Stefanik shows support for veterans
Congresswoman Stefanik has again shown unwavering support for our veterans in the North Country by helping to pass legislation that helps provide our vets with access to Hepatitis C treatment. As you may have already known, our military veterans are at a much higher risk of carrying Hepatitis C and many do not even know it. It is crucial that we address this issue quickly, which Stefanik has done. This bill, which Stefanik co-sponsored, will provide screening to over 350,000 veterans, many of them living in the North Country, and will help them get the treatment they need and deserve. Congresswoman Stefanik on countless occasions has shown she is truly an ally to our military and our veterans.
Daniel Smith Saratoga Springs if this was Mr Thomas’ viewpoint or the courts, but doesn’t that bring back the days of implied segregation and religious intolerance? Tom Brozowski Wilton I see the right to vote as the cornerstone of our republic, and I have worked, and will continue to work, to expand these rights. Here are some proposals that deserve support at the state level:
1. Automatic Voter Registration will increase the reliability and security of voting rolls, reduce human error and chances of fraud, and help voter turnout. Ten states and the District of Columbia have adopted AVR, many along bi-partisan lines, with increases in voter participation.
2. New York is one of only 13 states that does not allow early no-excuse absentee voting. Early voting would allow registered New York voters who are unable to appear at their local poll site on Election Day the opportunity to vote. Encouraging individuals to lie on official government documents, as has been suggested, is not a way to get around this lack of access.
3. New York has the most restrictive change of party deadlines in the country. To change from a Democrat to a Republican to vote in the 2016 primary, you would have had to register this change more than six months earlier, before many candidates had even been solidified.
For our system to work, every eligible voter should be able to participate. I want every eligible person who wants to vote to be able to vote — even if they don’t cast their ballot for me. New York’s current system doesn’t support this, and the time to change that is now. Tara N. Gaston Saratoga Springs The author is a Saratoga County supervisor representing Saratoga Springs. Letters must be e-mailed to letters@saratogian.com. Letters should be around 400 words long and must contain the author’s name, address and phone number for verification purposes.