New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday night signed a bill that automatically restores voting rights to formerly convicted felons in the state as soon as they are released from prison, even if they are on parole. “I strongly believe that restoring the right to vote to people who have paid their debt to society strengthens our democracy, promotes successful reentry into the community, and makes New York a safer and fairer place to live,” Cuomo, a Democrat, said in a statement. The new law, which goes into effect immediately, codifies a practice that has been in place in the state since the governor issued an executive order in 2018 to restore voting rights to New Yorkers on parole. Cuomo previously said that minorities are disproportionately impacted by the voting prohibition and that restoring voting rights can help convicted felons reestablish ties to their communities as law-abiding citizens. Sponsor of the …