If you cannot join us in person, call theĀ Board of elections at 518-270-2990 and tell them to STOP suppressing the vote in Troy Use all media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, email, etc. Call the media like Ken Crowe, TU, The Record. TELL THEM TO ADD ACCESSIBLE VOTING SITE(S) IN TROY AHEAD OF EARLY VOTING (which begins SATURDAY).
HEREāS WHY WE NEED THIS ACTION TODAY
NY State Law mandated early voting in 2019. Further, an amendment was passed that stated at least one polling location must be located in the most populous city in the county. For Rensselaer County, this is Troy.
Earlier this month, the
Attorney General sued Rensselaer County for not having a voting site located in Troy proper. The closest poll is the Armenian Church which is NOT accessible particularly via public transportation. Who does this impact? Those dependent on public transportation, those working long hours, those with children, and particularly Black, brown, working class, and poor voters.
The result of the Attorney General lawsuit: The judge deemed that the Boardās decision making was capricious, arbitrary, and unacceptable.
Unity House and Bethel Baptist Church were both proposed and would work particularly for accessibility and public transportation. Both the Republican Board of Elections Commissioner Jason Schofield and Democratic Commissioner Edward G. McDonough pushed back on this location.
The story is twisty, but here is the summary:
the case was decided in favor of the AG, then the BOE filed an appeal after having been directed to submit a new plan. They were granted a stay, the AG appealed the stay and requested an emergency hearing, and at that hearing the court decided against the AG and kept the stay in place. For the purposes of the primary election, early voting will proceed tomorrow at the 3 locations
currently listed on the BOE website, deemed by the State Supreme Court to be too remote and not providing equitable access.
This fight is not over! The BOE of Rensselaer County has refused to establish an early voting site in the heart of downtown Troy. Theyāre fighting hard to suppress the votes of working Trojans and it is up to us to show up, call in, email, text, tweet so that they hear from the public loud and clear.
Who does this impact?
Not having an accessible site for early voting impedes voters with children, voters with jobs, voters dependent on public transport, and particularly Black, brown, working class, and poor voters. This is a Voterās Rights issue.
Who does it benefit to not have early voting?
We need to ask why they keep fighting the obviousāhaving a polling site in or near the center of Troy just makes sense! BUT candidates have banked on keeping these voters away from the polls. Democrats who want to keep out progressive Democrats. Conservative candidates. Folks like Steve McLaughlin (who is County Exec and running again for County Exec) to keep voters away who might prefer to vote for Gwen Wright.
SHOW UP FOR VOTING RIGHTS, CALL THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS TODAY! SPREAD THE WORD!