Civic Education Articles

Ranked choice voting (RCV) — also known as instant runoff voting (IRV):

• Impacts elections by allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference.
• Voters have the option to rank candidates in order of preference: first, second, third and so forth. If your first choice doesn’t have a chance to win, your ballot counts for your next choice.
• RCV works in all types of elections and supports more representative outcomes.
• RCV means more choices, campaigns, and more representation.

Project CIVICA's Position and Legislation. 

Introduction

Project Civica is committed to ensuring the integrity and trustworthiness of New York's electoral process. Our mission is to strengthen public confidence in elections by advocating for transparent, auditable, and accountable election procedures. Every vote must accurately reflect the will of New Yorkers, regardless of the outcome.

Current Challenges in New York Elections

New York's election system faces several vulnerabilities, including concerns about electronic voting systems, lack of transparency, and limited public oversight. Project Civica has identified the following key issues:

• Electronic Voting Systems: These systems lack public trust due to their limited testability, transparency, and reliance on private tech companies.

• Oversight Limitations: The role of unelected party officials in reconciling election results behind closed doors undermines public confidence.

• Accountability: The right of citizens to oversee elections is compromised, challenging democratic principles of government accountability.

Legislative and Procedural Recommendations

Voter Roll Accuracy

• Maintain and update voter rolls with strict, reconcilable criteria.

• Conduct ongoing research into New York and county voter databases.

• Oppose the use of the ERIC system due to identified issues.

Voting Procedures

• Require hand-marked paper ballots with anti-forgery measures such as watermarks.

• Restrict the use of electronic voting systems unless fully auditable and reconcilable with paper records.

• Limit early voting to a few days to enhance oversight.

• Declare Election Day a national holiday to increase participation and reduce logistical issues.

Election Security and Transparency

• Establish automatic and robust auditing procedures for elections.

• Allow non-partisan poll watchers full access to ensure real-time transparency.

• Conduct independent post-election audits to verify results.

• Restrict ballot harvesting and enforce strict in-person voter ID laws.

Mail-In Voting Protocols

• Implement strict request and mailing verification procedures.

• Enforce identification requirements for mail-in ballots.

• Ballots must be received by the end of Election Day, not several days later.

• No drop boxes due to chain-of-custody concerns.

Election District and Counting Standards

• Establish size limits for election districts to improve local oversight.

• Conduct in-district counting and ensure reconciliation before ballots are moved.

• Require clear chain of custody for ballot transportation, always handled by at least two individuals.

Data Integrity and Reporting

• Standardize election data reconciliation and maintenance.

• Implement a secure system allowing voters to check and correct their own voting records before certification.

• Establish strict penalties for election law violations and clear reporting procedures.

Importance of Hand-Marked Paper Ballots

• Enhanced Security: Reduces the risk of cyber-attacks and provides a verifiable voting record.

• Voter Confidence: Tangible ballots assure voters that their votes are accurately recorded and counted.

• Transparency: Enables independent audits and verifications by observers.

Addressing Recent Electoral Challenges

• Incidents in the 2020 presidential election exposed vulnerabilities, reinforcing the need for verifiable voting methods.

• Other states have adopted hand-marked paper ballots to improve security and transparency.

Balancing Technology and Security

While technology can enhance efficiency, it introduces security risks. Project Civica supports limiting electronic systems and emphasizing hand-marked ballots as the gold standard for election integrity.

Pre-Election Advocacy

• Ensure fair and open primary elections with broad voter choice.

• Increase the number of election sites with fewer ballots per site to improve oversight and prevent excess ballots.

Post-Election Security and Audits

• Require a 3% audit of ballots to verify accuracy.

• Conduct audits of absentee and affidavit ballots.

• Ensure full voter roll reconciliation to prevent discrepancies.

• Implement clear and affordable procedures for candidate challenges and legal election oversight.

• Require a standardized process to allow voters and candidates to challenge results without excessive legal costs.

• Chain of custody must be verified at every stage, including flash drive transportation.

Opposition to Ranked-Choice Voting

• Ranked-choice voting often results in the election of the least popular candidate due to redistribution of votes.

• The system is complex, reducing transparency and voter confidence.

Conclusion

Restoring trust in New York's electoral process requires transparent, accountable, and verifiable systems. Project Civica’s reforms will ensure every vote counts and that election integrity is protected for future generations. By advocating for these changes, New Yorkers can uphold democratic principles and reinforce the legitimacy of their elections.