Q&A
Discussion on early voting locations and cultural institutions as poll sites
2:00:33
·
3 min
Council Member Restler and Michael Ryan discuss the use of cultural institutions, libraries, colleges, and government buildings as early voting locations. They explore ways to improve communication and collaboration in selecting poll sites.
- Restler expresses support for using cultural institutions and other public spaces as early voting locations
- Ryan agrees to work on improving communication with council members about potential voting locations
- The discussion highlights the success of using cultural institutions as poll sites, such as the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens
- Both agree on the need to leverage the council's influence with cultural institutions to open up more spaces for voting
Lincoln Restler
2:00:33
the right direction.
2:00:34
We're very interested in digging in on the data with you and understanding what the issues are and how they're rectified moving forward.
2:00:39
So, look forward to better understanding what you find.
2:00:44
I think, as I mentioned in my opening statement and and in you in yours, a lot of progress on early voting, happy with the increase in the number of sites.
2:00:53
I am a big proponent of cultural institutions, libraries, colleges, government buildings as early voting locations.
2:01:00
We encounter a bunch of issues when our secondary schools are used and they lose their gym for a week on end, etcetera, or their cafeteria space.
2:01:09
Can more information be shared with council members when you have gaps in optimal voting early voting location so we can help, recommend alternative spaces in our communities?
Michael Ryan
2:01:20
Absolutely.
2:01:20
And I think what we can do collectively is work on a communication process, to to make sure rather than I mean, there's, you know, a large number of city council members throughout the city.
2:01:34
If there's a way that we can work collectively, through staff, to to share that information
Lincoln Restler
2:01:39
Our committee would be happy to help.
Michael Ryan
2:01:41
Yeah.
2:01:42
I I think I think that's that's a good idea.
2:01:43
Because too often, and and Council Member Breaux will tell you in her various capacities, she's been helpful to the board.
2:01:50
But too often too often we're foraging on our own, at trying to find poll sites.
2:01:56
And you know, unfortunately, there, you know, there are times where we meet resistance in that regard.
2:02:03
With respect to the cultural institutions, although I don't know that we're a 100% where we wanna be, there has been a marked improvement.
Lincoln Restler
2:02:11
I joined Common Cause for a press conference, you know, the first day just before the first day of early voting outside the Met,
Michael Ryan
2:02:17
which we were
Lincoln Restler
2:02:18
thrilled as a new poll and
Paul Seamus Ryan
2:02:18
said, going for a moment.
Michael Ryan
2:02:19
It was it was a it was a tough road to get there for some of those locations, but I will tell you, you know, and and again, I I mentioned Georgia again, but miss Consumanus, can tell you that the where we really kinda started this and it kinda broke the ground was the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, who was resistant
Paul Seamus Ryan
2:02:37
to being,
Michael Ryan
2:02:37
a a poll site.
2:02:41
We kind of forced our way in there, and then it's one of our best partnerships.
2:02:47
Great.
2:02:48
It turned out to be, something that they didn't expect, which was a little bit of a lost leader.
2:02:52
It got people into the building, especially in the outer boroughs.
2:02:55
Right?
2:02:56
The cultural institutions in Manhattan are are well attended, and people are aware of them.
2:03:01
But some of these other wonderful cultural institutions in the in the outer boroughs, people don't even know about them.
2:03:06
And we got people into the Museum of the Moving Image, that would not have even known it existed unless there was a poll site there.
2:03:14
And I can tell you that the management and the leadership, at that particular museum is is very happy with our symbiotic relationship.
Lincoln Restler
2:03:21
Well, we have many dozen multiple dozens of cultural institutions located in city on property, and we should be using our collective influence with those entities to ensure that they're opening up their space.
2:03:33
So I credit to all the folks who have advocated for this and the progress we've made
Michael Ryan
2:03:37
on the call today.
2:03:38
And I will concur with you in this regard on that.
2:03:41
They have those institutions have a tendency to, you know, to listen to you guys more than they listen to us.
Lincoln Restler
2:03:46
Well, the council gives them a whole lot of money, and so they they certainly should listen to us, or at least Gail.
