State senators Monday passed a series of election reforms to mark their first full day of legislative work, but their success to become law rides on support in the lower house — an uncertainty after several of the measures died in the Assembly last year.
The package of 10 bills senators adopted would expand early voting and allow more absentee ballot drop-off and portable voting locations to conduct early voting, among several others.
"The Senate majority has taken great steps to fix our antiquated electoral system, and this package of bills continues at work to make our system fairer and more accessible," Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said.
It's the sixth year running senators passed election reforms and expanded voting access on the first Monday of the year's legislative session.
The package included measures for New York to join a multistate voter list to help clarify the state's voter rolls, increase penalties for voter deception and suppression and allow voters waiting in line at the polls to have snacks or non-alcoholic drinks.
A bill was also passed to create a voting and elections database to maintain a statewide database of election data to be named in honor of John Flateau — a redistricting expert and member of the state Independent Redistricting Commission who died at the end of last year.
It's unclear if Assembly members will have a change of heart and get them over the finish lines before the critical elections this November. Sources say some members have privately questioned the constitutionality of expanded mail-in voting, while others want to tread lightly in making significant changes.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie would not say Monday where he stands on the proposals, and that members have yet to discuss policy while they wait on the governor's budget.
"You know, the Senate passes things right out of the box, and at some point, we catch up to them on things. Sometimes, we're ahead of them on things, but we'll see," Heastie told reporters.
Stewart-Cousins said the measures will make voting more fair and accessible to New Yorkers, and ease burdens on election workers.
"We will continue to make the case that this enhances our democracy and work to get our bills over the line," Stewart-Cousins said. "I think it's just important, and now more than ever. Environments change all the time, and now it's very, very clear we need to create an atmosphere where voters can vote confidently and easily."
On the floor Monday, Senate Republicans pushed back during debate and questioned how the proposed changes would impact election and voter integrity.
Democrats defended the measures, citing lack of evidence of election fraud in New York and argue such concerns are rooted in misinformation.
Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt said the reforms are unnecessary because it's easier than ever for New Yorkers to vote, and the changes are a political move to boost Democratic votes in a critical election year.
"It's not New Yorkers who wake up and go, 'We're gonna harvest ballots today,' but there are organizations whose job it is to win elections — and they will use these rules to win elections," Ortt said. "That is the point."
Ortt added he has never had a constituent call and complain that they wanted to vote in an election, but were unable to do so.
"Show me the voter suppression," he said. "Where is their disenfranchisement? I need to see it."
But civic groups are pushing the Assembly to follow the Senate's lead, saying the measures will strengthen the state's democracy.
"These bills are all about access, and all about increasing access for voters," League of Women voters of NYS Director Erica Smitka said. "And when I look at the list, and when we looked at the list, we really think a lot of these bills do just that."