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Council Member Brewer explains the importance of Intro 565-A for protecting domestic violence survivors' voting rights
0:29:59
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Council Member Gale A. Brewer presents Intro 565-A, a bill aimed at providing confidential voter registration for domestic violence survivors. She explains how this legislation builds upon a 2021 state law and requires city agencies to provide guidance on maintaining voter registration confidentiality for survivors.
- The bill addresses the critical need to protect survivors' addresses when voting to prevent potential attacks from abusers.
- It involves collaboration with various organizations, including the Campaign Finance Board and survivor support groups.
- The legislation aims to encourage voting while ensuring the safety of domestic violence survivors.
Gale A. Brewer
0:29:59
Thank you very much.
0:30:00
Intro five six five of 24 is called the voter confidentiality for domestic violence survivors bill, and this legislation builds upon the critical 2021 law signed by governor Hochul passed by the legislature, which enables survivors of domestic violence to request confidential voter registration directly with the board of elections bypassing the court process.
0:30:24
In the past, when people who had been, are survivors of domestic violence, they wanted to vote, they had to go to through court, and you know darn well that's not gonna happen.
0:30:35
So while this state law represented a significant step forward, many survivors remain unaware of how to access these protections.
0:30:43
This law requires city agencies, particularly those serving survivors through the family justice centers, and there are quite a few that do that, to provide clear guidance and resources on how survivors can ensure their voter registration remains confidential and how they can vote by special ballot.
0:31:01
I assume most people know that if you are a survivor, you are likely to be in a safe house.
0:31:06
You are likely to have an order of protection.
0:31:08
But the worst thing is to have your attacker, the person who has been your, main opponent and has hurt you in the past, find your address.
0:31:18
They are likely to return.
0:31:19
So the idea here is to not have that happen.
0:31:22
I certainly wanna thank Cynthia Hornig from our office, the people mentioned by the speaker in the speaker's office, and then groups like Crime Victim Treatment Center, Common Cause, League of Women Voters, Muslim Community Network, Sanctuary for Families, Voices of Women Organizing, New Destiny, Safe Horizon, and the Campaign Finance Board.
0:31:42
The bottom line is we want people to vote, but we don't want them to get killed for doing so.
0:31:47
Thank you very much.