Experts disagree with Cuomo's latest argument on fusion voting

Bill Mahoney

Originally published in Politico

As the Public Financing Commission nears the conclusion of its work, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has repeatedly suggested that fusion voting might not be compatible with a new campaign finance system.

“If you have seven political parties in the state and you go to public financing, which is the goal, you could potentially be financing 1,000 candidates per election cycle,” Cuomo said after an unrelated event at LaGuardia Airport on Tuesday. “The public could be financing 1,000 races, which is obviously politically and economically not feasible.”

"I do not read it as such," Sen. Zellnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn) replied. "It is my belief that the intent of this commission and the intent of this legislation is to determine how best to institute a public financing system in the state of New York. ... When it mentions political party qualifications or multiple party candidate nominations, it is as it pertains to public financing."

Read the full story in Politico.