The good-government group Common Cause and a Democratic county elections commissioner on Friday urged state lawmakers to codify an absentee ballot expansion Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered for the June 23 primary and special elections in New York. 

Cuomo moved this week to expand absentee voting to include virtually any eligible voter in the June vote, which will consider federal and state primary elections and two special elections for the 27th congressionla district and the 50th state Senate seat. 

Cuomo had previously moved the special election and presidential primary from April 28 to June 23 in order to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Advocates pointed to the Wisconsin primary vote on Tuesday, which saw low turnout and people voting wearing medical masks, as something New York should not repeat. 

"Tuesday's election in Wisconsin was an avoidable travesty that need not occur in New York. With foresight and planning, like expanding absentee voting and increasing early voting days and poll sites, voters will be able to exercise their democratic rights without risking their lives," said Sarah Goff, the deputy director of Common Cause New York. 

State lawmakers this month had discussed the potential of expanding absentee voting criteria, which is narrow in New York due to the wording of the state's constitution. Voting by mail provisions that are permitted in some states would require a constitutional amendment. 

"The Governor's actions to expand the reason for absentees to include the COVID-19 crisis and allow email applications for absentees was an important first step to protect voters for the June combined primaries," said Onondaga County Board of Elections Co-Chairman Dustin Czarny. "The legislature now needs to act to ensure we have these protections in place for the November election and beyond."