An insider’s guide to Albany—what to expect in 2019 [WESTMORE NEWS]

For years, voting reforms such as early voting and online and same-day voter registration have passed in the state Assembly, only to die in the state Senate, casualties of partisan gridlock. However, incoming Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins has said that reforms, such as early voting and automatic registration, will be the first thing to happen come January. Senator Mayer agrees:

“We are going to make it more possible to participate in our local races, some of which we have in 2019, and then going forward,” she said.

With newly empowered Democrats and a slew of important policy issues up for discussion this year, Albany is going to be busy. With Democrats in control, will governing be a harmonious enterprise?

“The goal is to have bipartisan consensus as much as possible,” explains Senator Mayer, “but if we can’t, our job is to move ahead and pass legislation.”