SOMERS, N.Y. - Do you believe New York’s election laws tip the balance of power too heavily toward special interests and entrenched party leaders? If so, you’re not alone.
Unite NY, a grassroots organization focused on strengthening democracy and reforming the state’s political system, visited the Ten a Men Club in Heritage Hills on Wednesday, Dec. 3, to share its ideas and answer questions from residents.
Mike McBride, leader of Ten a Men, welcomed the group and introduced presenters Mike Maria and Rocco Macri, both volunteers with Unite NY. The meeting began with a short film highlighting Alaska’s election reforms, using that state as an example of how open primaries and ranked-choice voting can broaden participation and produce results that better reflect the will of voters. The film illustrated the concept using four types of food, showing how traditional elections can leave voters stuck with the option they like the least.
The speakers noted that in New York, independent voters are currently barred from participating in party primaries—even though public tax dollars fund those elections. As a result, a relatively small number of party-affiliated voters determine which candidates appear on the general election ballot.
Unite NY promotes five key reforms aimed at opening up the democratic process:
Term Limits
Nonpartisan Primaries that allow independents to vote
Citizen Ballot Initiatives enabling voters to bring critical issues directly to the ballot
Ranked-Choice Voting
Increased Ballot Access for candidates outside the traditional party structures or those with more moderate viewpoints
According to the organization, New York’s current rules make it difficult for new voices and ideas to break through.
To learn more about Unite NY and its reform agenda, visit www.UniteNY.org.
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