STATEOFNEWYORK

________________________________________________________________________
7832
20132014RegularSessions
INASSEMBLY
June5,2013
___________
IntroducedbyM.ofA.CUSICKreadonceandreferredtotheCommittee
onElectionLaw
ANACTtoamendtheelectionlaw,inrelationtorunoffelectionsin
thecityofNewYorkandprovidingfortherepealofsuchprovisions
upontheexpirationthereof
THEPEOPLEOFTHESTATEOFNEWYORK,REPRESENTEDINSENATEAND
ASSEM
BLY,DOENACTASFOLLOWS:
1Section1.Legislativefindings.Thelegislaturefindsanddeclares
2thattheeffectiveandtimelyadministrationoflocalelectionsinthe
3cityofNewYorkisamatterofsubstantialstateconcern.Infurther
4anceofthisconcern,thelegislaturefindsthatitisessentialtothe
5localdemocraticprocesstoensurethattheboardofelectionsinthe
6cityofNewYorkutilizesvotingmachinesthatallowforthetimelyand
7orderlyadministrationofelections.Inordertomodernizeandupdate
8thevotingsystemsutilizedinNewYorkState,thelegislaturepassed
9theElectionReformandModernizationActof2005,whichsetforth
10requirementsforelectronicvotingsystems,includingopticalscanning
11votingmachines,throughoutthestate.Theimplementationoftheseelec
12tronicvotingsystemshasbroughtthestateintoconformancewith
13nationalstandardsforvotingsystemperformanceandmodernization.The
14statehasasubstantialinterestinensuringthatelectionsinthecity
15ofNewYorkaregenerallyconductedwithanelectronicvotingsystem
16thatmeetstheabovementionedstatewidestandards.Atthesametime,
17thecityofNewYorkisuniquelysituatedinthatarunoffprimaryis
18requiredtobeheldtwoweeksafterthelocalprimaryelectionin

19certaincircumstances.Inrecentelectionsadministeredwithoptical
20scanningvotingmachines,approvedbythestateboardofelections,it
21hastakenovertwoweeksfortheboardofelectionsinthecityofNew
22Yorktofinalizeelectionresults.Aseriesofonetimeandimmediate
23shorttermchangestothecurrentelectionlaw,asappliedtothecity
24ofNewYork,arethereforenecessarytofurtherthestate'ssubstantial
EXPLANATIONMatterinITALICS(underscored)isnewmatterinbrackets
[]isoldlawtobeomitted.
LBD11277043
A.78322
1concernsandensurethatthe4.2millionregisteredvotersinthecity
2ofNewYorkareabletoexercisetheirvotingrightsinatimelyand
3orderlyprimaryelectionandrunoffelection,shouldarunoffbe
4required.
5S2.Section4114oftheelectionlaw,asamendedbychapter4ofthe
6lawsof2011,isamendedtoreadasfollows:
7S4114.Determinationofcandidatesandquestionscountyboardof
8elections.Thecountyboardofelections,notlaterthanthethirty
9fifthdaybeforethedayofaprimaryorgeneralelection,orthe
10fiftythirddaybeforeaspecialelection,shalldeterminethecandi
11datesdulynominatedforpublicofficeandthequestionsthatshall
12appearontheballotwithinthejurisdictionofthatboardofelections.
13PROVIDED,HOWEVER,INANYYEARINWHICHTHEREHASBEENARUNOFF
14ELECTIONINTHECITYOFNEWYORK,THEBOARDOFELECTIONSOFSUCH
CITY
15SHALL,NOTLATERTHANTHETWENTYEIGHTHDAYBEFORETHEGENERAL
ELECTION
16INTHATYEAR,DETERMINETHECANDIDATESDULYNOMINATEDFORPUBLIC
OFFICE
17ANDTHEQUESTIONSTHATSHALLAPPEARONTHEBALLOTWITHINTHE
JURISDIC
18TIONOFTHEBOARDOFELECTIONSOFTHECITYOFNEWYORK.
19S3.Subdivision1ofsection7200oftheelectionlaw,asamendedby
20chapter181ofthelawsof2005,isamendedtoreadasfollows:
211.TheboardofelectionsofthecityofNewYorkandothercounty
22boardsofelectionsmayadoptanykindofvotingmachineorsystem
23approvedbythestateboardofelections,ortheuseofwhichhasbeen
24specificallyauthorizedbylawandthereuponsuchvotingmachineor
25systemmaybeusedatanyorallelectionsandshallbeusedatall

