Governor Cuomo: Fund Our Priorities

Open Letter to Governor Cuomo

Dear Governor Cuomo,

New York sent a powerful message to the nation when we overhauled our voting laws last month - New York is ready to embrace its progressive mantle. To say we are thrilled to finally find true partners in Albany would be an understatement. And to make this real, we’re counting on you to allocate specific funding for early voting.

We fought hard to bring early voting to New York, so residents can have the chance to vote nine days before every election. But as you know, this is just the first step. Now comes the hard work of implementation, ensuring that the promise of voting rights reform is truly delivered for all New Yorkers.

Last year, before early voting had even become law, your Executive Budget included $7 million in dedicated funding for early voting. Now that we finally have a big win for New York voters, the need for dedicated funding is urgent. Increasing access to the ballot will have real costs- staff time, training, new equipment, and public education.

So, let’s break old habits in 2019. Let’s stand by our ambitious pro-democracy agenda by expressly funding our priorities, with a dedicated appropriation that will ensure this much needed reform thrives come November.

For too long, voting reform languished in our state. New York had become the national poster child for passive voter suppression. North Carolina and Ohio, states that are notorious for voter disenfranchisement, cited New York as a perennial bad actor to distract from their reprehensible behavior. New York has finally begun to walk the talk and align our professed values with state law.

Let NY Vote was founded on the unwavering desire to reform New York’s antiquated voting laws. Our coalition represents over 10,000 grassroots activists and 150+ coalition partners who stand united in the belief that a vibrant democracy is only achieved when all voices are heard.

What we’ve achieved in the first 45 days of your third term is historic and will undoubtedly set the tone for the next four years. We look forward to working with you to ensure our reforms are properly implemented and appropriately funded.

Sincerely,

2 Hours A Week
32BJ SEIU
ACLU Let People Vote: Williamsburg
ACT18 Indivisible
Action and Empathy
Action Potluck
Action Together Long Island ATLI
Albany NAACP
America Will Be
Amistad Long Island Black Bar Association
Andrew Goodman Foundation
Andrew Goodman Foundation Binghamton University  
Anti-Defamation League New York
Association of Legal Aid Attorneys
AVR NOW
Bay Shore - Babylon Womens Huddle
Bethlehem Morning Voice Huddle
Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law
Briarcliff - Ossining Indivisible
Bronx Progressives
Brooklyn NAACP
Brooklyn Rebels
Brooklyn Resists
Brooklyn Voters Alliance
Capital NY Resistance
Capital Region Indivisible
CCoHOPE Indivisible
CD17Indivisible
Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College, CUNY
Center for Popular Democracy
Chinese-American Planning Council, Inc.
Choice for All
Citizen Action NY
Citizen Action of Central NY (Utica)
Citizens Union
Civic Action Council
Code Blue NYS
Columbia SIPA Civic and Voter Engagement Coalition
Columbia University Roosevelt Institute
Common Cause/NY
Communications Workers of America, CWA District 1
Concerned Citizens For Change
The Creative Resistance
Croton on Hudson INDIVISIBLE
CWA LOCAL 1180
Daily Kos
Data for Progress / AVR NOW
Democracy Matters
Demos
Democratic Action Network D.A.N.
Dominicanos USA
Dutchess County Progressive Action Alliance
East Flatbush Village,Inc
Empire State Indivisible
Empire State Progressives
Every Vote Counts @ Columbia University
Faith in New York
Faith in New York (Action)
Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies
The Gathering For Justice
Generation Citizen
Generation Vote
Gowanus Gathering for Action
Greater NYC for Change
Grassroots Action NY
Hearts Across Queens
Hispanic Federation
Indivisible 330
Indivisible Binghamton
Indivisible Brooklyn
Indivisible Chatham NY
Indivisible Millbrook Loyal Opposition
Indivisible New Rochelle
Indivisible: Rapid Response Blue
Indivisible: Rapid Response NYC
Indivisible: Rapid Response Red & Purple
Indivisible Rochester
Indivisible Scarsdale
Indivisible Upper East Side
Indivisible Village in Ditmas Park
IndivisibleWeStand -- Upper West Side
Indivisible Westchester
Indivisible YorktownNY
Inspired by Common Cause
Interfaith Impact of NYS
Justice League NYC
Lab/Shul
Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State
League of Independent Theater
League of Women Voters
League of Women Voters of NYS
League of Women Voters of the City of NY
League of Women Voters NYC
League of Women Voters Saratoga County
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center
Letter Carriers, NATL ASN, AFL-CIO
Local Progress NY
Long Island Civic Engagement Table
Long Island Progressive Coalition
LTH Indivisible
Make the Road New York
March On Hudson Valley
March On! New Paltz
March On NY
Metro New York Health Care for All
Minkwon Center for Community Action  
motivote
Move Forward New York
MoveForward NY 19
Move Forward Staten Island
MPower Change
NAACP New York
NAMI Huntington
National Action Network
National Coalition of 100 Black Women - Manhattan Chapter
New Kings Democrats
The New York City Action Council
New York City Central Labor Council
New York Civil Liberties Union - NYCLU
New York Democracy Clearinghouse
New York Democratic Lawyers Council
New York Immigration Coalition
New York Social Justice PAC
New York State Nurses Association   
New York State United Teachers - NYSUT
New York Transgender Advocacy Group
Northern Westchester Indivisible
NY 2nd District Democrats
NY Civic Engagement Table
NY Foundling
NY Indivisible
NY Senate District 17 for Progress
NY4Democracy Coalition
NYC DSA
NYC Chapter of Women's March
NYCD16-Indivisible
NYPAN - NY Progressive Action Network
NYPAN of the Southern Finger Lakes
Open Nassau
Orange County Get Out The Vote
Peace Action & Education
People Power
People Power Inwood Heights
People Power Patchogue
People Power Staten Island North Shore
Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts
Public Citizen
Queens Huddle
RegisterNY
Reinvent Albany
Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union - RWDSU
The Rights Factory
Rise and Resist
ROCitizen
Rock the Vote
Rockland Citizens Action Network
Rockland County Vocal Voters
runNYC
Rye City Democratic Committee
Saratoga Progressive Action
Saratoga Unites
Seeds of Democracy
South Asian Fund for Education, Scholarship and Training (SAFEST)
Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC
Strong Economy for All
Tally Up NY
Transit Workers Union
Transport Workers Union - TWU Local 100
United Auto Workers
UAW Local 2325
United Federation of Teachers
Ulster Activists
Ulster People for Justice & Democracy
Upper West Side MoveOn/Indivisible Action Group
Uptown Progressive Action
Vote Captain
#VoteProChoice
Voter Registration Team of the Syracuse Solidarity Coalition
Voter Rights Action
Voting Rights Forward
Westchester Citizen Therapists
White Plains Indivisible
William Lynch Jr. Democratic Club
Working Families Party
Young Invincibles
Youth Progressive Policy Group