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A00779 Summary:

BILL NOA00779
 
SAME ASSAME AS UNI. S01103
 
SPONSORLavine (MS)
 
COSPNSRHeastie, Bronson, Paulin, DenDekker, Gottfried, Ortiz, Hevesi, Dinowitz, McDonald, Simotas, Rosenthal L, Stirpe, Abinanti, Barrett, Fahy, Brabenec, Galef, Weprin, Rozic, Blake, Burke, Carroll, Cruz, Eichenstein, Epstein, Fall, Glick, Griffin, Jacobson, Lifton, McMahon, Otis, Romeo, Thiele, Weinstein, Reyes, Taylor, Gantt, Zebrowski, Simon, Rosenthal D, Stern, Ramos, Seawright, Vanel, Colton, D'Urso, Hunter, Kim
 
MLTSPNSRBenedetto, Braunstein, Buchwald, Lentol, Lupardo, Magnarelli, Miller B, Nolan, Rodriguez, Santabarbara, Sayegh
 
Amd El L, generally; amd §42, Pub Off L
 
Relates to primary elections and amends certain deadlines to facilitate the timely transmission of ballots to military voters stationed overseas; relates to filling vacancies in elective offices; relates to the date of primary elections.
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A00779 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A779
 
SPONSOR: Lavine (MS)
  TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the election law, in relation to primary elections and amending certain deadlines to facilitate the timely transmission of ballots to military voters stationed overseas; to amend the public offi- cers law, in relation to filling vacancies in elective offices; to amend the election law, in relation to date of primary elections; and to amend the election law, in relation to canvass and audit of returns   PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: The purpose of this bill is to ensure that New York State's election law complies with the federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act.   SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section 1 of the bill amends § 1-106(1) of the election law to provide that all certificates and petitions of designation or nomination, certificates of acceptance or declination of such designations or nomi- nations, certificates of authori zation for such designations or nomi- nations, certificates of disqualification, certif- icates of substi- tution for such designations or nominations and objections and specifi- cations of objections to such certificates and petitions required to be filed with the state board of elections or a board of elections outside of the City of New York shall be deemed timely filed and accepted for filing if sent by mail or overnight delivery service (allowed by subdi- vision 3 of this section) in an envelope postmarked or showing receipt by the overnight delivery service prior to midnight of the last day of filing, and received no later than two business days after the last day to file such certificates, petitions, objections or specifications. Failure of the post office or any other person or entity to deliver such petition, certificate, or objection to such board of elections outside the City of New York no later than two business days after the last day to file such certificates, petitions, objections, or specifications, is a fatal defect. Section 2 of the bill amends § 4-104(1) of the election law to specify that polling places must be designated by March 15th each year which is a month and a half earlier than the current May 1st deadline. Section 3 of the bill amends § 4-106(1)&(2) of the election law to set February 1 in each year as the deadline for the SBOE to transmit to each county a certificate stating each state and federal office to be voted upon in such general election. Section 3 further sets February 1 as the date that county, city, village and town clerks must transmit a certif- icate containing complimentary information for local offices to the county boards of elections. Section 4 of the bill amends § 4-108(1)(b) of the election law to provide that the certified text of any proposal, proposition, or refer- endum that is to be submitted to a vote of the people of a county, city, town, village, or special district at an election to be conducted by the board of elections shall be submitted to such board by the clerk of such political subdivision three months prior to the general election at which such proposal is to be voted upon. Section 5 of the bill amends S 4-110 of the election law to provide that the state board of elections shall certify to each county board of elections 55 days before a primary election or presidential primary the name, residence, title of office, name of party, and ballot order of each candidate to be voted for, within such county, who have filed a designation with the state board of elections. Section 6 of the bill amends § 4-112(1) of the election law to provide that the state board of elections shall certify to each county board of elections 55 days before a general election the name and residence of each candidate nominated via certificate filed with the state board or primary election canvassed by the state board, the title of office, name of party, the party emblem, as well as a notation as to whether any litigation is pending. Section 7 of the bill amends § 4-114 of the election law to provide that county boards of election shall determine the candidates duly nominated for public office and the questions that shall appear on the ballot within the jurisdiction of that board of election not later than 54 days before a primary or general election. Section 8 of the bill amends § 4-117(1) of the election law to provide that a "mail check card" be mailed by the local board of elections between 65 and 70 days before a primary election to notify active regis- tered voters of the days and hours of primary and general elections, polling places, other information informing voters of residency issues regarding voting, information regarding the accessibility of polling places, and other information useful to voters interested in participat- ing on election day. Section 9 of the bill amends § 5-604(1) of the election law to provide that local boards of election shall publish updated enrollment lists before February 1 each year. Section 10 of the bill amends S 5-708(5) of the election law to specify that at least once a year during the month of February, each board of elections shall obtain through the National Change of Address system, the forwarding address for every voter registered with such board of elections and the names of those voters who have moved and did not leave a forwarding address with the USPS. Section 11 of the bill amends § 6-108(1) of the election law to remove a reference to a "fall" primary and replaces it with a reference to "the primary." Section 12 of the bill amends § 6-147(1) and (2) of the election law to provide that duly acknowledged certificates relating to grouping of candidates, candidates running for party positions with a group, or self-assignation of an election district by or running alone in multiple election districts shall be filed with the board of elections not later than the tenth Tuesday preceding the primary election. Section 13 of the bill amends § 6-158 of the election law to provide that: *In subdivision (1), designating petitions be filed between the thir- teenth Monday and the twelfth Thursday preceding a primary election. *In subdivision (4), opportunity to ballot petitions shall be filed not later than the eleventh Thursday preceding the primary election. Except in the case of a substitution of a designated person, that an opportu- nity to ballot petition may be filed not later than the tenth Thursday preceding such primary. *In subdivision (5), a judicial district convention shall be held not earlier than the Thursday following the first