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TESTIMONY
Testimony by David Mertz, Member of the Working Families Party, on election reforms and voter turnout
2:50:02
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126 sec
David Mertz, a Bronx resident and member of the Working Families Party, testifies on voter participation, supporting even-year elections but opposing nonpartisan primaries.
He argues that nonpartisan primaries have little impact on turnout and instead suggests measures like same-day registration, making election day a paid holiday, and allowing voting at any city poll site to genuinely increase participation. Mertz believes nonpartisan primaries would consolidate power with wealthy donors and handicap community organizations, unions, and minor parties, rather than strengthening democracy.
- Supports moving elections to even years due to significantly higher turnout.
- Opposes nonpartisan primaries, stating they show little impact on voter turnout where enacted.
- Suggests alternative reforms to boost participation: same-day registration, election day as a paid holiday, and city-wide poll site voting.
- Argues nonpartisan primaries would empower wealthy interests and weaken grassroots organizations.
David Mirtz
2:50:02
Thank you very much for letting me speak.
2:50:04
My name is David Mertz.
2:50:05
I'm a longtime Bronx resident, father, union worker.
2:50:11
I'm also a longtime member of the Working Families Party, here in The Bronx.
2:50:17
Moving to even years and I'd like to talk about the voter participation part of the charter proposal.
2:50:22
Moving to even years is an obvious choice with significantly higher voter turnout that, than odd years, it should happen.
2:50:30
It's surprising to me, though, that, with all the possible ways to increase voter turnout, the best and only other proposal the commission can come up with is nonpartisan primaries, a proposal that even your report seems to, show that has little impact on voter turnout where it has been enacted.
2:50:48
It's not rocket scientists.
2:50:51
It's not rocket science.
2:50:52
The way to increase voter participation is to make it easier to vote.
2:50:56
If we want to increase youth turnout, let them register the same day.
2:51:00
If we wanna get overworked and busy New Yorkers to the polls, make election day a paid day off.
2:51:06
Make it possible to vote at any election site in the city if we have that ability.
2:51:11
We could make voting mandatory.
2:51:13
I'm sure the city could use the money.
2:51:16
I'm sure the commission could come up with all kinds of good ideas to incentivize voting in a new charter.
2:51:22
That it hasn't is puzzling to me.
2:51:25
Nonpartisan primaries will further shut out everyday New Yorkers from power and influence over the government policies that affect their lives because they strengthen the free hand big money packs and wealthy donors already have in politics and further handicap the organizations, unions, community groups, minor political parties, and others that New Yorkers participate in to empower themselves in the political process.
2:51:50
Jungle primaries will continue the consolidation of power into the hands of the wealthy few.
2:51:55
That's not strengthening our democracy.
2:51:57
I would urge the commission to pursue elections on even years, but remove the general primary's proposal and make proposals that truly make it easier for New Yorkers to vote.
2:52:07
Thank you.