From the perspective of his work on the Subcommittee, Kavanagh was able to share with the panel and audience the practical application of current New York election law and the status of New York’s compliance with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). Kavanagh drew from his experience during the November 2009 elections during which Kavanagh and his staff visited poll sites in 10 counties around the State and spoke with New Yorkers who voted on optical scanner voting machines, rather than the lever machines, for the first time – as well as election officials and pollsite workers.
Kavanagh also discussed opportunities made available with the new optical scanner voting machines to make the administration of elections more fair, efficient, and convenient for voters in New York. Two of these opportunities, instant runoff voting and early voting, are embodied in pending legislation sponsored by Kavanagh.