Monday in August preceding the general election (which is also ten days following the state consti- tutional deadline for the vacancy in the office of the supreme court to occur and still be filled at the next general election), and not later than six days after the earliest date to hold such convention. *In subdivision (6), a certificate of a party nomination made other than at the primary election for an office to be filled at the time of a general election shall be filed not later than 30 days after the primary election, except that a certificate of nomination for an office which becomes vacant after the seventh day preceding such primary election shall be filed not later than 30 days after the primary or ten days after the creation of such vacancy, whichever is later, whichever is later, except that a certificate of nomination for elector of president and vice-president of the United States shall be filed not later than 74 days after the primary election. *In subdivision (9), a petition for an independent nomination for an office to be filled at the time of a general election shall be filed not earlier than 24 weeks and not later than 23 weeks preceding such election. *In subdivision (11), certificates of acceptance or declination of an independent nomination for an office to be filled at the general election shall be filed not later than the third day after the twenty- third Tuesday preceding such election. *In subdivision (12), a certificate to fill a vacancy caused by a decli- nation of an independent nomination for an office to be filled at the time of a general election shall be filed not later than the sixth day after the twenty-third Tuesday preceding such election. *In subdivision (14), a vacancy occurring three months before the gener- al election in any year in any office authorized to be filled at a general election, except in the officers of governor, lieutenant-gover- nor, or United States senator shall be filled at the general election held next thereafter, unless otherwise provided by the constitution, or unless previously filled at a special election. Section 14 of the bill amends § 8-100(1) of the election law to provide that a primary election shall be held on the fourth Tuesday in June before every general election unless otherwise changed by an act of the legislature. This section also makes it clear that all nominations for public office required to be made at a primary election in such year shall be made at such primary and that all members of state and local party committees as well as other party offices shall be elected at such primary. Section 15 of the bill amends § 9-200(1) of the election law to require boards of elections to complete the canvass of primary returns within 13 days from the primary election day. Section 16 of the bill amends § 9-208(1) of the election law to require recording of the serial numbers of each ballot scanner used in each election district within 20 days after the primary election day. Section 17 of the bill amends § 9-211(1) of the election law to require audits to be completed within 13 days after a primary election and 7 days after a village election. Section 18 of the bill amends § 10-108(1)(a) of the election law to provide that ballots for military voters are sent out 46 days before a primary or general election. Section 19 of the bill amends § 11-204(4) of the election law to provide that ballots for overseas voters are sent out 46 days before a primary or general election. Section 20 of the bill amends § 16-102 of the election law to require resolution of any appeals in election proceedings to be made at least five weeks before election day. Section 21 of the bill amends § 16-104(3) and (4) of the election law to require proceedings as to the form of ballots to be instituted within 7 days after the last day to certify the wording of any such abstract or form of submission and for any final order regarding the resolution of any appeals for such proceeding to be made at least five weeks before the day of the election. Section 22 of the bill amends § 42(1) and (4) of the public officers law to provide that a vacancy occurring three months before general election in any year in any office authorized to be filled at a general election, except in the offices of governor, lieutenant-governor, or United States senator, shall be filled at the general election held next thereafter, unless otherwise provided by the constitution, or unless previously filled at a special election. This three-month cut-off date is also inserted into the appropriate parts of subdivision four of section 42 of the Public Officer's Law. Section 23 of the bill is the effective date (immediately).   LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 2018: A.9925(Lavine)-Advanced to 3rd Reading; S.3562A (Stewart-Cousins) Died in Veterans 2017: A.3052 (Cusick) - Passed the Assembly; No same as 2016: A.9108 (Cusick) - Passed the Assembly; S.6452A (Stewart-Cousins)Died in Veterans   EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately   JUSTIFICATION: In 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Military Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act. The MOVE Act was an amendment that expanded the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) of 1986. UOCAVA required states and territories to allow members of the U.S. Uniformed Services and merchant marine, their family members, and U.S. citizens residing outside the United States to regis- ter and vote absentee in elections for federal offices. The MOVE Act was designed to provide greater protections of the voting rights of military personnel, their families, and other overseas citizens. Among other provisions, the MOVE Act requires states to transmit validly-requested absentee ballots to UOCAVA voters no later than 45 days before a federal election, when the request has been received by that date, except where the state has been granted an undue hardship waiver approved by the Department of Defense for that election. New York State was granted such a waiver in 2010. New York State's election law as currently written regarding military and overseas voters is not compliant with the 45-day requirement codified in the MOVE Act. In addition, the overall structure of the deadlines and due dates in New York State electio n law mean that that changing the time-frame in which military and overseas ballots must be mailed necessitates various changes to numerous interdependent sections of the election law, culminating in moving the primary date. U.S. District Court Gary Sharpe (N.D.N.Y.) has, by and through the case of The United States of America v. State of New York, already set the date for the federal, non-presidential primary for the fourth Tuesday in June for 2016. The benefits of merging the federal non-presidential and state primaries are threefold: such a merger will ensure that military personnel and New Yorkers living abroad have an opportunity to vote, it will prevent New Yorkers from having to go out and vote in three separate primaries in 2016, and by reducing the number of primary days, county boards of elections throughout New York State will see a collective cost savings of approximately $25,000,000. New York State's primary was held in June until 1974 when it was changed to its current date of the first Tuesday after the second Monday in September.
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A00779 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
            S. 1103                                                   A. 779
 
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                SENATE - ASSEMBLY
 
