NY state's Voting Rights Act withstands major test with implications for NYC voters
A change to the way elections are handled in a Hudson River town could have broader implications for minority voters across New York, protecting their rights as such protections are eroded at the federal level.
Under a settlement reached last week, the town of Newburgh will now use a form of ranked-choice voting to elect members of its Town Council, similar to the way New York City conducts its municipal primaries and special elections.
The change was prompted by a lawsuit filed under the state’s John Lewis Voting Rights Act on behalf of minority voters who argued their votes were consistently diluted under the town’s at-large voting system.
“I've been living here in Newburgh for 32 years, and in those whole 32 years, there's never ever been a person of color on that town board,” said Ernie Tirado, a Hispanic resident and one of the plaintiffs of the case.
https://gothamist.com/news/ny-states-voting-rights-act-withstands-major-test-with-implications-for-nyc-voters