VICTORY! New York City Enfranchises Hundreds of Thousands

On December 3, 2014, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed into law two pieces of legislation that will strengthen the local Pro-Voter Law. The bills, introduced by Council Members Ben Kallos and Jumaane Williams, increase the number of municipal agencies offering voter registration, mandate voter assistance in completing registration applications, and increase language assistance for limited-English-proficient citizens, expanding voting rights throughout NYC. In October, CPD and partners reported that 84% of interviewed agency clients were never offered voter registration materials, most agency staff received no Pro-Voter training, and language assistance was often unavailable.

Currently, only 4.3 million of NYC’s 8.5 million residents are registered to vote, but with proper implementation and enforcement, NYC’s Pro-Voter Law will be a national model to replicate—fulfilling the government’s important role in ensuring that our democracy is strengthened by all eligible voters.