                                    January 10, 2019
                                       ___________
 
        IN  SENATE  --  Introduced  by  Sens.  STEWART-COUSINS, ADDABBO, BAILEY,
          BENJAMIN, BIAGGI, BRESLIN, BROOKS, CARLUCCI, COMRIE, GAUGHRAN, GIANAR-
          IS, GOUNARDES, HARCKHAM, HOYLMAN, JACKSON, KAMINSKY, KAPLAN, KAVANAGH,
          KENNEDY, KRUEGER, LIU,  MARTINEZ,  MAY,  MAYER,  METZGER,  MONTGOMERY,
          MYRIE,  PARKER,  PERSAUD,  RAMOS,  RIVERA,  SALAZAR,  SANDERS, SAVINO,
          SEPULVEDA, SERRANO,  SKOUFIS,  STAVISKY,  THOMAS  --  read  twice  and
          ordered  printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on
          Elections
 
        IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. LAVINE, HEASTIE, BRONSON,  PAULIN,
          DenDEKKER,  GOTTFRIED,  ORTIZ,  HEVESI,  DINOWITZ,  McDONALD, SIMOTAS,
          L. ROSENTHAL,  STIRPE,  ABINANTI,  BARRETT,  FAHY,  BRABENEC,   GALEF,
          WEPRIN,  ROZIC,  BLAKE,  BURKE,  CARROLL,  CRUZ, EICHENSTEIN, EPSTEIN,
          FALL, GLICK, GRIFFIN, JACOBSON, LIFTON, McMAHON, OTIS, ROMEO,  THIELE,
          WEINSTEIN  --  Multi-Sponsored  by  -- M. of A. BENEDETTO, BRAUNSTEIN,
          BUCHWALD, LENTOL, LUPARDO, MAGNARELLI, B. MILLER, RODRIGUEZ, SANTABAR-
          BARA, SIMON, ZEBROWSKI -- read once and referred to the  Committee  on
          Election Law

        AN  ACT  to amend the election law, in relation to primary elections and
          amending certain deadlines to facilitate the  timely  transmission  of
          ballots  to  military  voters  stationed overseas; to amend the public
          officers law, in relation to filling vacancies in elective offices; to
          amend the election law, in relation to date of primary elections;  and
          to amend the election law, in relation to canvass and audit of returns
 
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 1-106  of  the  election  law,  as
     2  amended  by  chapter  700  of  the  laws  of 1977, is amended to read as
     3  follows:
     4    1. All papers required to be filed pursuant to the provisions of  this
     5  chapter  shall, unless otherwise provided, be filed between the hours of

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04591-04-9

        S. 1103                             2                             A. 779
 
     1  nine A.M. and five P.M. If the last day  for  filing  shall  fall  on  a
     2  Saturday,  Sunday  or  legal holiday, the next business day shall become
     3  the last day for filing. All papers sent by mail in  an  envelope  post-
     4  marked prior to midnight of the last day of filing shall be deemed time-
     5  ly  filed and accepted for filing when received, except that all certif-
     6  icates and petitions  of  designation  or  nomination,  certificates  of
     7  acceptance  or  declination of such designations or nominations, certif-
     8  icates of authorization for such designations  or  nominations,  certif-
     9  icates of disqualification, certificates of substitution for such desig-
    10  nations  or  nominations and objections and specifications of objections
    11  to such certificates and petitions required to be filed with  the  state
    12  board  of  elections  or a board of elections outside of the city of New
    13  York shall be deemed timely filed and accepted for  filing  if  sent  by
    14  mail or overnight delivery service pursuant to subdivision three of this
    15  section, and received no later than two business days after the last day
    16  to  file  such  certificates,  petitions,  objections or specifications.
    17  Failure of the post office or any other person or entity to deliver  any
    18  such  petition,  certificate  or  objection  to  such board of elections
    19  outside the city of New York no later than two business days  after  the
    20  last  day to file such certificates, petitions, objections or specifica-
    21  tions shall be a fatal defect. Excepted further  that  all  certificates
    22  and  petitions  of designation or nomination, certificates of acceptance
    23  or declination of such designations  and  nominations,  certificates  of
    24  substitution  for  such  designations  or nominations and objections and
    25  specifications of objections to such certificates and petitions required
    26  to be filed with the board of elections of the city of New York must  be
    27  actually  received by such city board of elections on or before the last
    28  day to file any such petition, certificate or objection and such  office
    29  shall  be  open  for  the  receipt  of  such petitions, certificates and
    30  objections until midnight on the last day to  file  any  such  petition,
    31  certificate or objection. Failure of the post office or any other person
    32  or entity to deliver any such petition, certificate or objection to such
    33  city  board  of  elections  on  or before such last day shall be a fatal
    34  defect.
    35    § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 4-104 of the election law, as amended by
    36  chapter 180 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
    37    1. Every board of elections shall, in  consultation  with  each  city,
    38  town and village, designate the polling places in each election district
    39  in  which  the  meetings  for  the  registration  of voters, and for any
    40  election may be held. The board of trustees of  each  village  in  which
    41  general  and  special  village  elections  conducted  by  the  board  of
    42  elections are held at a time other than the time of a  general  election
    43  shall submit such a list of polling places for such village elections to
    44  the  board  of  elections.  A polling place may be located in a building
    45  owned by a religious organization or used by it as a place  of  worship.
    46  If  such  a  building  is designated as a polling place, it shall not be
    47  required to be open for voter registration on any Saturday  if  this  is
    48  contrary to the religious beliefs of the religious organization. In such
    49  a  situation,  the  board  of  elections  shall  designate  an alternate
    50  location to be used for voter registration. Such polling places must  be
    51  designated  by  [May  first] March fifteenth, of each year, and shall be
    52  effective for one year thereafter. Such a list required to be  submitted
    53  by  a  village  board of trustees must be submitted at least four months
    54  before each general village election and shall be effective  until  four
    55  months before the subsequent general village election. No place in which
    56  a business licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for on premises consump-

