing by making it easier
to vote, not harder,” Gianaris said.
“I am grateful the legislature passed
my bill with Assembly member Bichotte
Hermelyn to ensure more valid votes are
counted and am pleased it is being signed
into law today,” Gianaris said.
Gianaris’ legislation temporarily eliminates
the need to request an absentee
ballot by a signed application. It will also
deem absentee ballots with a postmark up
to and including the deadline countable.
Federal write-in absentee ballots,
military ballots, special presidential
ballots and special federal ballots
received aft er Election Day have to
contain a postmark, cancellation mark
or witness dated Election Day or earlier.
State Senator Joseph Addabbo also
supported the bill, saying it would ensure
absentee ballots be counted more
consistently with other votes on Election
Day.
“I supported this bill to increase the
accessibility for registered voters to
cast their vote, while still protecting
the integrity of the voting process,”
Addabbo said. “This bill takes a positive
step towards ensuring all valid votes
are counted.”
During the 2020 elections, absentee
ballots were largely questioned by former
President Donald Trump, claiming
the process was oft en fraudulent, but
none of those claims were substantiated
with any evidence. The former president
voted by mail himself in a Florida
primary last year, despite casting doubt
on the process, according to NPR.
According to a Pew Research Center
poll, voting by mail is popular — and
has become more common since the
COVID-19 pandemic began — with 70
percent of Americans favoring the
Courtesy of Gianaris’ offi ce practice.
Williams critical of Redistricing Commission in Queens hearing
BY ARIEL PACHECO
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams
was joined by a panel of
experts today to discuss the New
York State Independent Redistricting
Commission (IRC), which will be used
for the fi rst time in the state’s history
to redraw lines for elected offi ces.
The Commission held its first of
several public hearings today which
focused on Queens County.
Williams began by criticizing
Governor Cuomo for not doing a good
enough job in helping the IRC prepare
for the long process ahead.
“Given the time-sensitive nature of
the redistricting process, it’s really
unacceptable that state funding was
not dispersed to the Independent
Redistricting Commission until very
recently,” said Williams.
“To be clear, the governor should
have taken much more steps than he
did to ensure the IRC was able to have
the necessary time and the funds to
hire staff and conduct public outreach.
Because the governor failed to do so,
the IRC is now working on a very compressed
timeline,” Williams continued.
Williams also said he is using his
role in offi ce to make the public aware
of the upcoming hearings, so they can
have a say in how the lines are drawn.
“We are trying very hard to sound
the alarm, we’re trying to be a place
where people can come together to get
information and also be a connector
for folks,” said Williams.
Today’s public hearing was the
first opportunity for concerned
citizens to give the Commission input
before they begin to redraw lines.
They will begin to redraw lines aft er
the Census releases its date on Aug.
16 and the initial district maps will
be released to the public on Sept. 15
for review.
The Commission will then hold a
series of hearings where residents are
allowed to testify and comment on the
redrawn lines. The fi nal district maps
will then be voted on and certifi ed by
the Commission and presented to the
state legislature.
“This is the fi rst time that every day
New Yorkers will be able to provide
input on the lines. I think I speak for
all the commissioners when I say we
intend to make the most of it,” said
IRC Chair David Imamura during the
Queens hearing.
The IRC listened to over 100 residents
and advocates during the hearing.
Participants were allowed up to
three minutes of speaking time, with
many showing their own maps and
district line ideas. Written comments
were also allowed as well.
Many who spoke were advocating
for lines that would allow the voices
of their community to be more heard.
There were a lot of mentions of Richmond
Hill, Ozone Park, South Ozone,
East Elmhurst, and Corona and how
the lines split the South Asian and Indo
Caribbean communities in these areas.
They also spoke as to how the current
lines divide Queens and make it harder
for people to have their voice heard.
“These gerrymandered districts
seek to quell the voices of our city,”
said Paperboy Prince, a former candidate
for mayor.
Martha Ayon of New Reformers said,
“In Queens, crossing the street leads to
diff erent electoral representation.”
Danielle Brecker of Empire State
Indivisible shared the sentiment.
“The lines appear arbitrary and do not
refl ect neighborhood and community
borders because they are likely in the
palace for political reasons.”
The redistricting process infl uences
where the lines are drawn and can
have implications when it comes to
how communities are served.
In the past, the redistricting process
has been a very political process,
as politicians have tried to get lines
drawn in ways they felt would favor
them in elections. The creation of IRC
is intended to serve the best interests
of the residents fi rst.
More information can be found at
www.nyirc.gov.
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
(Screenshot by Ariel Pacheco)
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