DA State Teams New York State Team

Contact Your New York State Legislators!

 We need your help advocating for legislation to make it easier to vote from abroad in New York!

Join the DA New York State Team to contact your State Legislators for their support to VOTE YES for Senate Bill 2892. This bill would allow NY voters living abroad to submit their ballots electronically instead of paying for expensive courier services or unreliable postal mail.

Please help us to get this legislation passed! Below, you'll find a sample script for your calls and/or emails. Tag your New York friends who vote from abroad on social media and encourage them to contact their legislators, as well!

Click HERE for the Calling Script

Click HERE for the Email Template

NY State Senator Zellnor Myrie introduced legislation that will allow New Yorkers abroad to return their ballots ELECTRONICALLY. And there is exciting potential to expand this legislation to include voters who are serving in the military, their families and voters with eligible disabilities who vote absentee.

Please contact NY Senator Zellnor Myrie, Chair of the Senate Elections Committee and tell him you support ELECTRONIC RETURN in New York and believe that voters abroad, both citizens and those stationed with the military, and with eligible sight disabilities should have the RIGHT TO SECURELY RETURN THEIR BALLOTS ELECTRONICALLY.

Note: It's helpful to jot down the name of the staff member you spoke to for future reference!

STATE SENATOR

CALLING

EMAILING

Zellnor Myrie

(D) 20TH DISTRICT

Albany office:

518-455-2410

Brooklyn District Office:

718-284-4700

[email protected] 

Talking Points/Calling Script:

If you have had difficulties returning your ballot, please mention your experience when you call.

  • Hello, my name is [Name]. I am a New York voter, voting in [County Name], and I currently live in [Residence Country].

  • I live abroad but I regularly vote by absentee ballot.    

  • I want to thank Senator Myrie (pronounced MY-REE) for sponsoring S2892 – which if passed, will reduce barriers to voting in New York for voters like me who are currently living overseas.

  • I am calling to express my support for this bill and urge your office to amend the language to include military service-members and their families and voters with eligible disabilities.  We ALL deserve the protections this bill provides.

  • It is time for New York to join its neighbors and remove unnecessary obstacles to voting. Two thirds of the states in our country permit their voters abroad to return their ballots by secure electronic transmission. New York is one of only a handful of states that requires all of its voters abroad to return their ballots exclusively by postal mail.

  • I urge your office to champion this legislation so it is included in the New York State Budget. 

  • I value my U.S. citizenship and voting in New York from abroad. I vote in every election, and pay close attention to U.S. politics. But I don't think it's fair that New Yorkers like me have to worry that their ballot will arrive in time to be counted or pay to have their voices heard.

  • Thank you so much for your time!

Email Template

Feel free to copy and paste the text! If you have had difficulties returning your ballot, please include your experience in the email.

Dear Senator Myrie,

Hello, my name is [Name]. I am a New York voter, voting in [County Name], and I currently live in [Residence Country].

Currently, New York voters living all over the world must return their ballots by postal mail. Many countries do not have reliable postal services, and even those that do can take weeks for a ballot to arrive in New York. Private courier services can cost up to $100 for quick and reliable return, and this poll tax for participation in elections is unfair and unnecessary.

Two thirds of the states in our country permit their voters abroad to return their ballots by secure electronic transmission. New York is one of only a handful of states that requires all of its voters abroad to return their ballots exclusively by postal mail. This includes both active military and private citizens living outside the country.

I want to thank Senator Myrie for sponsoring S2892 - which if passed will reduce barriers to voting to New York for voters like me who are currently living overseas. I am writing to express my support for this bill and urge your office to amend the language to military service-members and their families, voters with eligible disabilities. 

I value my U.S. citizenship and voting in New York from abroad. I vote in every election, and pay close attention to U.S. politics. But I don't think it's fair that New Yorkers like me have to worry that their ballot will  NOT arrive in time to be counted or pay to have their voices heard.

It is time for New York to join its neighbors and remove unnecessary obstacles to voting. I urge your office to champion this legislation so it is included in the New York State Budget. 

 

Thank you so much for your time!

[Name]

Voting in: [Voting District, Voting County & ZIP Code]

Lives in: [Residence Country]

[If desired: Email & Phone Number including +XX Calling Code]

Thank you for supporting voting rights for ALL New York voters! If you have any questions, please email us at: [email protected]

And don't forget to request your ballot for 2024 starting January 1st -- just go to www.votefromabroad.org, select your voting state from the menu, and follow the prompts to fill out and submit your Ballot Request form.

👉 Request My 2024 Ballot 👈

 

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