Former Congressman Weiner's Comeback

Former Congressman Anthony Weiner could be testing the waters for a political comeback in 2013.

New York City voters have been getting polling phone calls asking about Weiner's chances in a Mayor or Comptroller race.

Weiner still has around $4 million in his war chest from 2009 when he explored a run for Mayor.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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NYC Council Amends Campaign Finance Disclosure Rules

As part of a meeting yesterday, the New York City Council voted overwhelmingly, 47-1, to pass Int. 978, sponsored by Councilwoman Rosie Mendez, a bill that would exempt member organizations and corporations from disclosing member-to-member communications in relation to candidates or issues that they support during an election year. The passage is a victory for unions, corporations, and other membership organizations, who were previously allowed such communications with their members or shareholders before the Campaign Finance Board (CFB) promulgated changes to the city Charter in 2010.

A spokesperson for Mayor Michael Bloomberg was noncomittal about whether he would veto the legislation, despite the Council clearly having enough votes to override one, but indicated that the mayor was less than enthused by the bill’s passage.

“The Mayor agrees with the Campaign Finance Board – the bill will only weaken the City’s strong campaign disclosure laws and he sees no reason why unions shouldn’t be held to the same standard as others who are advancing candidates for elective office.”










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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NYC BOE and Instant Runoff Voting

The New York City Board of Elections is exploring “instant runoff voting” in 2013 citywide races, allowing voters to select their first and second choices for citywide offices at the ballot box in September or maybe June.

The board’s commissioners discussed the instant runoff option at a Jan. 3 meeting in Manhattan. For months, the board has been seeking to move this year’s primary to June from September to allow for more time for a runoff, which is triggered when no candidate gets at least 40% of the vote, and to consolidate federal, state and local elections. The state Legislature has so far not acted on the board’s request.

Instant runoff voting, which allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, is one of the option among eight that was selected by the board. The board voted to also explore a top-two method selecting the voters pick of two candidates with the most votes without ranking them.

Some board members still prefers moving the date to June, rather than using instant runoff voting, a favorite among good government groups. Voters would need to be educated, which could prove costly for the cash-strapped board. But conducting a run-off election would arguably be more expensive.

There has not been a runoff election since the adoption of the new optical voting machines in 2010, so the board hasn’t had a chance to fully vet the process.

Any changes will have to get pre-clearance from the Justice Department, rewrite of election laws, and will take time for coding, testing, and outside certification.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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14th Amendment and the Debt Ceiling Law

The Fourteenth Amendment (Amendment XIV) to the United States Constitution was adopted on July 9, 1868.

Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, shall not be questioned.

Under US Debt Ceiling law, an administration can spend only if it has sufficient funds to pay for it. These funds can come either from tax receipts or from borrowing by the United States Department of the Treasury. Congress has set a debt ceiling, beyond which the Treasury cannot borrow.

There seems to be a conflict in the above law and amendment that could see the Debt Ceiling law unconstitutional.

I could see the Debt Ceiling law modified to say we will pay our prior debts with revenue and borrowing, as needed, but any borrowing over that debt would require congressional approval.

How would you handle this issue?










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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GOP Eyes Electoral College Vote Count Change

Legislators in states controlled by Republicans are pondering a change in how Electoral College votes are awarded that might make it easier for GOP candidates to win the White House.

From Wisconsin to Pennsylvania, GOP officials who control legislatures in states that supported President Barack Obama are considering changing state laws that give the winner of a state's popular vote all of its Electoral College votes, too. Instead, these officials want Electoral College votes to be divided proportionally, a move that could transform the way the country elects its president.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus endorsed the idea this week, and other Republican leaders support it, too, suggesting that the effort may be gaining momentum. There are other signs that Republican state legislators, governors and veteran political strategists are seriously considering making the shift as the GOP looks to rebound from presidential candidate Mitt Romney's Electoral College shellacking and the demographic changes that threaten the party's long-term political prospects.

GOP lawmakers in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania are already lining up behind proposals that would allocate electoral votes by congressional district.

Democrats aren't convinced. And they warned of political consequences for Republicans who back the shift, particularly those governors up for re-election in 2014, which include the governors of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, among others.

"This is nothing more than election-rigging," said Michigan Democratic Chairman Mark Brewer.

