Port Washington Student Lobbies Speaker Silver

Kevin Greenstein, a graduating senior at , was invited to Albany by Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel, D-Great Neck, to speak with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, about maintaining lever voting machines for school district, villages and special district elections until December 31, 2014.

Speaking for those with disabilities, Greenstein recounted his difficulties in using the new paper ballots. Because Greenstein and others require assistance in filling out paper ballots, advocates point out that they are denied the right to a secret ballot. In meeting with Silver, Greenstein expressed his preference for the lever machines where he can vote without assistance.

Joining Greenstein and Schimel were Ralph Kreitzman, the mayor of Village of Great Neck; Terry Hood, business manager of Great Neck Schools; and Larry Greenstein, a member of the Port Washington Board of Education, who is also Kevin's father.

Greenstein is a current participant in the 2012 class of Partners In Policymaking, an advocacy training program for people with disabilities. He will be attending Queensborough Community College in the fall.

Schimel's voting machine legislation (A.9178) will likely be voted on in the next week, a spokeswoman from her office said.