        S. 1103                             3                             A. 779
 
     1  tion is conducted on any day of local registration or of voting shall be
     2  so  designated.  If,  within  the discretion of the board of elections a
     3  particular polling place so  designated  is  subsequently  found  to  be
     4  unsuitable  or  unsafe  or should circumstances arise that make a desig-
     5  nated polling place unsuitable or unsafe, then the board of elections is
     6  empowered to select an alternative meeting place. In  the  city  of  New
     7  York,  the  board  of  elections shall designate such polling places and
     8  alternate registration places if the polling place cannot  be  used  for
     9  voter registration on Saturdays.
    10    § 3. Subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 4-106 of the election law, subdi-
    11  vision  2  as amended by chapter 635 of the laws of 1990, are amended to
    12  read as follows:
    13    1. The state board of elections shall, [at least eight  months  before
    14  each]  by  February first in the year of each general election, make and
    15  transmit to the board of elections of each county, a certificate stating
    16  each office, except county, city, village and town offices to  be  voted
    17  for at such election in such county.
    18    2.  Each  county, city, village and town clerk, [at least eight months
    19  before each] by February first in the year  of  each  general  election,
    20  shall  make and transmit to the board of elections a certificate stating
    21  each county, city, village or town office, respectively to be voted  for
    22  at  each  such election. Each village clerk, at least five months before
    23  each general village election conducted by the board of elections, shall
    24  make, and transmit to such board, a  certificate  stating  each  village
    25  office to be filled at such election.
    26    §  4.    Paragraph b of subdivision 1 of section 4-108 of the election
    27  law, as amended by chapter 117 of the laws of 1985, is amended  to  read
    28  as follows:
    29    b. Whenever any proposal, proposition or referendum as provided by law
    30  is  to  be  submitted  to  a vote of the people of a county, city, town,
    31  village or special district, at an election conducted by  the  board  of
    32  elections, the clerk of such political subdivision, at least [thirty-six
    33  days] three months prior to the general election at which such proposal,
    34  proposition  or  referendum  is  to be submitted, shall transmit to each
    35  board of elections a certified copy of the text of such proposal, propo-
    36  sition or referendum and a statement of the form in which it  is  to  be
    37  submitted.  If  a special election is to be held, such transmittal shall
    38  also give the date of such election.
    39    § 5. Section 4-110 of the election law, as amended by chapter  434  of
    40  the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows:
    41    §  4-110. Certification of primary election candidates; state board of
    42  elections. The state board of elections,  not  later  than  [thirty-six]
    43  fifty-five  days before a primary election, shall certify to each county
    44  board of elections: The name and residence of each candidate to be voted
    45  for within the political subdivision of such board  for  whom  a  desig-
    46  nation  has  been filed with the state board; the title of the office or
    47  position for which the candidate is designated; the name  of  the  party
    48  upon whose primary ballot his or her name is to be placed; and the order
    49  in  which the names of the candidates are to be printed as determined by
    50  the state board. Where  an  office  or  position  is  uncontested,  such
    51  certification shall state such fact.
    52    § 6. Subdivision 1 of section 4-112 of the election law, as amended by
    53  chapter 4 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
    54    1.  The  state  board of elections, not later than [thirty-six] fifty-
    55  five days before a  general  election,  or  fifty-three  days  before  a
    56  special  election,  shall  certify to each county board of elections the

        S. 1103                             4                             A. 779
 
     1  name and residence of each candidate nominated in any valid  certificate
     2  filed with it or by the returns canvassed by it, the title of the office
     3  for which nominated; the name of the party or body specified of which he
     4  or  she  is a candidate; the emblem chosen to distinguish the candidates
     5  of the party or body; and a notation as to whether or not any litigation
     6  is pending concerning the candidacy. Upon the  completion  of  any  such
     7  litigation,  the  state  board  of  elections shall forthwith notify the
     8  appropriate county boards of elections of  the  results  of  such  liti-
     9  gation.
    10    § 7. Section 4-114 of the election law, as amended by chapter 4 of the
    11  laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
    12    §  4-114.  Determination  of candidates and questions; county board of
    13  elections. The county board of elections, not later  than  the  [thirty-
    14  fifth] fifty-fourth day before the day of a primary or general election,
    15  or  the  fifty-third  day before a special election, shall determine the
    16  candidates duly nominated for public office and the questions that shall
    17  appear on the ballot within the jurisdiction of that board of elections.
    18    § 8. Subdivision 1 of section 4-117 of the election law, as amended by
    19  chapter 3 of the laws of 2018, is amended to read as follows:
    20    1. The board of elections,[ between August first and August  fifth  of
    21  each  year]  not  less  than  sixty-five days nor more than seventy days
    22  before the primary election in each year, shall send by mail on which is
    23  endorsed such language designated by the state  board  of  elections  to
    24  ensure  postal authorities do not forward such mail but return it to the
    25  board of elections with forwarding information, when it cannot be deliv-
    26  ered as addressed and which  contains  a  request  that  any  such  mail
    27  received  for persons not residing at the address be dropped back in the
    28  mail, a communication,  in  a  form  approved  by  the  state  board  of
    29  elections,  to  every registered voter who has been registered without a
    30  change of address since the beginning of  such  year,  except  that  the
    31  board  of elections shall not be required to send such communications to
    32  voters in inactive status. The communication shall notify the  voter  of
    33  the  days  and  hours  of the ensuing primary and general elections, the
    34  place where he or she appears by his or her registration records  to  be
    35  entitled to vote, the fact that voters who have moved or will have moved
    36  from  the  address  where they were last registered must re-register or,
    37  that if such move was to another address in the  same  county  or  city,
    38  that  such  voter may either notify the board of elections of his or her
    39  new address or vote by paper ballot at the polling place for his or  her
    40  new address even if such voter has not re-registered, or otherwise noti-
    41  fied  the  board  of  elections of the change of address. If the primary
    42  will not be held on the first Tuesday after the second Monday in Septem-
    43  ber, the communication shall contain a conspicuous notice in all capital
    44  letters and bold font notifying the voter of the primary  date.  If  the
    45  location of the polling place for the voter's election district has been
    46  moved,  the  communication  shall  contain  the following legend in bold
    47  type: "YOUR POLLING PLACE HAS BEEN CHANGED. YOU NOW VOTE  AT..........".
    48  The  communication  shall  also  indicate  whether  the polling place is
    49  accessible to physically disabled voters, that a voter who will  be  out
    50  of the city or county on the day of the primary or general election or a
    51  voter  who  is ill or physically disabled may obtain an absentee ballot,
    52  that a physically disabled voter whose polling place is  not  accessible
    53  may  request  that  his  registration  record  be  moved  to an election
    54  district which has a polling place which is accessible, the phone number
    55  to call for applications to move a registration record or  for  absentee
    56  ballot applications, the phone number to call for the location of regis-

