Legislative purpose and statement of public policy

§ 17-200. Legislative purpose and statement of public policy. In\nrecognition of the protections for the right to vote provided by the\nconstitution of the state of New York, which substantially exceed the\nprotections for the right to vote provided by the constitution of the\nUnited States, and in conjunction with the constitutional guarantees of\nequal protection, freedom of expression, and freedom of association\nunder the law and against the denial or abridgement of the voting rights\nof members of a race, color, or language-minority group, it is the\npublic policy of the state of New York to:\n 1. Encourage participation in the elective franchise by all eligible\nvoters to the maximum extent; and\n 2. Ensure that eligible voters who are members of racial, color, and\nlanguage-minority groups shall have an equal opportunity to participate\nin the political processes of the state of New York, and especially to\nexercise the elective franchise.\n