At this time of political upheaval, New York state must simultaneously work to protect our environment and strengthen our democracy. There’s no denying the two go hand in hand. Enter the Enhanced Automatic Voter Registration bill.
The bill, passed by the state Senate in January, would provide for automatic voter registration and preregistration for persons applying for a driver’s license or a state ID through the DMV and for Medicaid enrollees.
“Our democracy is stronger when access to voting is more accessible, and our elections are free from undue interference,” said Bill sponsor and Deputy Senate Leader Mike Gianaris. “There should not be roadblocks to the ballot box, whether from obstacles to registration or the inappropriate influence of big money. I am proud the State Senate is once again leading the way on protecting our democratic institutions.”
The right to vote and unencumbered access to the ballot box is an essential component of our democracy. We also know that environmental protection and climate action have consistently garnered strong support from New York voters, as evidenced by the resounding approval of the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act in 2022 and the consistent support for environmental champions at the polls. A vast majority of the candidates the NYLCV endorses based on their environmental record are elected year after year in New York state – 92% of them, in 2024.
We urge the Assembly to pass the Enhanced Automatic Voter Registration Act and send it on to the governor for her signature.
At the national level, NYLCV has joined with the national arm of the League of Conservation Voters, in Washington, in support of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA), which is pending in Congress. The JLVRAA (H.R. 14, S. 4) is designed to cover a loophole created in the Voting Rights Act of 1965 when the U.S. The Supreme Court ruled in Shelby County v. Holder in 2013. The Shelby ruling weakened the Voting Rights Act by invalidating a state enforcement mechanism. Since then,“states and localities have brazenly pushed forward discriminatory changes to voting practices …” according to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).
The Shelby ruling removed a provision that prevented states from making changes to voting laws if that state had a history of voting discrimination, unless those changes were cleared first by federal officials. Removal of this safeguard “weakened the federal government’s oversight of discriminatory practices,” the HRC wrote.
With states and local governments now unencumbered, laws have been passed “disenfranchising” people who are most often disenfranchised: low-income, of color and elderly.
This is also in keeping with our successful efforts to get out the vote in 2024. Our work included the Our Vote is Our Campaign, which sought to increase voter turnout among low-propensity voters. Through these efforts, we reached approximately 35,000 voters and collected nearly 3,000 pledges to vote in Nassau County, Syracuse, the Hudson Valley and New York City. Our mobilization efforts used digital media, advertising, mail, phone calls, text messaging, art activities and community events.
The health of our environment and our democracy are inextricably linked. We must help shore up voting rights here in New York by passing the Enhanced Automatic Voter Registration bill policy, and at the national level with the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. We urge our supporters to assist us in these efforts.