Each state has the authority to shape its own election law. And in at least seven states — Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida and North Carolina — Republicans control both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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The Dawn of E-Politics

When the campaign to re-elect U.S. President Barack Obama got under way, campaign chairman David Axelrod was certain that social media would play a much bigger role in the 2012 election than it did in 2008. Axelrod didn’t know a lot about social media, but he recognized that near-ubiquitous access to Facebook, Twitter and smartphones were changing the way people became informed about events and issues.

What set the Obama campaign apart from that of Republican challenger Mitt Romney was a commitment to building social media applications that helped the campaign quickly target campaign messages to specific constituencies, but just as importantly helped staffers get out the vote on Election Day. Given the margin of victory for President Obama in many key battleground states, it is clear the campaign’s social media applications were a key component of that success.

So what do you do with this and the massive contact list after the election?



President Barack Obama's remaining campaign apparatus will relaunch Sunday as a tax-exempt group, Organizing For Action, to support his second term agenda.

The new organization will be separate from the Democratic National Committee.

Obama's 2012 campaign manager, Jim Messina, will be the national chair of the group.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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NY AG and New Disclosure Rules

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is holding public hearings on new disclosure rules for nonprofits engaging in politics. It's the first of four hearings that will occur throughout the state, followed by Albany, Buffalo and Long Island, to allow members of the public to comment on new regulations in person.

Schneiderman wants to require that nonprofits, including 501(c)(4) organizations registered with the state, report how much of their expenditures go toward federal, state, and local campaigns.

Groups that spend at least $10,000 to influence elections in the state must file itemized schedules of expenses and contributions, and groups that spend $25,000 or more must disclose that information for every contribution over $100.

"This would bring new transparency in city and state elections, anytime there’s over $10,000 spent," said a Schneiderman spokesman.

Mayoral hopefuls Christine Quinn, Bill de Blasio, and Bill Thompson are expected to share their thoughts at the first hearing.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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NY Gun Control Law Update

Here are some of the changes to New York's gun control laws that could be voted on this week:

1. The proposal would expand the state’s existing assault weapons ban and limit ammunition magazines to a maximum of seven rounds, down from the current ten.

2. Give New York the nation’s “broadest and deepest” mental health background checks for gun purchases. Under the plan, if a mental health professional believes someone--gun owner or not--poses a threat, they will be able to report that to their county mental health office, which would then convey the warning to law enforcement. The information would then be included in a database that is used for background checks for gun purchasers. Should that person already be found to have a licensed weapon, police could suspend or revoke the license and confiscate the firearm. Further, because existing assault weapon owners will for the first time be required to register with the state under the emerging plan, officials could take action if they wind up on the mental health list.

3. The expansion of Kendra’s Law, which allows judges to order mental health treatment for disturbed individuals.

4. Closing a loophole that allows assault rifles and large-capacity magazines that were made prior to 1994 — the year the state Legislature passed the assault weapons ban — to be sold privately.

5. Owners of firearms that are outlawed as a result of the expanded assault weapons ban would have to register them with the state and would be prevented from selling them in New York. Owners of those models would also not be able to keep the gun’s ammunition magazines.

6. A single standard that would require all gun licenses to be reviewed every five years.

7. Close loopholes so that a private sale of a firearm from one person to another in New York is no longer exempt from federal background checks.

8. Sale of ammunition on the Internet would be prohibited in New York.

9. Background checks would be required for ammunition purchases.

10. Tougher gun-related criminal penalties, including expanding the number of felonies that will be subject to an additional maximum prison sentence of five-years.

11. Limit the state records law to protect handgun owners from being identified publicly. The provision would allow a handgun permit holder a means to maintain privacy under the Freedom of Information law.

12. Increase penalties for shooting first responders, called the “Webster provision.” Two firefighters were killed when shot by a person who set a fire in the western New York town of Webster last month. The crime would be punishable by life in prison without parole.

UPDATE
The state Senate, controlled by a coalition of Republicans and a handful of Democrats, approved the legislative package just after 11 p.m. by a lopsided vote of 43 to 18. The Assembly, where Democrats who have been strongly supportive of gun control have an overwhelming majority, planned to vote on the measure Tuesday. The measure passed the state Assembly 104-43.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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IL and Justice Dept. Agreement on Miltary Ballots for Special Elections

The Justice Department announced that yesterday it reached an agreement with Illinois officials to help ensure that military service members, their family members and other U.S. citizens living overseas have an opportunity to participate fully in the upcoming Feb. 26, 2013, special primary election, and the April 9, 2013, special election to fill a vacated seat in the state’s 2nd Congressional District. The agreement is necessary to ensure Illinois’s compliance with the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) as amended by the 2009 Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE Act).