        S. 1103                             5                             A. 779
 
     1  tration  and  polling  places, the phone number to call to indicate that
     2  the voter is willing to serve on election day as an election  inspector,
     3  poll clerk, interpreter or in other capacities, the phone number to call
     4  to obtain an application for registration by mail, and such other infor-
     5  mation  concerning  the  elections  or  registration  as  the  board may
     6  include. In lieu of  sending  such  communication  to  every  registered
     7  voter,  the  board  of  elections  may  send a single communication to a
     8  household containing more than one registered voter, provided  that  the
     9  names  of all such voters appear as part of the address on such communi-
    10  cation.
    11    § 9. Subdivision 1 of section 5-604 of the election law, as amended by
    12  chapter 28 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
    13    1. The board of elections shall also cause to be  published  for  each
    14  election  district  a  complete  list  of  the registered voters of each
    15  election district. Such list  shall,  in  addition  to  the  information
    16  required  for  registration  lists, include the party enrollment of each
    17  voter. At least as many copies of such list shall  be  prepared  as  the
    18  required minimum number of registration lists.
    19    Lists  for  all  the election districts in a ward or assembly district
    20  may be bound together in one volume. The board of elections  shall  also
    21  cause  to  be published a complete list of names and residence addresses
    22  of the registered voters, including the party enrollment of each  voter,
    23  for  each town and city over which the board has jurisdiction. The names
    24  for each town and city may be arranged according to street and number or
    25  alphabetically. Such lists shall be published before the  first  day  of
    26  [April]  February.  The board shall keep at least five copies for public
    27  inspection at each main office or branch office of  the  board.  Surplus
    28  copies  of the lists shall be sold at a charge not exceeding the cost of
    29  publication.
    30    § 10. Paragraph a of subdivision 5 of section 5-708  of  the  election
    31  law,  as added by chapter 659 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as
    32  follows:
    33    a. At least once each year during the month of  [May]  February,  each
    34  board  of  elections shall obtain through the National Change of Address
    35  System, the forwarding address for  every  voter  registered  with  such
    36  board  of elections for whom the United States Postal Service has such a
    37  forwarding address together with the name of each such  voter  whom  the
    38  Postal  Service  records indicate has moved from the address at which he
    39  is registered without leaving a forwarding address.
    40    § 11. Subdivision 1 of section 6-108 of the election law,  as  amended
    41  by chapter 160 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows:
    42    1.  In  any town in a county having a population of over seven hundred
    43  fifty thousand inhabitants, as shown by the latest federal decennial  or
    44  special  population  census,  party  nominations  of candidates for town
    45  offices shall be made at the primary  preceding  the  election.  In  any
    46  other  town, nominations of candidates for town offices shall be made by
    47  caucus or primary election as the rules of the  county  committee  shall
    48  provide, except that the members of the county committee from a town may
    49  adopt  by  a two-thirds vote, a rule providing that the party candidates
    50  for town offices shall be nominated at the primary election. If  a  rule
    51  adopted  by  the county committee of a political party or by the members
    52  of the county committee from a town, provides that party candidates  for
    53  town  offices, shall be nominated at a primary election, such rule shall
    54  not apply to nor affect a primary held less than  four  months  after  a
    55  certified  copy  of  the  rule  shall  have been filed with the board of
    56  elections. After the filing of such a rule, the rule shall  continue  in

