Utica College Professor Luke Perry Weighs in on Election Day 2021

It is Election Day.  Polls are open until 9:00pm in Central New York.

The are several statewide initiatives on the ballot.  Utica College Political Science Professor Luke Perry, Ph.D. says that he is most interested in two of the initiatives being proposed this year.

"Any time that there is an effort to make voting easier it is better for democracy," Perry said.  For him other propositions are troubling.  His analysis of ballot issues is not influenced by the political scene but rather, Perry says, "My interest is democracy."  He says that the lack of voter turnout and participation is of real concern to him.

Proposal Three is entitled "Eliminating Ten Day Advance Voter Registration Requirement."  Proposal Four is "Authorizing No-Excuse Absentee Ballot Voting."

Perry says that he supports these for several reasons because "A lot happens in people's lives and they should be able to vote," even if they decide to do it at the last minute.  "Same day voting registration laws exist now in twenty states," he says, "so this is not a new thing."

One caller to WIBX "First News with Keeler in the Morning" disagrees, saying that "voting is a right of a well-informed public...Allowing people to just walk in stresses an already stressed department of elections."

There are five statewide proposals on the ballot.  Proposal One is a proposal "Amending the Apportionment and Redistricting Process."  Proposal Two is the "Right to Clean Air, Clean Water, and a Healthful Environment."  Proposal Four is a proposal "Increasing the Jurisdiction of the New York City Civil Court."

WIBX will have results on the outcome of the ballot initiatives, and all of the elections,  as soon as they are made available.  Results will be updated on our website at WIBX950.com and on the WIBX950 Mobile App.