MEMORANDUM OF SUPPORT_ S912

TO: Members of the State Senate Education Committee

RE: S. 912

DATE: January 19th, 2021

Agudath Israel of America strongly supports S. 912, which establishes a school voter registration access program in schools across the state.

Agudath Israel has long been active in voter registration efforts and supports any initiative to increase those efforts. More recently, the Agudah Voting Project has been actively visiting New York high schools to register 16 and 17-year-old students to enable them to vote as soon as they turn 18, in the belief that good voting habits start early and that an engaged voter is one who is increasingly engaged in other civic action. Any resources provided through this bill to assist registration efforts will benefit the students, their schools and ultimately all of us.

For all of the above we strongly support this bill and urge its passage.