        S. 1103                             6                             A. 779
 
     1  force until a certified copy of a rule revoking the same shall have been
     2  filed  with such board at least four months before a subsequent primary.
     3  Such a caucus shall be held no earlier  than  the  first  day  on  which
     4  designating petitions for the [fall] primary election may be signed.
     5    §  12.  Subdivisions  1 and 2 of section 6-147 of the election law, as
     6  amended by chapter 434 of the laws of  1984,  are  amended  to  read  as
     7  follows:
     8    1.  The  name  of  a  person designated on more than one petition as a
     9  candidate for a party position to be filled by two or more persons shall
    10  be printed on the ballot with the group of candidates designated by  the
    11  petition  first filed unless such person, in a certificate duly acknowl-
    12  edged by him or her and filed with the board of elections not later than
    13  the [eighth] tenth Tuesday preceding the primary election or  five  days
    14  after  the  board  of  elections  mails such person notice of his or her
    15  designation in more than one group, whichever is later, specifies anoth-
    16  er group in which his or her name shall be printed.
    17    2. A person designated as a candidate for the position  of  member  of
    18  the  county committee in more than one election district shall be deemed
    19  to have been designated in the lowest numbered election district  unless
    20  such person, in a certificate duly acknowledged by him or her, and filed
    21  with  the  board  of elections not later than the [eighth] tenth Tuesday
    22  preceding the primary election or five days after the board of elections
    23  mails such person notice of his or her  designation  in  more  than  one
    24  election district whichever is later, specifies that he or she wishes to
    25  be deemed designated in a different election district.
    26    §  13.  Subdivisions  1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12 and 14 of section 6-158 of
    27  the election law, subdivisions 1, 4, 11 and 12 as amended by chapter 434
    28  of the laws of 1984, subdivision 6 as amended by chapter 79 of the  laws
    29  of  1992,  and  subdivision  9  as amended by chapter 517 of the laws of
    30  1986, are amended to read as follows:
    31    1. A designating petition shall be filed not earlier than the  [tenth]
    32  thirteenth  Monday before, and not later than the [ninth] twelfth Thurs-
    33  day preceding the primary election.
    34    4. A petition of enrolled members of a party requesting an opportunity
    35  to write in the name of an undesignated candidate for a public office or
    36  party position at a primary election shall be filed not later  than  the
    37  [eighth]  eleventh  Thursday  preceding  the  primary election. However,
    38  where a designating petition has been filed and the person named therein
    39  has declined such designation and another person has been designated  to
    40  fill  the  vacancy, then in that event, a petition for an opportunity to
    41  ballot in a primary election shall be filed not later than the [seventh]
    42  tenth Thursday preceding such primary election.
    43    5. A judicial district convention shall be held not earlier  than  the
    44  [Tuesday]  Thursday  following  the  [third  Monday  in September] first
    45  Monday in August preceding the general election and not later than  [the
    46  fourth Monday in September preceding such election] six days thereafter.
    47    6.  (a)  A  certificate  of  a party nomination made other than at the
    48  primary election for an office to be filled at the  time  of  a  general
    49  election  shall  be  filed  not later than [seven] thirty days after the
    50  [fall] primary election,  (b) except that a  certificate  of  nomination
    51  for  an office which becomes vacant after the seventh day preceding such
    52  primary election shall be filed not later than  [fourteen]  thirty  days
    53  after the primary election or ten days after the creation of such vacan-
    54  cy,  whichever  is later, and (c) except, further, that a certificate of
    55  party nomination of candidates for elector of president and  vice-presi-
    56  dent  of  the  United  States  shall  be filed not later than [fourteen]

        S. 1103                             7                             A. 779

     1  seventy-four days after the [fall]  primary  election,  and  (d)  except
     2  still  further that a certificate of party nomination made at a judicial
     3  district convention shall be filed not later than the day after the last
     4  day  to  hold  such  convention and the minutes of such convention, duly
     5  certified by the chairman and secretary, shall be filed within  seventy-
     6  two  hours  after  adjournment of the convention. A certificate of party
     7  nomination for an office to be filled at a  special  election  shall  be
     8  filed  not  later than ten days following the issuance of a proclamation
     9  of such election.
    10    9. A petition for an independent nomination for an office to be filled
    11  at the time of a general  election  shall  be  filed  not  earlier  than
    12  [twelve]  twenty-four  weeks  and  not  later than [eleven] twenty-three
    13  weeks preceding such election. A petition for an independent  nomination
    14  for  an  office  to  be  filled at a special election shall be filed not
    15  later than twelve days following the issuance of a proclamation of  such
    16  election.  [A  petition  for  trustee of the Long Island Power Authority
    17  shall be filed not earlier than seven weeks and not later than six weeks
    18  preceding the day of the election of such trustees.]
    19    11. A certificate of acceptance or declination of an independent nomi-
    20  nation for an office to be filled at the  time  of  a  general  election
    21  shall  be  filed not later than the third day after the [eleventh] twen-
    22  ty-third Tuesday preceding such election except  that  a  candidate  who
    23  files  such  a  certificate  of acceptance for an office for which there
    24  have been filed certificates or  petitions  designating  more  than  one
    25  candidate for the nomination of any party, may thereafter file a certif-
    26  icate  of  declination  not  later  than the third day after the primary
    27  election.  A certificate of acceptance or declination of an  independent
    28  nomination  for  an  office  to be filled at a special election shall be
    29  filed not later than fourteen days following the issuance of a proclama-
    30  tion of such election.
    31    12. A certificate to fill a vacancy caused  by  a  declination  of  an
    32  independent  nomination  for  an  office  to  be filled at the time of a
    33  general election shall be filed not later than the sixth day  after  the
    34  [eleventh]  twenty-third  Tuesday preceding such election. A certificate
    35  to fill a vacancy caused by a declination of an  independent  nomination
    36  for  an  office  to  be  filled at a special election shall be filed not
    37  later than sixteen days following the issuance of a proclamation of such
    38  election.
    39    14. A vacancy occurring three months before [September  twentieth  of]
    40  the  general  election in any year in any office authorized to be filled
    41  at a general election, except in the offices  of  governor,  lieutenant-
    42  governor,  or  United  States  senator  shall  be  filled at the general
    43  election held next thereafter, unless otherwise provided by the  consti-
    44  tution, or unless previously filled at a special election.
    45    §  14. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 8-100 of the election
    46  law, as amended by chapter 17 of the laws of 2007, is amended to read as
    47  follows:
    48    (a) A primary election[, to be known as the fall  primary,]  shall  be
    49  held on the [first] fourth Tuesday [after the second Monday] in [Septem-
    50  ber]  June  before every general election unless otherwise changed by an
    51  act of the legislature. Members of the state and county  committees  and
    52  assembly  district  leaders and associate district leaders and all other
    53  party positions to be elected shall be elected at such primary  and  all
    54  nominations  for public office required to be made at a primary election
    55  in such year shall be made at such primary. In each year in which  elec-
    56  tors  of  president  and  vice  president of the United States are to be