The agreement, filed yesterday evening, which must be approved by the federal district court in Chicago, requires that by Jan. 15, 2013, the state will ensure expedited transmittal of ballots for the special primary election to UOCAVA voters who have requested them by that date. The agreement also requires that by Jan. 31, 2013, the state will resolve any candidate petition challenges and ensure expedited notice to UOCAVA voters of the final list of candidates for the special primary election. The voted ballots must be postmarked by Feb. 25, 2013, and received by March 6, 2013, to be counted in the special primary election.

The agreement also requires that by March 8, 2013, the state will ensure expedited transmittal of ballots for the April 9, 2013 special election to all UOCAVA voters who have requested them. Under Illinois law, the voted ballots must be postmarked by April 8, 2013, and received by April 23, 2013 to be counted in the special election.

In addition, for both the special primary election and the special election, the state will provide all UOCAVA voters the option of returning their marked ballots by email, fax or express mail at no expense to the voter.

“This agreement reflects this department’s continued and resolute commitment to ensure that members of our armed forces, their families and overseas citizens are offered a full and meaningful opportunity to vote in all federal elections, including special elections scheduled to fill vacated seats,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “I am pleased that we are able to reach this agreement with Illinois officials, which will ensure that these voters can fully participate in the state’s upcoming special primary election and special election.”










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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Early Voting in New York

Thanks to Basllot Access News for this post.

Democrats in the state legislature are pushing to institute early voting in New York, but local elections officials say it would be costly and difficult to implement.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, has introduced legislation to establish early voting in New York, legislation he said will be a priority in the legislative session that opens Wednesday. Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Westchester County, has introduced companion legislation in the state Senate.

Under the proposed legislation, each county would be required to operate at least five polling places from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, including Saturdays and Sundays, for 14 days before any general election and seven days before a primary or special election.

New York’s strict election laws, however, makes early voting harder to implement:

1. Sign-in books used at polling sites are printed a week or two in advance, there would be no way to verify who voted early, and difficult to prevent people from voting twice, under current laws.

2. Counties would have to buy additional voting machines, because there wouldn’t be enough time before Election Day to read out and reset machines used for early voting.

3. Counties would have the expense of paying election inspectors. Election inspectors are paid $10 per hour, and at least four inspectors are required at each polling site. Based on those figures, it would cost $30,800 for a general election, and half that for a primary or special election.

Some elections commissioner, said the goals of early voting could be met by expanding the absentee ballot voting system.

In 2009, legislation to authorize “no-excuse absentee voting” did not pass, it would have allowed any registered voter to vote by absentee ballot, not just those who are out of the area, disabled or in jail. Part of the reason the legislation did not pass was lawyers for the Assembly determined it would require a constitutional amendment. Other lawyers say early voting would not require a constitutional amendment.

Some say, it would seem that a system involving people casting their ballots early at boards of elections offices, like people casting absentee ballots, might work.

Whatever system is used will have to change the current election laws and lawyers will have to work out the constitutional issue.

UPDATE
Today, Governor Cuomo give his State of the State report. This is his Government Reform section:

1. Create Disclose NY to Increase Disclosures of Contributions - Any and all covered contributions to a PAC, lobbying 501(c)(3), other 501(c) organization, political committee, or political party over $500 should be disclosed within 48 hours, and within 24 hours near Election Day. The laws should be amended to expand and clarify the types of political communications that must be reported to and filed with the Board of Elections by candidates, labor organizations, corporations, political committees, and other entities as well as the contributions made to the entities that paid for such communications.

2. Campaign Finance Reform is Imperative for Rebuilding Trust in Government - New York City’s existing public financing matching system, the Campaign Finance Program (CFP) administered by the Campaign Finance Board, provides the ideal model for statewide reform. This program leverages contributions raised from New York City residents to provide public matching funds for candidates. The City’s public financing program enjoys robust participation by serious, credible candidates. Most notably, public financing has helped to increase the number of contributors overall—and especially the number of small donors—in New York City elections.

3. Early Voting - see above.

4. Redesign the Ballot formats.

5. More enforcement and higher penalties for campaign violations.

Will blog more about the changes as they go through the legislature process.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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