The New York City Campaign Finance Board’s Voter Assistance Advisory Committee (VAAC) held its annual hearing on Monday, December 16, to review the 2013 elections. Members of the public provided testimony on this past year’s elections and ways to improve the election system.
VAAC Chair Art Chang said, "To sustain and increase voter engagement, we need a system that makes it easier for new voters to proceed through each step in the process that begins with registration and ends at their polling place, with a completed, scanned ballot. Together, we must continue striving for a simpler, more responsive, more customer-focused election system." His full statement is available online.
At the hearing, Council Member Gale Brewer presented a City Council proclamation to outgoing VAAC member Jane Kalmus recognizing her 50 years of dedication and tireless efforts working to increase voter participation and protect voting rights in the City of New York. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in a letter read by the Department of Youth and Community Development Commissioner Jeanne Mullgrav, thanked Ms. Kalmus for her service, saying, “Voting is one of the greatest rights and one of the most basic foundations of our democracy. From founding the National Nonpartisan Voter Registration Campaign to your most recent role advising the Campaign Finance Board as VAAC commissioner, you have helped empower New Yorkers by increasing voter engagement throughout the five boroughs.”
NYC Votes presented two awards for outstanding work engaging and educating voters in 2013. The Department of Youth and Community Development was presented with an award for Excellence in Public Outreach for encouraging the city’s youth to be civically minded. The City University of New York was presented with an award for Excellence in Integrating Voter Engagement for educating students on CUNY campuses about the importance of voting.
The VAAC also recognized the extraordinary efforts of its community partners, including KPMG*, NYC Media, Democracy Prep, NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission*, East Kings County Alumnae of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.*, Popular Community Bank*, Health and Hospital Corporation*, Food Bank for New York, New York Organ Donor Network*, and Jewish Community Relations Council.
The NYC Votes mobile platform development team, including Tipping Point Partners, Pivotal Labs, Method, VoteScope and App Orchard, was recognized for their innovative work in creating a platform to make voting information more accessible.
Director of Voter Assistance Onida Coward Mayers said, “While many of the groups here advocate in different areas for a more improved voter experience that would make voting easy, more appealing and on the right side of their civic duty, it remains even more important that we invite others into our work and conversation. Next year we will work toward building a broader and more diverse coalition to have a greater impact with New Yorkers and our legislators.”
At the hearing, members of the public and voting advocates shared their voting experiences and suggestions to improve voting in the five boroughs. Ideas ranged from making voter registration easier to improved ballot design. All testimony will be available on the CFB website.
NYC Votes is urging all New Yorkers to share their voting experiences by filling out its short Election Day survey.
VAAC will continue to advocate for a better voting experience in New York City in 2014.
NYC Votes is the nonpartisan voter engagement campaign of the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) and its Voter Assistance Advisory Committee (VAAC). In addition to promoting voter registration, participation, and civic engagement in New York City through its many programs and partnerships, NYC Votes sponsors the city’s official Debate Program and produces the citywide Voter Guide.
*These partners were presented with Honorable Mention certificates to commend their work in engaging voters.