The right of every person to vote is fundamental to American society and democracy. Voting is the right we exercise to protect all others. It must be protected, expanded, and voters must be informed.

And yet New York makes voting too hard. New Yorkers are not automatically eligible for absentee ballots, and we suffer from confusing registration deadlines and outmoded poll books that cause errors, delays, and long lines. To make matters worse, due to decades of partisan gerrymandering, New Yorkers cannot be sure they receive equal representation even when they cast their ballots.

The NYCLU has been a leader in the fight to actualize and protect every citizen's ability to exercise this basic constitutional right in New York State.