Myrie Statement on NYS Voting Rights Act Passage

ALBANY— Senator Zellnor Y. Myrie (D-Central Brooklyn) released the following statement after the New York State Senate voted to pass S.1046-E, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York:

"The right to vote is under attack in statehouses across this nation. But as our hearings and report demonstrated last year, New York has a long history of voter suppression, discrimination and disenfranchisement. The Voting Rights Act of New York, named in tribute to John R. Lewis, will enact the strongest voter protections of any state in the country and provide legal recourse for voters whose rights are denied or abridged. We're fighting for the VRA not to favor any political party or ideology, but instead because we know the right to vote is the sacred underpinning of our system of government. With the federal government increasingly unable to advance voting rights, states must step into the void, and I'm incredibly proud the Senate has passed the VRA.

"Make no mistake: democracy is on the line, but New York voters should know that your government will always defend and strengthen your right to participate and be heard."

The VRA contains the strongest voter protections of any state in the country. Recent coverage about the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York can be read here and here.