X

Massena mayor praises series of laws that would 'protect state election from outside influence'

Posted 12/22/17

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo is proposing the state pass a series of laws he is calling his “Democracy Agenda,” which his office says would “protect state election from outside influence,” which …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Massena mayor praises series of laws that would 'protect state election from outside influence'

Posted

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo is proposing the state pass a series of laws he is calling his “Democracy Agenda,” which his office says would “protect state election from outside influence,” which is drawing praise from Massena’s mayor.

“I support Governor Andrew Cuomo’s efforts in protecting our democracy. Ensuring the integrity of our elections is paramount in a democracy. An organized effort to suppress vote and spread misinformation is tipping the balance of fair and free elections. These efforts tear away one of our basic fundamental rights as Americans, which is to fairly choose the people that represent us in government. Thank you Governor Cuomo for your leadership in proposing a Democracy agenda to protect the integrity of our elections. It will ensure that every vote is counted and those outside people that influenced the last election are prevented from doing it again here in New York,” Massena Mayor Tim Currier said in a prepared statement he released on Thursday.

Cuomo says his proposal would keep better track of political advertising on social media and make it easier to vote.

He wants to:

• Expand New York State's definition of political communication to include paid internet and digital advertisements.

• Require digital platforms to maintain a public file of all political advertisements purchased by a person or group for publication on the platform.

• Require online platforms to make reasonable efforts to ensure that foreign individuals and entities are not purchasing political advertisements in order to influence the American electorate.

• Amend New York State's definition of political communication to include paid internet and digital advertisements New York State law currently requires that all political advertising on television, radio, and newspapers disclose the organization or individual paying for that ad. This does not apply to political advertisements online. This proposal will update the definition of "political communication" to include paid internet and digital advertisements, and require that all advertisers include a disclosure in their election-related ads such as "paid for by." In this way, anyone who sees a political ad online will know, first, that it is indeed a paid political ad; and second, who is responsible for it, according to Cuomo’s office.

• Require digital platforms to create a file of all political communications. “To rectify this and ensure greater transparency in online political advertisements, Governor Cuomo proposes to require digital platforms to maintain a public file of all political communications purchased by a person or group on their platform related to New York State elections,” a news release from Cuomo’s office said.

• Require online platforms to make all reasonable efforts to ensure that foreign individuals and entities are not purchasing political advertisements in order to influence the American electorate

By amending state law so that paid internet or digital advertisements are included under the definition of political communications, New York will work to ensure that foreign entities are unable to covertly purchase and distribute political advertising through social media or other outlets. Now, digital ad buyers would be required to register as an independent expenditure committee, just as they would if they were purchasing time on television. Foreign entities will be prohibited from forming an independent expenditure committee and, as a result, would be unable to purchase and publish political advertising online.

An early voting proposal would require every county to offer residents access to at least one early voting poll site during the 12 days leading up to Election Day.

Voters will have at least eight hours on weekdays and five hours on weekends to cast early ballots.

Counties would have to have one early voting poll site for every 50,000 residents and the bipartisan County Boards of Elections will determine the specific location of early voting polling places, subject to standards of accessibility and convenience, Cuomo’s office said.

Cuom will also propose adopting a system that implements automatic voter registration.

The new system will streamline state services by automatically sending voters' information from relevant agencies application directly to the County Board of Elections. New Yorkers who do not wish to register to vote can simply check an "opt out" box, Cuomo’s office said.

New York does not allow voters to register on Election Day, but the governor wants to change that. This proposal would allow New Yorkers to register and vote on the same day so that onerous and counter-intuitive registration deadlines do not prevent New Yorkers from having the opportunity to participate in the electoral process, Cuomo said.