Proposed Bill Makes Registering to Vote Easier

New Bills Hope to Make Registering to Vote Easier

A new set of bills introduced yesterday in Albany would try to make it easier for residents to register and then vote in elections.

Only a reported 36 percent of eligible voters in the state showed up at the polls for the 2010 elections.

The “Voter Empowerment Act of New York” would allow 16 and 17-year-olds to register so they will already be prepared to vote when they turn 18.

A person who wishes to change parties could do so within a 10-day period instead of a month and year. The measure would also allow a person to register online, and the whole system would be put on a computerized system instead of the paper records now kept.

The proposal is sponsored by two lawmakers from the New York City area. They hope the changes will make it easier to vote.

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Jason’s Run Starts Set for Saturday

Activities for the 4th annual Jason’s Run kicks off Saturday with a pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Oneonta Vets Club on 279 Chestnut Street. Coordinator of Jason’s Run, Karen Vagliardo, says sign-ups for motorcyclists and motorists is from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. with departure time set for 11:15 a.m. sharp.

The riders will make their way back to Oneonta around 3:30 p.m. and will enjoy a BBQ chicken dinner. Jason’s Run is in memory of Jason Vagliardo who was killed while riding his motorcycle back in 2008.

Syracuse Sees Drop in Texting-While-Driving Infractions

Distracted driving has turned into a national epidemic with about 3,000 killed each year by distracted drivers.

New York is one of 39 states to adopt a law making it illegal to use any hand-held electronic device while driving.

In 2011, Syracuse was one of the first cities to implement a distracted driving program. Since then the city has seen a 35 percent drop in texting while driving. The DOT has set up website dedicated to stopping distracted driving.