§ 17-200. Legislative purpose and statement of public policy. In
recognition of the protections for the right to vote provided by the
constitution of the state of New York, which substantially exceed the
protections for the right to vote provided by the constitution of the
United States, and in conjunction with the constitutional guarantees of
equal protection, freedom of expression, and freedom of association
under the law and against the denial or abridgement of the voting rights
of members of a race, color, or language-minority group, it is the
public policy of the state of New York to:

1. Encourage participation in the elective franchise by all eligible
voters to the maximum extent; and

2. Ensure that eligible voters who are members of racial, color, and
language-minority groups shall have an equal opportunity to participate
in the political processes of the state of New York, and especially to
exercise the elective franchise.