Dems push elex reform panel vote

SENATE Democrats are set to force a committee discussion and vote Monday on a package of election-reform bills, the Daily News has learned.

Sen. Brian Kavanagh (D-Manhattan) has invoked a seldom-used Senate rule that will allow him to bring three government reformers before the Election Committee to talk about the electoral-reform bills that include a push to create an early voting system in the state. Kavanagh, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Elections Committee, is using another rule to require a vote onthe packageincommittee.

“It’s government as it ought to be,where we discuss these things in openrooms and peoplecast votes,” he said.

In addition to enacting and funding early voting, there is a bill to close a loophole allowing companies to give virtually unlimited amounts of campaign donations. Another creates automatic voter registration and online registration while also reducing deadlines for registration and party enrollment.

And after President Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns during the 2016 campaign, another bill would require such disclosure before any candidate for president or vice president can make the New York ballot.

Aspokesman for Elections Committee Chairman Sen. Fred Akshar (R-Binghamton) had no comment on the bills or Kavanagh’s push for aMonday vote.