News Clips

Executive Director of Common Cause/NY Susan Lerner says though the Governor has been issuing plenty of executive orders, that can’t be the only way the state goes about its business…

Common Cause of New York, a good government group that’s urged easier voter participation amid the pandemic, cheered Cuomo’s decision in a tweet Wednesday, but said the Legislature should provide wider access in statute. “This is a great start, however, New York cannot be ruled by executive order alone,” the group tweeted. “New York lawmakers must continue to hold a remote session to pass legislation that will protect New York voters forever.”

Common Cause, an election watchdog group, applauded the Cuomo’s action, but said the state should expand absentee by law, not just a governor’s executive order, which is easily undone. “This is a great start, however, New York cannot be ruled by executive order alone,” the group wrote on Twitter. It has been urging lawmakers to continue the 2020 legislative session by convening remotely rather than adjourning because of the pandemic.

“We need them to do the people’s business, and we’re sure they can use the tools to do it,” said Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause/NY... Common Cause – joined this week by elections commissioners across the state – also called for the expansion of absentee voting as a safety measure during the pandemic, something Lerner noted could be taken up in a post-budget “virtual” legislative session. And though Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo did it through executive order Wednesday for the June 23 primary, there's no reason voting shouldn't be easier in every election.

“Now that the budget is finalized, New York lawmakers can and must address the myriad policy issues and COVID-19 related legislation, including expanding absentee voting which is crucial to ensuring the success of our elections in June and November,” said Susan Lerner, the executive director of Common Cause New York.

“We need to have diverse voices heard in these policy decisions,” said Common Cause New York’s Susan Lerner. “Our representative system is geographically based, with the idea that different communities have different needs and therefore are individually represented with elected officials who can best articulate what their community needs.”