NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A1228
SPONSOR: Seawright TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the election law, in relation to mandatory training
curriculum for election commissioners and key staff of boards of
elections
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to ensure consistent training of Election
Commissioners by the New York State Board of Elections (NYSBOE).
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one requires Election Commissioners, and other staff as deter-
mined by NYSBOE, to complete a course of instruction within six months
of their appointment. It also requires Election Commissioners, and other
designated staff, to complete continuing education on an annual basis.
The State Board may provide the training in the format it desires,
including in a web-based format. Failure to complete the required train-
ing would result in a letter from the Board to the County legislature or
City Council and respective party chair citing the delinquency of train-
ing.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):
Click here to enter text.
JUSTIFICATION:
The job responsibilities of Election Commissioners are vitally important
to our electoral process. This bill would require the New York State
Board of Elections to create mandatory, uniform training for all
Election Commissioners. This ensures that all Commissioners are provided
with the same baseline training. The NYSBOE and County Election Commis-
sioners generally have a very close working relationship and engage in
Informal training workshops at the New York State Election Commissioners
Association conferences held each winter and summer. Feedback from those
conferences includes Interest in a general training program.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: A10640 (Seawright)referred to election law / S617 (Myrie)
Passed senate
2021-22: A904 (Seawright) referred to ways and means / S263 (Myrie)
Passed senate
2019-20: A1593 (Seawright) referred to election law / S5417 (Myrie)
Referred to elections
2017-19: A6741 (Seawright) reported and referred to WAM / S6006 (Avella)
Referred to elections
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE MD LOCAL GOVERNMENTS: :
None noted. The State Board actively assists Election Commissioners.
This bill simply streamlines that effort.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
180 days after enactment. Not applicable.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1228
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 9, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SEAWRIGHT, DINOWITZ, BRABENEC, SIMON -- read once
and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to mandatory training
curriculum for election commissioners and key staff of boards of
elections
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new section 3-213
2 to read as follows:
3 § 3-213. Boards of elections; mandatory training curriculum. 1.
4 Election commissioners and such other board of elections employees as
5 determined by the state board of elections shall within six months after
6 their first appointment complete a course of instruction on the opera-
7 tion of a board of elections which shall be provided by the state board
8 of elections. The curriculum shall be established by the state board of
9 elections in consultation with election commissioners and shall not
10 exceed thirty hours of instruction.
11 2. Annually, election commissioners and other board of elections
12 employees as determined by the state board of elections, shall complete
13 before June first a continuing course of instruction on the operation of
14 a board of elections which shall be provided by the state board of
15 elections. The curriculum shall be established by the state board of
16 elections in consultation with the election commissioners and shall not
17 exceed three hours of instruction.
18 3. The state board of elections shall provide the training required by
19 subdivision two of this section through, in addition to other methods it
20 may choose, a web-based recorded format.
21 4. Upon the failure of a commissioner or other employee to complete
22 the instruction within the time required by this section, the state
23 board of elections shall send a letter to the county legislature or city
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02948-01-5
A. 1228 2
1 council and the respective county party chair of the jurisdiction of the
2 commissioner stating the delinquency.
3 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
4 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
5 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
6 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
7 completed on or before such effective date.
