The New York City Voter Assistance Commission (VAC) and the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) today hosted a second outreach forum to help facilitate the participation of new citizens in the electoral process.  This forum, which took place at Barnard College, covered voter registration, procedures for becoming a poll worker and provisions of the Help American Vote Act (HAVA). Barnard College Professor Lorraine C. Minnite also presented findings from "The New American Exit Poll Project," a study of the immigrant voting trends based on the 2000, 2002, and 2004 New York City polls.

"Immigrants are 36 percent of NYC's population and more than half of the births here are to foreign-born mothers," said Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Guillermo Linares. "We want to make sure that immigrant New Yorkers who have become citizens exercise their right to vote."

"Our mandate is to register as many voters in the City of New York as possible," said John Ravitz, Executive Director of the NYC Board of Elections. "The forum today gives the Board of Elections an opportunity to form relationships and reinforce lines of communication that will help us fulfill that mission."

Ravitz explained that the Help American Vote Act (HAVA) requires, effective as of June 21, 2003, the presentation of valid identification for those who register to vote for the first time through the mail; the implementation of a state-wide voter database; and the creation of a new voting system that is more accessible to physically challenged persons. The upgrade of the system is pending the determination of whether touch screens or optical scanners will replace current voting machines.

Ravitz also said there is a need for poll workers and interpreters. People interested in becoming poll workers must be registered in the Democratic or Republican Party and can earn $25 for attending and passing a training class and then $200 for a day of work at a polling site. Interpreters must be at least 18 years of age, residents of NYC and proficient in reading and writing English as well as fluent in the language they wish to translate.  Interpreters are also compensated for their work.

Barnard College Professor Lorraine C. Minnite reviewed her findings from the New Americans Exit Poll Project. "At minimum, 25 percent of the electorate in NYC is foreign born," said Minnite, adding that the immigrant voter is more likely to be a person of color and working class. Minnite also suggested certain trends, including that immigrants are overwhelming registered as Democrats but slightly lean toward Republican candidates; are less tied to party identification than native New Yorkers; and are less likely to be contacted the month before an election.

To register to vote in the City of New York, you must:

• Be a citizen of the United States (Includes those persons born in Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
• Be a New York City resident for at least 30 days
• Be 18 years of age before the next election
• Not be serving a jail sentence or be on parole for a felony conviction
• Not be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court
• Not claim the right to vote elsewhere (outside the City of New York)
• Although you can register any time during the year, your form must be delivered or mailed at least 25 days before the next election for it to be effective for that election.

For more information on the voting process, call 311.  Operators at 311 are ready to assist callers in 170 languages.

A second forum on the electoral process will take place on May 19th at Barnard College.

The New York City Voter Assistance Commission works to encourage and facilitate voter registration and voting by all eligible United States citizens residing in New York City. VAC is strictly nonpartisan, and does not promote any candidate for elected office, political party, or political agenda.

The Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs is committed to promoting the full and active participation of immigrants in the civic, economic, and cultural life of the City.  Foreign-born New Yorkers are 36 percent of New York City's population.