You are reading

Jackson Heights Assembly Member Introduces Bill to Track Absentee Ballots Statewide

Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz (Courtesy of Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz’s Office)

Sept. 21, 2020 By Allie Griffin

A Jackson Heights State Assembly Member introduced legislation earlier this month that would create a system to track New Yorkers’ absentee ballots ahead of the November election.

Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz, whose district includes Jackson Heights, Corona and Elmhurst, introduced the bill Sept. 10 to increase voting transparency and security in absentee ballots across the state.

Cruz’ bill would establish a secure online portal that would allow voters to track the status of their absentee ballots, along with a mobile-based application.

Cruz — together with Bronx State Sen. Luis Sepúlveda — sponsored the legislation as more and more voters are planning to vote by mail this year over concerns of crowding and COVID-19 at poll sites.

The June primaries in New York saw a historic number of absentee ballots, which took several weeks for Board of Election officials to count and created more opportunities for technical flaws to invalidate votes. In New York City alone, more than 84,000 absentee ballots were tossed for such flaws as missing signatures or postmarks.

The legislation proposed would allow individuals to see whether the Board of Elections approved or rejected their ballot for the Nov. 3 general election.

“The fact that we continue to experience voter disenfranchisement in this day and age is outrageous,” Cruz said in a statement. “While the challenges of conducting an election during a public health crisis are understandable, the presence of widespread irregularities and incidents of voter suppression on Primary Day and in the counting of absentee ballots are extremely troubling.”

Thousands of New Yorkers didn’t receive their absentee ballots in the mail by Election Day in June as well.

“Voters must be assured that their vote counts and this bill is one step closer to ensuring this happens,” Cruz said. “I am proud to sponsor such an important bill that gives rights back to the voters.”

The New York City Board of Elections has already created a tracking system that allows voters to confirm if their absentee ballot application has been received, mailed out and accepted by the board.

The legislation applies to absentee ballots throughout the state, where New Yorkers must request an absentee ballot by Oct. 27 in order to get one in the mail.

New York isn’t sending out ballots to those who do not request them, but eligible voters can submit an application for an absentee ballot due to COVID-19.

Cruz’s bill further aims to help the state economy as the Board of Elections would need to hire staff to develop, update and monitor the portal.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Four injured in Queensboro Hill house fire fueled by e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries: FDNY fire marshals

FDNY fire marshals determined that lithium-ion batteries sparked a fire in a Queensboro Hill townhouse that injured three residents and a firefighter were injured a few blocks south of Kissena Corridor Park on Friday morning.

The blaze broke out in a home at 142-33 60th Ave. just before 5:30 a.m. The first firefighters on the scene found heavy fire emanating from the first floor that may have been sparked and intensified by the presence of lithium-ion batteries and a half-dozen e-bikes in the basement of the home.

Mayor Adams shares 90-day progress of Operation Restore Roosevelt

Jan. 22, 2025 By Shane O’Brien

Operation Restore Roosevelt, a 90-day multi-agency initiative launched in October 2024 by Mayor Eric Adams and Council Member Francisco Moya to address quality-of-life issues along Roosevelt Avenue, has resulted in nearly 1,000 arrests and over 11,500 summonses. The operation focused on addressing community concerns such as prostitution, illegal brothels, unlicensed vending, retail theft, and other public safety challenges.