Voting is a fundamental right. Yet here in New York State, we continue to have one of the lowest rates of voter participation in the nation.
NYS Bar Association President Seymour W. James, Jr. has formed a special committee to recommend possible changes in state law that could foster greater voter participation. This Special Committee on Voter Participation is chaired by former Assistant U.S. Attorney General and state Senator John R. Dunne of Albany and Daniel F. Kolb of New York City.
This committee will examine possible changes in the way New York registers voters and conducts election, such as: automatic voter registration and modernization of the registration process; extended cut-off dates for advance registration; increased penalties for voter intimidation and deceptive election practices; early voting (allowing voting in designated poll location prior to Election Day); and no-fault absentee balloting. The committee has 2 subcommittees, one focusing on the registration process, the other on the voting process.
The special committee expects to submit its report to the State Bar’s Executive committee and House of Delegates for approval in January 2013.
The New York State Bar Association, with 77,000 members, is the largest voluntary state bar association in the country. It was founded in 1876.
