Resources
NY Reform
Study: Public Financing Contributes to Greater Diversity of Participation in NYC Elections
A new report jointly released today by the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law and the Campaign Finance Institute of Washington DC offers powerful evidence that New York City's public financing system has contributed to a fundamental change in the relationship between candidates and their donors. With the program in place, there has been a dramatic increase in the number and diversity of the city’s residents who participate in the process.
Press Releases
– 05/14/12
Donor Diversity Through Public Matching Funds
New York State is considering a system of public campaign financing for state elections similar to New York City’s small donor matching fund program, based in part on the assumption that it would bring greater fairness and diversity to state elections. The results of this new study support that claim. The study shows that small donors to 2009 City Council candidates came from a much broader array of city neighborhoods than the city’s small donors to 2010 State Assembly candidates.
Publications
Authored by: Elisabeth Genn, Sundeep Iyer, Michael J. Malbin, and Brendan Glavin
– 05/14/12
Letter to Governor Cuomo Calling for Fair Elections in New York State
Coalition of good government, civil rights, environmental, labor, business, religious and grassroots community organizations urge Governor Cuomo to create a public campaign financing program for New York State.
Statements & Testimony
– 02/03/12
Joint Statement on Governor Cuomo’s State of the State Address
In yesterday's State of the State Address, Governor Andrew Cuomo vowed to lead the push for what could become the most important reform in the nation in 2012: reducing the massive influence of big money in our political system through public financing of elections for New York State.
Press Releases
– 01/05/12
Brennan Center Praises Cuomo’s Support of Public Financing
Following Governor Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State address, the Brennan Center released this statement from Executive Director Michael Waldman.
Press Releases
– 01/04/12
Report: 60,000 New York Votes Lost Due to Poor Design in 2010
A new Brennan Center for Justice analysis of data from the 2010 election indicates more than 20,000 votes for governor in New York were lost because machines read them as “overvotes,” ballots with too many candidates selected. The analysis finds New York voting machines’ confusing and misleading overvote warning message is at fault, as well as the state’s outdated ballot design.
Press Releases
– 12/06/11
Report: Tens of Thousands of Votes Lost Due to Poor Design in 2008 and 2010
A new Brennan Center for Justice analysis of data from the 2010 general election finds more than 20,000 votes for governor in New York were lost because machines read them as “overvotes,” ballots with too many candidates selected.
Press Releases
– 12/06/11
Design Deficiencies and Lost Votes
In 2010, tens of thousands of votes in New York did not count due to overvotes — the invalid selection of more than one candidate. This report demonstrates how the lack of adequate overvote protections disproportionately affected the state's poorest communities, suggests commonsense reforms, and examines national implications.
Publications
Authored by: Lawrence Norden and Sundeep Iyer
– 12/05/11
Letter to NYS Senate Majority on Petitions for Hearings
The Brennan Center's Lawrence Norden and Eric Lane write New York State Senate Majority Counsel Diane Burman to explain how the majority has misinterpreted Senate rules, resulting in the suppression of legitimate petitions to have public hearings on legislation. Public hearings on legislation are a basic part of the lawmaking process in most states but have been suppressed in New York's dysfunctional legislature.
Analysis
Authored by: Lawrence Norden and Eric Lane
– 11/28/11
Civil Rights Groups Answer Summary Judgment Motion in Prison-Based Gerrymandering Lawsuit
Attorneys for the fifteen voters from around New York State who have joined the legal defense of New York’s law ending prison-based gerrymandering today filed papers asking New York Supreme Court Judge Eugene Devine to grant their motion for summary judgment and uphold the law.
Press Releases
– 08/19/11