Requires state and county boards of elections to post sample ballots online at least twelve days prior to the first day of early voting; requires such ballots to be posted in a searchable database.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6741
SPONSOR: Simone (MS) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the election law, in relation to requiring state and
county boards of elections to post sample ballots
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to direct the board of elections to provide
a searchable database to allow voters to preview their sample ballot
before they cast their actual ballot.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 would amend section 7-118 of the election law to require coun-
ty boards of elections to transmit a sample ballot for all election
districts within that county to the state board of elections.
Section 2 would amend section 7-118 of the election law to require the
state board of elections to post, at least 12 days prior to the first
day of early voting, a sample ballot for each election district in the
state on the board's website in a secure and searchable database.
Section 3 would establish the effective date.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):
The amended version of this bill clarifies the requirements of state and
county boards of elections regarding the online public display of sample
ballots.
JUSTIFICATION:
Exercising one's right to vote is a fundamental pillar of our democracy.
However, the process of voting can be overwhelming when many races for
various levels of government all appear on the same ballot. In order to
encourage informed voter participation and reduce down ballot dropoff,
this bill directs the board of elections to establish a searchable data-
base allowing voters to preview their ballot before they arrive at their
polling location. This will provide voters an additional opportunity to
research the candidates on t heir ballot and make an informed choice as
to who they would like to vote for. (Sponsor)
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024 - ordered to third reading rules cal.236
FISCAL IMPLICAT ONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6741
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 11, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SIMONE -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BENDETT,
DeSTEFANO, DINOWITZ, EPSTEIN, GLICK, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, JACOBSON, KELLES,
LUNSFORD, MAGNARELLI, NOVAKHOV, RAGA, SHIMSKY, SIMON, TAYLOR, WALKER
-- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to requiring state and
county boards of elections to post sample ballots
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 7-118 of the election law, as
2 separately amended by chapters 410 and 411 of the laws of 2019, is
3 amended to read as follows:
4 3. Sample ballots may be mailed by the board of elections to each
5 eligible voter at least three days before the [election, or in lieu
6 thereof, a copy of such sample ballot may be published at least once
7 within one week preceding the election in newspapers or on a website
8 maintained by the board of elections] first day of early voting. Each
9 county board of elections shall transmit electronically in a format to
10 be determined by the state board of elections, as it is available, a
11 copy [of the candidate and contest information contained on each of its
12 ballot styles] of a sample ballot for all election districts within that
13 county to the state board of elections. [The state board shall create a
14 system to allow such information to be made publicly available via its
15 website, as well as the website of any county board of elections, and in
16 such a way as to be accessible with a computer screen-reading program.]
17 § 2. Section 7-118 of the election law is amended by adding two new
18 subdivisions 3-a and 3-b to read as follows:
19 3-a. The board of elections shall post a sample ballot for each
20 election district in the state on the board's website at least twelve
21 days prior to the first day of early voting. The board shall post such
22 sample ballots in a searchable database which allows voters to obtain
23 polling site information, voter district information and a sample ballot
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07649-01-5
A. 6741 2
1 that such voter shall be eligible to cast at the next election. Sample
2 ballots shall have an imbedded security tool to prevent tampering and
3 printing of such sample ballots.
4 3-b. Each county board of elections may post a sample ballot for each
5 election district within that county at least twelve days prior to the
6 first day of early voting. A county board that posts such sample ballots
7 shall do so in a searchable database that allows voters to obtain poll-
8 ing site information and a sample ballot that such voter shall be eligi-
9 ble to cast in the next election. Such sample ballots shall have an
10 imbedded security tool to prevent tampering and printing of such ballot.
11 Such county board of elections may also refer to the state board of
12 elections' website for such information to be delivered pursuant to
13 subdivision three-a of this section.
14 § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
15 have become a law.
