“With the federal primary taking place on June 28 and the state and local primary scheduled for Sept. 13 this year, voting in New York State will be overly complicated and costly. Merging the two primary dates and streamlining the electoral calendar would not only help increase voter turnout by making it easier for more New Yorkers to be involved in the process, it would also protect the voting rights of our troops serving overseas by providing them with ample time to return their absentee ballots. During an election cycle when voters already have to be mindful of an additional primary in April for the presidential race, any consolidation will help facilitate voting and make the electoral schedule less complicated for our citizens.

“Beyond protecting and expanding access to voting, consolidating the primaries to June 28 would also save $25 million in taxpayer dollars statewide and result in significant savings for Saratoga and Washington counties. Our local governments are already stretched thin and forced to make difficult decisions; holding two primary dates is an unreasonable and unnecessary mandate that we just can’t afford.”