        S. 1103                             8                             A. 779
 
     1  elected an additional primary election, to be known as the spring prima-
     2  ry, shall be held on the first  Tuesday  in  February  unless  otherwise
     3  changed by an act of the legislature, for the purpose of electing deleg-
     4  ates to the national convention[, members of state and county committees
     5  and assembly district leaders and associate assembly district leaders].
     6    §  15.  Subdivision 1 of section 9-200 of the election law, as amended
     7  by chapter 250 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows:
     8    1. The board  of  elections  shall  canvass  the  returns  of  primary
     9  elections  filed with it. It shall canvass first the votes of the deleg-
    10  ates and alternates to judicial district conventions and  complete  such
    11  canvass  at  the  earliest  time possible. It shall complete the canvass
    12  otherwise within [nine] thirteen days from the day upon which the prima-
    13  ry election is held. Upon the completion of the canvass the board  shall
    14  make  and file in its office tabulated statements, signed by the members
    15  of such board or a majority thereof, of the number of votes cast for all
    16  the candidates for nomination to each public office or for  election  to
    17  each  party  position, and the number of votes cast for each such candi-
    18  date. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes for nomination
    19  for a public office or for election to a party position voted for wholly
    20  within the political unit for which such board is acting, shall  be  the
    21  nominee  of  his party for such office or elected to such party position
    22  and the board, if requested by a candidate elected to a party  position,
    23  shall furnish to him a certificate of election.
    24    §  16.  Subdivision 1 of section 9-208 of the election law, as amended
    25  by chapter 163 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
    26    1. Within fifteen days after each general[,] or special [or] election,
    27  and within twenty days after a primary election, and within  seven  days
    28  after  every  village  election  conducted  by the board of elections at
    29  which ballot scanners are used, the board of elections, or a  bipartisan
    30  committee  of  or  appointed  by  said board shall, in each county using
    31  ballot scanners, make a record of the serial number of each ballot scan-
    32  ner used in each election district in such general, special  or  primary
    33  election.  No  person  who  was  a  candidate  at such election shall be
    34  appointed to membership on the committee. Such  board  of  elections  or
    35  bipartisan committee shall recanvass the tabulated result tape from each
    36  ballot  scanner  used  in  each election district by comparing such tape
    37  with the numbers as recorded on the return of canvass. The said board or
    38  committee shall also make a recanvass of any election day paper  ballots
    39  that have not been scanned and were hand counted pursuant to subdivision
    40  two  of  section  9-110 of this article and compare the results with the
    41  number as recorded on the return of  canvass.  The  board  or  committee
    42  shall  then  recanvass  write-in  votes,  if  any, on ballots which were
    43  otherwise scanned and canvassed at polling places on election night. The
    44  board or committee shall validate and prove  such  sums.  Before  making
    45  such  canvass  the  board  of  elections,  with respect to each election
    46  district to be recanvassed, shall give notice in writing to  the  voting
    47  machine  custodian  thereof, to the state and county chair of each party
    48  or independent body which shall have nominated candidates for  the  said
    49  general  or  special  election or nominated or elected candidates at the
    50  said primary election  and  to  each  individual  candidate  whose  name
    51  appears  on  the office ballot, of the time and place where such canvass
    52  is to be made; and the state and county chair  of  each  such  party  or
    53  independent body and each such individual candidate may send a represen-
    54  tative  to  be  present  at  such  recanvass.  Each candidate whose name
    55  appears on the official ballot, or his or her representative, shall have

        S. 1103                             9                             A. 779

     1  the right personally to examine and make a record of the  vote  recorded
     2  on the tabulated result tape and any ballots which were hand counted.
     3    §  17.  Subdivision 1 of section 9-211 of the election law, as amended
     4  by chapter 515 of the laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:
     5    1. Within fifteen days after each general or special  election,  [and]
     6  within  [seven]  thirteen  days  after  every primary [or] election, and
     7  within seven days after every village election conducted by the board of
     8  elections, the board of elections or a bipartisan committee appointed by
     9  such board shall audit the voter verifiable  audit  records  from  three
    10  percent  of  voting  machines or systems within the jurisdiction of such
    11  board. Such audits may be performed manually or via the use of any auto-
    12  mated tool authorized for such use by the state board of elections which
    13  is independent from the voting system it is being used to audit.  Voting
    14  machines or systems shall be selected for audit through a random, manual
    15  process.  At  least five days prior to the time fixed for such selection
    16  process, the board of elections shall send notice by first class mail to
    17  each candidate, political party and independent body  entitled  to  have
    18  had  watchers  present  at  the  polls  in any election district in such
    19  board's jurisdiction. Such notice shall state the time and  place  fixed
    20  for  such  random selection process. The audit shall be conducted in the
    21  same manner, to the extent applicable, as a canvass  of  paper  ballots.
    22  Each  candidate, political party or independent body entitled to appoint
    23  watchers to attend at a polling place shall be entitled to appoint  such
    24  number of watchers to observe the audit.
    25    § 18. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 10-108 of the election
    26  law,  as amended by chapter 4 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as
    27  follows:
    28    (a) Ballots for military voters shall be mailed or otherwise  distrib-
    29  uted  by the board of elections, in accordance with the preferred method
    30  of transmission designated by the voter pursuant to  section  10-107  of
    31  this  article,  as  soon  as practicable but in any event not later than
    32  [thirty-two] forty-six days before a primary or general election[; twen-
    33  ty-five days before] a New York city community school board district  or
    34  city of Buffalo school district election; fourteen days before a village
    35  election conducted by the board of elections; and forty-five days before
    36  a  special  election.  A voter who submits a military ballot application
    37  shall be entitled to a military ballot thereafter  for  each  subsequent
    38  election  through and including the next two regularly scheduled general
    39  elections held in even numbered years, including any run-offs which  may
    40  occur;  provided,  however,  such application shall not be valid for any
    41  election held within seven days after its receipt.   Ballots shall  also
    42  be  mailed to any qualified military voter who is already registered and
    43  who requests such military ballot from such  board  of  elections  in  a
    44  letter,  which  is  signed  by  the  voter  and received by the board of
    45  elections not later than the seventh day before the election  for  which
    46  the  ballot is requested and which states the address where the voter is
    47  registered and the address to which the ballot  is  to  be  mailed.  The
    48  board  of elections shall enclose with such ballot a form of application
    49  for military ballot. In the case of a primary election, the board  shall
    50  deliver  only  the  ballot of the party with which the military voter is
    51  enrolled according to the military voter's registration records. In  the
    52  event a primary election is uncontested in the military voter's election
    53  district  for  all  offices  or  positions  except the party position of
    54  member of the ward, town, city or county committee, no ballot  shall  be
    55  delivered  to  such  military  voter for such election; and the military

