Sen. John Flanagan (D-Dist. 2), chairman of the Senate Elections Committee, recently announced that the Senate passed legislation that would protect the rights of voters with disabilities and reduce county election costs. He sponsored the two pieces of legislation to ensure that New York state offers all voters greater access without overburdening the taxpayers.
“If funding is needed to ensure access for voters with disabilities, then New York state has an obligation to make that funding available to protect the rights of every voter,” said Flanagan. “There should be no barrier, especially bureaucratic, that infringes on any New Yorker’s right to vote.”
The first piece of legislation calls for $10 million in new funding for counties to provide greater access for voters with disabilities. This funding, which will be available to all counties based on their voting population, will allow localities to purchase and implement accessible machines for use this fall. This funding would relieve the financial burden that the purchase of these machines would place on the counties and provide additional funding needed to equip polling sites with at least one accessible machine.
The Senate also passed legislation sponsored by Flanagan that would provide $7.7 million to cover county costs for complying with the provisions of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). Under federal HAVA, states must appropriate five percent in matching funds to secure federal funding needed to implement new voting guidelines. The new legislation would allow local taxpayers to avoid covering this five percent match.
This legislation continues Flanagan’s efforts to provide equal access for all New York voters. During this year’s budget negotiations, he secured $5 million to improve poll site accessibility across the state. This would include widening doorways, adding ramps, improving parking access and other features.
“The buildings that are used as polling places must be fully accessible to ensure that everyone can exercise their right to vote,” said Flanagan. “That is my position, that is the position of the independent living advocates and that is the position of the Justice Department. New voting machines are an improvement only if all voters are able to enter the building to use them.”