When it comes to issues involving the practices and procedures of voting in New York, In Focus invariably turns to Kate Doran. 

As the Director-at-Large for the non-partisan League of Women Voters NYS, she is part of the team laser focused on fixing whatever goes wrong with the voting system. 

She’s also there, on the ground, every Election Day, as a poll worker, so she can see how those procedures are being carried out.  She joins In Focus this week to talk about changes in the state’s voting system, which was pretty much of a hot mess in 2020, with long lines, a shortage of polling sites and staff. 

She happily reports that, this year, the Board of Elections has done a pretty good job, stationing line managers outside sites and making sure there are enough locations open. Sadly, she said, this year the crowds have not shown up, at least so far.  She also talked about the proposals on the ballot for this election. 

She said the League is throwing its full-throated support behind bills to make no-excuse absentee ballots a permanent fixture, as well as moves toward same-day voter registration. 

She said, however, the League does not support a bill that would hand the ability to redistrict back to the state legislature, saying it gives too much power to the majority party which, she reminds them, will not always be the Democrats.