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TESTIMONY

Testimony by Yvonne Murray, Member of the Public, on open primaries and voter suppression of independents

1:43:20

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3 min

Yvonne Murray, an independent voter for over forty years and a Brooklyn resident, expresses her concerns about New York City's elections and appeals to the commission to put open primaries on the ballot. She explains she changed her party affiliation from Democrat because she felt overlooked and taken for granted, and as a Black American, finds it appalling to be denied the right to participate in elections she pays for simply because she is an independent.

Murray views this as voter suppression and notes that 1.1 million independents are being discriminated against. As a poll worker since the nineties, she has witnessed firsthand independents being turned away from the ballot.

Yvonne Murray

1:43:20

Good evening, commissioners.

1:43:23

My name is Yvonne Murray, and I'm a proud independent for over forty years.

1:43:30

I reside here in Brooklyn, and I've lived here from the majority of my life.

1:43:35

And I came here today to express my concerns about our elections.

1:43:42

I am appealing to this commission to put open primaries on the ballot for all New York voters to be able to take a vote.

1:43:55

Was once a registered Democrat and changed my party affiliation because I felt overlooked and take it for granted.

1:44:05

And as a proud black American and knowing the importance of voting and to be denied the right because I'm an independent to participate in elections that I also pay for is appalling and totally undemocratic.

1:44:26

I see this as another form of voter suppression, and we talk about voter suppression in other parts of the country, but it's been happening here forever.

1:44:37

There are 1,100,000 independents who are being discriminated against, and this is supposed to be a democracy we live in.

1:44:48

I have been a poll worker with the BOE since the nineties.

1:44:54

And as a poll worker, I have witnessed firsthand independence being turned away from the ballot, being so annoyed, being so frustrated as one young person, young lady in here spoke about this evening.

1:45:10

And as an independent myself, it's totally upsetting.

1:45:14

It really, really is.

1:45:17

I was told that in order to work the polls, which I have been doing, that the only assignment you can have, since you're not a registered Democrat or Republican, is a poll, door clerk or an information clerk.

1:45:35

And I have worked in those assignments, but I've worked every other assignment at the poll.

1:45:41

I had one coordinator even say to me, you know, you will be a great, great coordinator if you would only come out of that party and become a tempo, which I decided I wasn't going to do.

1:45:53

In any event, I am really appear appealing to you to make this the issue on the ballot because it's long, long overdue.

1:46:11

And I would also like to thank you for hearing me out this evening, and thank all of these folks that came out because that's how important this really is.

1:46:21

Thank you for your time.

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Testimony by David Belmont, Member of the Public, on the fairness of open primaries for independent voters

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Testimony by Barbara Blair, President of Garment District Alliance, on the need for fair share reform to prevent neighborhood sacrifice zones