WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES OCTOBER 19, 2017 13
LETTERS AND COMMENTS OP-ED
Constitutional convention will help expand voter participation
BY RACHEL BLOOM
When looking at the extremely
low voter turnout
for New York City’s recent
primary election, one wouldn’t know
that city residents were deciding who
would run for mayor this year. It is
clear that New York needs to do more
to encourage voter participation and
competitive elections.
While the need is evident, what is
lacking is the political will to change
the status quo and breathe new life into
our politics. That’s why this November,
New Yorkers must take control
themselves and vote to hold a state
constitutional convention to introduce
much-needed reforms that make
it easier to vote, reduce the power of
incumbents and level the playing fi eld.
In this year’s primary, just 14 percent
of New York City’s eligible voters turned
out to vote. Dismal, yes, and sadly on
trend with previous years. In 2016, 8
percent of eligible city voters voted in
June’s federal primaries and 10 percent
voted in September’s state and local
primaries.
What’s behind these low numbers?
First and foremost are diffi culties New
Yorkers have getting to the ballot. New
York has no early voting and no Election
Day registration, and the state limits
access to absentee ballots, which means
that all voting must happen in person,
on a work day.
Laws governing voting in primaries
are even more restrictive. Not only
does a voter need to be registered with
a political party before being able to
vote, but New York also doesn’t allow
citizens to register or switch parties on
Election Day. And the cut-off deadlines
to do so are absurdly early. First-time
voters must register with a party 25
days before the election. Those who
want to switch their affi liation must do
so 25 days before the general election of
the year before the primary they plan to
vote in, by far the longest deadline in the
entire country. (Some New Yorkers may
remember that this is also why Donald
Trump’s children were unable to vote
for him in our state’s primary.) These
rules mean that new voters this year or
those who want to change their party
for next year was Oct. 13.
With voting so diffi cult, it’s also no
surprise that voters don’t care to turn out,
especially when most elections are noncompetitive
and feature an incumbent
heavily favored to win. Perhaps that’s
why city voters didn’t show up yesterday.
With a decision between an incumbent
mayor with low approval ratings and a
longshot challenger, why even bother to
make time to go a polling station?
Voters see the same names, faces
and ideas year after year, in part
because elections in New York have
become a race for dollars. Rules that
treat limited liability corporations as
individuals allow special interests and
wealthy donors to pour money into
elections, making the cost of mounting
a campaign exceedingly expensive and
discourage anyone but an incumbent.
Public financing of elections, like
we have in New York City to great
acclaim, would also benefi t fi rst-time
candidates, but there isn’t a statewide
system, meaning that many would-be
challengers are shut out.
Several commonsense proposals
would energize our politics and allow
new faces in the room — enacting
term limits, allowing early voting and
lowering maximum campaign contributions
are just a few reforms that
New York needs. Despite these obvious
solutions, legislators have been unwilling
to enact any changes. Perhaps not
surprising when the current system
makes it easier for those in power to
stay in power.
For the fi rst time in 20 years, these
solutions can be created outside of the
legislative process and passed without
the interference of legislators. New
Yorkers must seize the once-in-a-generation
opportunity provided by the
constitutional convention and pass
these much-needed reforms that will
make our elections more dynamic and
include more voices in the process.
With Albany unwilling to act,
change must come another way, and
that way is a constitutional convention.
New Yorkers must vote yes on Nov. 7 to
fi x our broken democracy.
Rachel Bloom is the Director of Public
Policy & Programs for Citizens Union.
EVERYONE MUST
CONFRONT CLIMATE
CHANGE
Climate change is one of the single
biggest threats to our environment,
our public health and our economy.
Global climate change occurs as a result
of the excessive use of fossil fuels.
The release of carbon and methane
emissions into the atmosphere is accelerating
climate change; as a result,
extreme weather is taking place as
well as a rise in sea levels.
To put it bluntly, most people
wouldn’t care, but they will once they
realize how this aff ects their lives.
For example, one eff ect of the rise in
temperatures is the development of
storms. Wasn’t the United States just
hit by a consecutive line of relatively
strong hurricanes?
I join the New York Public Interest
Research Group (NYPIRG) in calling
on all state and local elected offi cials
to say no to the oil and gas industry. By
denying the oil and gas giants the right
to set up a foundation in New York State,
you are in essence benefi tting yourself.
By halting the basis of climate change,
this improves both the economy and
security of the natural environment.
Jason Lam, Queens
BREAST CANCER
SCREENINGS SAVE
LIVES
In recognition of Breast Cancer
Awareness Month, the Cancer
Services Program (CSP) of Queens
would like to take this opportunity
to remind your readers about the
importance of getting screened
for breast cancer.
With regular screening, breast
cancer is more likely to be detected
at an earlier stage when
treatment may be most successful.
Simply stated, early detection can
save lives and regular screening
is the key to early detection.
The United States Preventive
Task Force Services recommends
women ages 50 to 74 years who are
at average risk for breast cancer
be screened with a mammogram
every two years. However, according
to data from the state Department
of Health, there are populations
of women who are less likely
to have received a mammogram as
recommended. These women are
the uninsured and those without
a regular health care provider.
We help eligible, uninsured
women get free mammograms,
and we are here to encourage
every woman to get their
mammogram.
If any woman needs help, call
us at 718-670-1561.
Jacqueline Xouris, Clinical
Director CSP of Queens
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A LOOK BACK
It’s only fi tting, it seems, that this picture
of Trotting Course Lane in Glendale taken
in 1911 shows a horse-drawn buggy in the
background heading toward the railroad
crossing. Trotting Course Lane was once
one of Queens’ earliest and most important
roadways, its name refl ecting the old Union
Course racetrack in Woodhaven. Much of the
roadway was incorporated into what is now
Woodhaven Boulevard, but two surviving
segments remain: one in Rego Park between
Woodhaven Boulevard and Metropolitan
Avenue, and the other near the Forest
Park Crescents co-op building. Send us
your historic photos of Queens by email to
editorial@qns.com (subject: A Look Back) or
mail printed pictures to A Look Back, ℅ The
Queens Courier, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY
11361. All mailed pictures will be carefully
returned to you.
