October 7, 2024
(Albany, NY) NYPIRG today released an analysis of general election polling site data from the State Board of Elections showing 20 four year colleges with 1,000 or more full time students and on campus housing do not have a polling place within a mile of campus.
In 2022, New York initiated an important new program to help young adults attending college to more easily vote. The law stated that campuses that have 300 registered voters or more living on campus and registered at their college address should have a polling place. Given the size of the student population at the 20 schools NYPIRG identified and the usual requirement that first and second year students live at an on-campus address, it is reasonable to assume that each should have been eligible for a polling site.
A coalition of civic and youth voting groups called on the Board of Elections to justify why those schools did not qualify for a polling place under the 2022 law. The coalition formally requested communications and documents from the State Board to shed light on the decision making process that led to the placement of poll sites.
NYPIRG first released a study of poll sites in May, ahead of the primary. That report found 97 colleges with on student housing but no poll site on campus. Since then, only two colleges, Buffalo State and Geneseo, have seen a poll site added to campus. Further, the report found 26 colleges (20 four year schools and six community colleges) with more than 1,000 full time students and on campus housing had no poll site within a mile. That has not since changed.
“Students too often face barriers to voting, and placing poll sites far off campus further dampens turnout among young voters,” said Blair Horner, Executive Director of NYPIRG. “New Yorkers have a constitutional right to vote, policymakers should be reducing obstacles to voting, not increasing them. County Boards have a responsibility to make sure students have every opportunity to vote in the general election.”
“College students must be able to cast their ballots on their campus, as required by state law. In just a few weeks, New Yorkers — some for the first time — will vote in consequential elections across the state. We should be encouraging students to get involved, not shutting them out of the process. Local Election Commissioners must add more poll sites on college campuses before Early Voting starts,” said Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause New York.
“The lack of on-campus polling locations is alarming, especially during a prime opportunity to engage young people in the electoral process, like a presidential election. Boards of Elections and higher education leaders should work together to dismantle the barriers that have long hindered student participation in elections,” said Ben Weinberg, Director of Public Policy at Citizens Union.
“Andrew Goodman Foundation Ambassadors across New York have worked tirelessly to build a culture of civic engagement on campuses. Now it’s time for our leaders to support the efforts of our young people by ensuring they have reasonable access to polling sites on the campuses where they live and learn,” said Rashawn Davis, Executive Director of The Andrew Goodman Foundation.
“Voting has long been a challenge for college students due to transportation issues, scheduling conflicts, and a lack of information about the voting process. While recent legislation aimed to facilitate voting for New York’s 1.1 million college-age students, we have yet to see significant increases in on-campus polling locations. By ensuring that these sites are conveniently located, we can empower students to actively engage in the democratic process and make their voices heard on the issues that matter most to them,” said Erica Smitka, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of New York State.
Click here to view the original press release and letter on NYPIRG’s website.
Click here or below to see the full letter.