In addition to the many vital reasons to vote in this election, New Yorkers also have the opportunity to vote on Proposition One, on the back of the ballot. Currently, New York’s State Constitution does not protect all New Yorkers: including women, LGBTQ+ people, those with disabilities, older adults, pregnant people and people from different countries. The New York Equal Rights Amendment would explicitly prohibit discrimination by the government based on a person’s ethnicity, national origin, age, disability and sex — including their sexual orientation, and gender identity — and would protect against governmental actions that would curtail a person’s reproductive autonomy or their access to reproductive health care. For example, the ERA would prevent the state from implementing a state abortion ban, stopping state funding for abortion via Medicaid, banning private insurance coverage of abortion or criminalizing miscarriage treatment. Without such protections, it is sobering to think that our children may have fewer rights and choices than their parents had a generation ago. Consider voting yes on Proposition One on Election Day, and voting for candidates — Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand, Josh Riley, Lea Webb, and Anna Kelles — that support these protections. If approved, the ERA will be added to New York’s Constitution. Please remember to flip over your ballot!
– Elissa Wolfson ‘81