Learning Session: Electoral System Reform

Fixing Our Electoral System Once and For All And Why it Matters to Donors Working to Strengthen Democracy Everywhere

Friday, July 23, 2021

“The New York City Board of Election Wins at Screwing Up”

“Fix the NYC Board of Elections or face endless mayhem”

“NYC Elections Board Is a Disaster. This is the Last Straw.”

Despite the flood of media attention following the June 29th 2021 counting error at the City Board of Elections, this dysfunction is not news. With each new debacle, the calls to overhaul the Board of Elections reach a fever pitch. In 2019:

“Amid Another Poorly-Run Election, Top New York Officials Point Fingers, Offer Plans, or Say Nothing”

With more than a dozen legislative “wins” since 2019, New York’s electoral system is significantly better, but persistent problems threaten to undermine all that. It is time to reform New York’s system once and for all. It is time to give New Yorkers the fair, trust-worthy and barrier-free voter experience they deserve. 

Join the GoVoteNYC Fund to learn more about the scope of this recurring problem, what can be done about it, and why it matters to healthy democracy everywhere.  

Chisun Lee and Joanna Zdanys, senior attorneys at the Brennan Center for Justice, share insights into policy and legal strategies for reform, and report on the momentum of the state-level “wins” orchestrated by the 200-member Let NY Vote Coalition. Professor Ekow Yankah will contextualize that work on the ground and its significance well beyond New York:

Speakers

Ekow Yankah is Professor of Law at Cardozo Law with expertise in voting rights and election law. He serves as co-chair of the New York Democratic Lawyers Council, the voting rights arm of the New York Democratic party. In 2020 he was appointed to New York State’s Public Campaign Finance Board, which he now serves as Chairman. 

Chisun Lee is Deputy Director of the Brennan Center’s Election Reform Program, where she works to advance money-in-politics reform and improve election administration. 

Joanna Zdanys serves as counsel in the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program. Her work focuses on advancing reforms in the area of money in politics. Zdanys provides policy advice to lawmakers across the country and has testified before state and local legislators.