Jarret Berg, Co-Founder and Voting Rights Counsel at Vote Early New York said, "With America facing significant challenges to its democratic character from threats at home and abroad, New Yorkers are incredibly fortunate to have State Senate leadership that is focused on protecting and advancing our voting rights. We applaud the Senate Majority for again putting fundamental rights first—by prioritizing this critical package of pro-civic election reform measures-—and look forward to working with lawmakers in both chambers to enact modern voting policies that will continue to improve the fairness and quality of our elections."

Joanna Zdanys, Deputy Director, Elections and Government Program, Brennan Center for Justice said, “We commend Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and the senate for their continued dedication to strengthening democracy in New York. Today’s reform package contains important measures to strengthen election administration and also allows New York to join a bipartisan multi-state initiative to improve the accuracy of state voter registration lists. These advancements build on a remarkable series of legislative achievements in recent years to fortify our state’s democracy, among them the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York, the nation’s strongest public campaign financing program, and new disclosure requirements for deceptive AI-generated content impacting elections. At this pivotal time for our nation’s democracy, we are grateful that New York continues to lead in safeguarding the rights of its voters.”

Erica Smitka, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of New York State said, "The League of Women Voters of New York State applauds the Senate for taking meaningful steps to protect our democracy. As we evaluate the 2024 election process, it is clear that there are still critical gaps in the system that must be addressed. We are pleased to see bills that would allow New York to join a multistate voter list maintenance program like ERIC, professionalize our boards of election, and strengthen access to the ballot. Implementing a program like ERIC will improve voter roll accuracy, enhance accessibility and efficiency, reduce election costs, and restore overall confidence in our election system."

Karen Wharton, Democracy Coalition Coordinator, Citizen Action of New York said, “Now, more than ever, it is crucial that we safeguard our elections from the influence of foreign entities investing millions to sway them. Simultaneously, we must ensure all eligible New Yorkers can easily and safely access the ballot. That’s why we are thrilled by the New York State Senate's proactive steps today to address these pressing issues by passing this package of democracy bills. Their actions mark a significant contribution to our collective efforts to meet this moment. We look forward to working with the legislature and the executive to preserve and enhance the progress we’ve made in recent years.”

Dustin Czarny, Democratic Caucus Chair, NYS Elections Commissioner Association said, "Once again the NY Senate has prioritized our Democracy by addressing vital bills on the first day of session.  This year they have passed necessary legislation to ensure all county boards have resources and to do their job and provide better service to voters. The New York Senate continues their commitment to the voters and election workers in our state each and every year."

Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY said, “Common Cause/NY is pleased the New York State Senate is once again starting session by putting New York voters first. As we head into a second Trump presidency, it’s more critical than ever that NY prioritize voting and democracy issues. We look forward to working with the Legislature to pass even more crucial election reforms this year.”

Sam Oliker Friedland, executive director of the Institute for Responsive Government Action said, “The New York State Legislature started off 2025 strong by passing S88 to build on and make continued improvements to New York’s automatic voter registration system. As New York moves forward with implementation of first generation AVR, it’s important to lay the groundwork for second generation improvements. S88 streamlines AVR operations for DMV and Medicaid transactions using a process known as Enhanced AVR to register more eligible voters while also improving protections against erroneous registrations by non-citizens. We applaud the leadership of Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Gianaris, for undertaking this initiative to increase access to the ballot box while ensuring the integrity of the voter rolls remains an utmost priority.”

John Park, Executive Director of the MinKwon Center of Community Action said, "We applaud the New York State Senate for advancing the Democracy Preservation Act, S371. With this legislation, the New York State Senate is taking bold steps to ensure our political process remains free from foreign interference. By prohibiting contributions from foreign-influenced business entities, this legislation underscores the importance of protecting our elections from external influences that undermine our democracy. These measures, alongside provisions for enhanced training and minimum staffing for election boards, represent a powerful commitment to the integrity of our democracy. Together, they reflect New York’s unwavering dedication to empowering voters, supporting election workers, and securing the future of our elections for generations to come." 

Christina Harvey, Executive Director of Stand-Up America said, “We applaud the continued efforts of Senate Democrats to limit the impact of wealthy corporate donors and to ensure that all eligible New Yorkers have access to the ballot. The legislation introduced today builds on the legislature’s record of passing critical electoral reforms that we’ve been proud to support in recent years, including the New York Voting Rights Act, universal mail-in voting, and our state’s new public campaign finance system. These efforts set an important example for other state and national leaders.” 

Joy Williams, NAACP New York State Conference Legislative Director and 1st Vice President said, “The NAACP New York State Conference applauds the Senate Majority for continuing the important work of ensuring that every New Yorker's access to the ballot box is protected and they are able to exercise their right to vote in a timely way without encumbrance.”