To the Editor:

New York State voters still have time to call their senators to tell them to get behind early voting in New York. Currently bill A.2064/S.2950 is in the Senate Rules Committee. The logical next step to move this very important bill to expand voter enfranchisement is to list the bill on the next Rules Committee Agenda.

This bill speaks to the very limiting practice of one-day voting we now have in New York. It recognizes those citizens who want to vote but cannot because of such limitations as job, lack of child care, lack of transportation, or personal or family illness on Election Day.  

Thirty-six other states now have some form of early voting. Potential costs to change our current system can be offset by consolidating primary elections.  

There is no good reason for Senators to sit on this bill and let it die. They owe its passage to an electorate that deserves greater recognition at voting time of their real-life circumstances.

I urge all voters to call Senator John Flanagan at (518) 455-2071 to urge him to put this bill on the next Rules Committee Agenda and I thank Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins for sponsoring this bill in the Senate.  She can be reached at (518) 455-2585 and I thank her for this initiative.  I believe Senate Leader John Flanagan and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (518) 455-3791 can put their heads together to get this very worthwhile legislation passed.

Let’s get it done this session.

Betty Head

Altamont

Editor’s note: The Enterprise editorialized in March 2016 on the need for upgraded voting techniques in New York State.