N.Y. needs early voting

Dear Editor: There are 37 states (and D.C.) that have early voting. New York is not one of them. If you’re an eligible voter in New York, you have one, and only one, day to cast your ballot at the polls.

This restriction makes it inconvenient, if not impossible, for some people to exercise their right to vote.

Is it fair that someone has to choose between his/her job and voting? What about elderly people who can’t get a ride to the polls on Election Day? Why should it be so difficult for students living on campus and attending classes all day to get to the polls and vote? We have options for taking care of essentials like doctor office visits, registering our children for school, and banking, but none for voting, our most important American right.

New York ranked 41st in voter participation during the 2016 election, an embarrassingly pathetic statistic. Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he’s committed to reducing the barriers to voting, but there must be actions behind his words. It will take legislation and funding in the 2018-19 state budget to bring our voting system up to date, but it will be well worth the effort at a relatively modest expense.

Early voting is a step in the right direction to increasing the opportunity for all eligible citizens to participate in the democratic process that we hold so dear.