Statements In Support of Resolution 228

(1) The Joint Public Affairs Committee for Older Adults (JPAC), Molly Krakowski, Director

"Public testing is essential if we are to be sure that our new voting machines are accessible to all, to ensure that older adults, individuals with disabilities and those with language barriers have the opportunity to vote. We applaud the City Council for Resolution 228, which includes the necessary precautions to maintain public confidence that our votes will be securely cast and counted with any new voting equipment under consideration."

(2) New Yorkers for Verified Voting, Bo Lipari, Executive Director

"The federal and state testing normally performed on electronic voting systems tells us nothing about whether they are accurate, secure and will correctly count our votes. Citizens of New York City must have confidence that their votes will count. The resolution before the City Council calls for rigorous testing and will inspire that confidence."

(3) Staten Island Branch of the NAACP, Edward Josey, President

"We were in full support of the reauthorization of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and feel that passage of Resolution 228 by the City Council would be a big step toward selecting the best voting machines to ensure that the votes of the people are properly recorded and counted."

(4) Task Force on Election Integrity, Community Church of New York Unitarian Universalist, Teresa Hommel

“This resolution makes clear that elections belong to the people. It lists the necessary public tests, calls for cost estimates, which still have not been made by any New York governmental body, and calls for procedures so we can confirm that the equipment delivered is what we bought -- which can't be determined by just looking at the box.”

(5) New York Statewide Senior Action Council, Pearl Reeves, Board Member

"This resolution speaks for the people of New York City, for our hope to participate in the selection of our new voting equipment. Public Mock Elections are very important, if we are to find the flaws in our new systems before they cause chaos in our future elections."

(6) League of Women Voters, Mary Lou Urban, Elections Specialist

"With the integrity of New York elections and the confidence of the City's voters totally dependent upon the security and accuracy of our voting system, it is entirely appropriate and commendable for the City Council to pass this resolution."

(7) Common Cause/NY, Rachel Leon, Executive Director

“This adds insult to injury to New York voters. Revamping our voting systems has to happen, but the process has been mishandled since day one by our leaders and the NYS Board of Elections. Now as we run out of time, the real threat is we will approve systems that are not completed and have voters serving as guinea pigs in the next election. Voters deserve a thorough and deliberative process as we decide how New Yorkers will vote for years to come. It is indefensible to cut corners and be secretive and unaccountable when our democracy is at stake. We need sunshine and a public debate.”

(8) New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), Neal Rosenstein, Government Reform Coordinator

"This resolution urges simple common sense approaches to assure the public that any new voting system is secure and works like it should. Now's the time for the Board of Elections to show some common sense of their own and publicly agree to these steps."

(9) People For the American Way (PFAW), Tony Simone, Deputy Director, Northeast Regional Office

"We commend Council Member Jackson and other City Council Members supporting this resolution for their initiative and support of electoral integrity. As the New York City Board of Elections modernizes voting equipment, transparency, accountability, and public input through public testing of voting machines are essential to ensure that every vote counts."

(10) Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY)

“The Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY) supports a public and transparent process for testing, selecting and purchasing new voting machines. Testing before choosing the machines should ensure cross-disability accessibility, accessibility for language minorities and the security and privacy of the vote. To reach these standards, the Board of Elections should provide testing opportunities and solicit feedback from people with disabilities and representatives of language minorities prior to purchasing a new voting system.”

(11) Disability Network NYC (DNNYC), Alexander Wood, Executive Director

“Accessibility and security are two equally essential requirements for any new voting system, and Disabilities Network of New York City (DNNYC) believes that the tests listed in Resolution 228 are needed to ensure that that’s what we get.”