        S. 1103                            10                             A. 779
 
     1  voter shall be advised of the reason why he or she will  not  receive  a
     2  ballot.
     3    §  19. Subdivision 4 of section 11-204 of the election law, as amended
     4  by chapter 4 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
     5    4. If the board of elections shall determine that the applicant making
     6  the application provided for in this section is qualified to receive and
     7  vote a special federal ballot, it shall, as soon as practicable after it
     8  shall have so determined, or not later than [thirty-two] forty-six  days
     9  before  each  general  or  primary  election [and forty-five days before
    10  each] or special election in which such applicant is qualified to  vote,
    11  or  three days after receipt of such an application, whichever is later,
    12  mail to him or her at the residence address outside  the  United  States
    13  shown  in  his  or  her  application, a special federal ballot, an inner
    14  affirmation envelope and an outer envelope, or otherwise distribute same
    15  to the voter in accordance with the  preferred  method  of  transmission
    16  designated  by  the  voter pursuant to section 11-203 of this title. The
    17  board of elections shall also mail, or otherwise distribute  in  accord-
    18  ance  with  the preferred method of transmission designated by the voter
    19  pursuant to section 11-203 of this title, a special  federal  ballot  to
    20  every  qualified special federal voter who is already registered and who
    21  requests such special federal ballot from such board of elections  in  a
    22  letter,  which  is  signed  by  the  voter  and received by the board of
    23  elections not later than the seventh day before the election  for  which
    24  the  ballot  is  first  requested and which states the address where the
    25  voter is registered and the address to which the ballot is to be mailed.
    26  The board of elections shall enclose with such ballot a form of applica-
    27  tion for a special federal ballot.
    28    § 20. Subdivision 4 of section 16-102 of the election law, as added by
    29  chapter 135 of the laws of 1986, is amended to read as follows:
    30    4. A final order including  the  resolution  of  any  appeals  in  any
    31  proceeding  involving  the  names  of  candidates  on  ballots or voting
    32  machines shall be made, if possible, at least five weeks before the  day
    33  of the election at which such ballots or voting machines are to be used,
    34  or  if  such proceeding is commenced within five weeks of such election,
    35  no later than the day following the day on which the case is heard.
    36    § 21. Subdivisions 3 and 4 of section  16-104  of  the  election  law,
    37  subdivision  3  as added by chapter 136 of the laws of 1978 and subdivi-
    38  sion 4 as amended by chapter 117 of the laws of  1985,  are  amended  to
    39  read as follows:
    40    3.  A  proceeding  pursuant to subdivision two of this section must be
    41  instituted within [fourteen] seven days after the last  day  to  certify
    42  the wording of any such abstract or form of submission.
    43    4.  A  final  order  including  the  resolution  of any appeals in any
    44  proceeding involving the contents of official ballots on voting machines
    45  shall be made, if possible, at least five weeks before the  day  of  the
    46  election  at  which  such  voting  machines  are  to be used, or if such
    47  proceeding is commenced within five weeks of an election, no later  than
    48  the day following the day on which the case is heard.
    49    §  22.  Subdivisions 1 and 4 of section 42 of the public officers law,
    50  subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 878 of the laws of 1946 and subdivi-
    51  sion 4 as amended by chapter 317 of the laws of  1954,  are  amended  to
    52  read as follows:
    53    1.  A  vacancy  occurring three months before [September twentieth of]
    54  the general election in any year in any office authorized to  be  filled
    55  at  a general election, except in the offices of governor or lieutenant-
    56  governor, shall be filled at the general election held next  thereafter,

        S. 1103                            11                             A. 779
 
     1  unless  otherwise  provided  by  the  constitution, or unless previously
     2  filled at a special election.
     3    4.  A  special  election  shall  not  be held to fill a vacancy in the
     4  office of a representative in congress unless such vacancy occurs on  or
     5  before  the first day of July of the last year of the term of office, or
     6  unless it occurs thereafter and a special session of congress is  called
     7  to  meet before the next general election, or be called after [September
     8  nineteenth of] three months before the general election  in  such  year;
     9  nor to fill a vacancy in the office of state senator or in the office of
    10  member  of  assembly,  unless the vacancy occurs before the first day of
    11  April of the last year of the term of  office,  or  unless  the  vacancy
    12  occurs in either such office of senator or member of assembly after such
    13  first day of April and a special session of the legislature be called to
    14  meet between such first day of April and the next general election or be
    15  called after three months before the next general election [or be called
    16  after  September nineteenth] in such year. If a special election to fill
    17  an office shall not be held as required by  law,  the  office  shall  be
    18  filled at the next general election.
    19    § 23. This act shall take effect immediately.
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