The deadline to change party affiliation in NY State is over 6 months before a Presidential Primary, 8 1/2 months before the state and local primary elections, and in 2016 before the first Democratic Presidential debates, and before any candidate can be fully assessed based on the issues of their platform. Currently in NY, a citizen not enrolled in a political party cannot vote in the major primary elections. This creates exclusion from elections which are paid for by tax paying New Yorkers. It affects everyone in all 50 states because the influence of the US President and members of Congress elected in NY make decisions of national importance. It is crucial that every New Yorker be allowed time to assess the candidates of each party and join the party that they wish to vote in.

The current instructions on the official voter registration form already state that party registration can be changed at least 25 days before the election one wishes to vote in, but a little known and not clearly stated law actually prohibits it. Let's make the law match the instructions - it makes sense to do so.