FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 4, 2019
Contact: Julien Martinez, [email protected], 347-229-2517
On November 5, New Yorkers will decide whether to adopt a new, more equitable voting system for primary and special elections
NEW YORK – Andrea Miller, President of the National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH) Action Fund, released the following statement tonight urging New Yorkers to vote “yes” on ballot question one, a Ranked Choice Voting system for local primary and special elections. NIRH joins organizations such as 1199SEIU, New York Communities for Change, and New York Immigration Coalition in supporting this measure to expand voter access, ensure greater participation among women and people of color, and avoid costly low-turnout runoff elections.
“This Election Day, New Yorkers have the opportunity to drastically increase voter turnout and reinforce New York City as a national leader in protecting and advancing the rights of every single individual,” said Andrea Miller, president of the NIRH Action Fund. “By voting yes on question one, voters will transform our local elections by encouraging candidates to run who are more representative of diversity across our city. In a city where primaries are often the more contested elections, and winners are frequently elected with less than 50% of the vote, Ranked Choice Voting will ensure that candidates are working for the votes of everyone in their district, and that women and people of color who run for office aren’t ‘spoilers’ against each other. The adoption of Ranked Choice Voting in the nation’s largest city is a groundbreaking step that will pave the way for more efforts to build a healthier, more just community.”
Last month, NIRH released the second iteration of the Local Reproductive Freedom Index, a first-of-its-kind initiative launched in 2017 to evaluate the reproductive health, rights, and justice policies of U.S. cities representing every region of the country, including New York City. NIRH analyzed the policies of 50 cities along 34 policy indicators, awarding each city zero to five stars based on the policies the city has in place, including commitments to protecting democratic institutions and encouraging greater participation in local elections. Implementation of Ranked Choice Voting will demonstrate that New York City is continuing to make improvements in those areas.
Overall, New York City received four out of five stars and is a national leader, alongside Chicago and second only to San Francisco. A full breakdown of each city can be found here.
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The NIRH Action Fund conducts nonpartisan advocacy and electoral engagement to advance reproductive freedom in states and cities across the country.
Using a partnership model, NIRH provides state and local advocates with strategic guidance, hands-on support, and funding to create national change from the ground up. We form strategic partnerships with a wide range of organizations to directly impact the reproductive health and lives of women across the country. Each year, NIRH works in at least 20 states and more than a dozen localities; to date, NIRH has partnered with more than 170 reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations in 43 states and 64 localities across the country.