Shawn Griffiths
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Buffalo voters are sending a clear message to City Hall: the city’s elections are failing to provide voters with sufficient choice, representation, and a meaningful voice.
According to Unite NY, new polling data shows strong support among Buffalo voters for reforms that would open elections to independent voters, reduce barriers for independent candidates, and give voters more say in who represents them.
The nonpartisan better elections group commissioned the poll to gauge voter sentiment on 3 reforms in particular that it has put before the city’s charter revision commission (CRC): Open primaries, ranked choice voting, and expanded ballot access.
Unite NY says two-thirds of Buffalo voters support open primaries. Additionally, 60% said open primaries would give voters more say and 59% said they would result in fairer elections.
Buffalo election rules are identical to the state when it comes to primary elections. Only registered party members can participate in their respective party’s primary. Independent voters are barred from these taxpayer-funded elections.
The group’s account of the findings show that the most popular reform idea is reducing the number of signatures independent candidates need to qualify for the ballot to match that of major party candidates (which is notably less).
Sixty-seven percent (67%) support this change, while a slight majority (51%) also support ranked choice voting.
“When voters overwhelmingly support open primaries and expanded ballot access, they are telling us the current system does not give enough people a meaningful voice,” said Unite NY Executive Director Anthony Thomas.
Thomas added that the Western New York RCV Coalition “represents tens of thousands of Buffalo voters who want meaningful electoral reform” and called on the Buffalo CRC and Common Council to put these reforms before voters.
Unite NY is the chair of the Western New York RCV Coalition, which the group describes as a coalition of organizations working to expand the 3 reform proposals asked about in the poll.
Other organizations in the coalition include: PPG Buffalo, 1199 funds, Clean Air Coalition WNY, Voice Buffalo, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Common Cause, the League of Women Voters Buffalo, Buffalo Health Equity, Buffalo Jewish Federation, and Stronger Together Buffalo.
The CRC recently advanced all three proposals for charter language drafting. This does not mean they are guaranteed for the ballot. However, it is a critical step in that direction. Reform advocates argue voters should have the final say.
Unite NY’s poll is also an indication of broader support for systemic change in New York at-large. Open Primaries and the Independent Voter Project released polling data this week that showed most Democrats in New York City want primaries opened to independent voters.
Further, several Democrats reported that they are only party members because they want a meaningful vote in city elections, including 1-in-3 Latino Democrats. They say they are really independent voters, but don't want to be locked out.
The question is: Will New York become the next reform battleground to advance more choice and equal voting rights for independent voters? There are a growing number of reform groups and voters in the state that certainly hope so.