26generalorspecialelectionsheldbysuchboardsinsuchcity,townor
27villageandineverycontestedprimaryelectioninthecityofNewYork
28andineverycontestedprimaryelectionoutsidethecityofNewYorkin
29whichthereareonethousandormoreenrolledvotersqualifiedtovote.
30Nomorethantwotypesofvotingmachinesorsystemsmaybeusedbyany
31localboardofelectionsatasingleelection.Notwithstandingtheother
32provisionsofthissubdivision,anylocalboardofelectionsmayborrow
33orleaseforuseonanexperimentalbasisforaperiodofnotmorethan
34oneyeareach,votingmachinesorsystemsofanytypeapprovedbythe
35stateboardofelections.
36(A)(I)THEBOARDOFELECTIONSINTHECITYOFNEWYORKSHALLDEPLOY
37ANDUTILIZEOPTICALSCANNINGVOTINGMACHINESAPPROVEDBYTHESTATE
BOARD
38OFELECTIONSATALLPRIMARYELECTIONSCONDUCTEDPURSUANTTO
SECTION
398100OFTHISCHAPTER.
40(II)NOTWITHSTANDINGSUBPARAGRAPH(I)OFTHISPARAGRAPH,THEBOARD
OF
41ELECTIONSINTHECITYOFNEWYORKISHEREBYAUTHORIZEDTOPREPARE,
42DEPLOYANDUTILIZEMECHANICALLEVERVOTINGMACHINESATANY
NONFEDERAL
43PRIMARYELECTION,CONDUCTEDPURSUANTTOSECTION8100OFTHIS
CHAPTER.
44THEPREPARATION,DEPLOYMENTANDUTILIZATIONOFSUCHMECHANICAL
LEVER
45MACHINESSHALLONLYOCCURAFTERSUCHBOARDOFELECTIONS
DETERMINESTHE
46USEOFSUCHMECHANICALLEVERMACHINESATSUCHANONFEDERAL
PRIMARY
47ELECTIONISNECESSARYTOENSURETHETIMELYANDORDERLY
ADMINISTRATIONOF
48THEPRIMARYELECTION,INCLUDINGBUTNOTLIMITEDTOATIMELYVOTE
COUNT.
49(B)(I)THEBOARDOFELECTIONSINTHECITYOFNEWYORKSHALLDEPLOY
50ANDUTILIZEOPTICALSCANNINGVOTINGMACHINESAPPROVEDBYTHESTATE
BOARD
51OFELECTIONSINALLRUNOFFELECTIONSCONDUCTEDPURSUANTTO
SECTION
528100OFTHISCHAPTER.
53(II)NOTWITHSTANDINGSUBPARAGRAPH(I)OFTHISPARAGRAPH,THEBOARD
OF

54ELECTIONSINTHECITYOFNEWYORKISHEREBYAUTHORIZEDTOPREPARE,
55DEPLOYANDUTILIZEMECHANICALLEVERVOTINGMACHINESATANY
RUNOFF
56ELECTION,CONDUCTEDPURSUANTTOSECTION8100OFTHISCHAPTER.THE
PREP
A.78323
1ARATION,DEPLOYMENTANDUTILIZATIONOFSUCHMECHANICALLEVER
MACHINES
2SHALLONLYOCCURAFTERSUCHBOARDOFELECTIONSDETERMINESTHATTHE
PREP
3ARATION,DEPLOYMENTANDUTILIZATIONOFOPTICALSCANNINGVOTING
MACHINES
4APPROVEDBYTHESTATEBOARDOFELECTIONS,ATSUCHRUNOFFELECTION
IS
5IMPRACTICABLEGIVENTHECOSTSANDSTATUTORYTIMECONSTRAINTS
ASSOCIATED
6WITHTHEPREPARATION,DEPLOYMENTANDUTILIZATIONOFSUCHOPTICAL
SCAN
7NINGMACHINES.
8(C)SHOULDTHEBOARDOFELECTIONSINTHECITYOFNEWYORKUTILIZE
SUCH
9MECHANICALLEVERVOTINGMACHINESPURSUANTTOPARAGRAPH(A)OR(B)
OF
10THISSUBDIVISION,INANYPRIMARYORRUNOFFELECTION,PURSUANTTO
11SECTION8100OFTHISCHAPTER,SUCHBOARDOFELECTIONSMUSTALSO
PROVIDE
12AVOTINGSYSTEMTHATMEETSTHEREQUIREMENTSOFPARAGRAPHSA,BAND
COF
13SUBDIVISIONTWOOFSECTION7202OFTHISTITLEINEACHPOLLINGSITE.
14S4.Paragraph(b)ofsubdivision1ofsection8100oftheelection
15law,asaddedbychapter373ofthelawsof1978,isamendedtoreadas
16follows:
17(b)Intheeventarunoffprimaryelectionisrequiredinthecityof
18NewYork,itshallbeheldonthe[second]THIRDTuesdaynextsucceeding
19thedateonwhichtheinitialprimaryelectionwasheld.
20S5.Subdivision1ofsection8412oftheelectionlaw,asamendedby
21chapter155ofthelawsof1994,isamendedtoreadasfollows:
221.Theboardofelectionsshallcauseallabsenteeballotsreceivedby
23itbeforethecloseofthepollsonelectiondayandallballots
24containedinenvelopesshowingacancellationmarkoftheUnitedStates

25postalserviceoraforeigncountry'spostalservice,orshowingadated
26endorsementofreceiptbyanotheragencyoftheUnitedStatesgovern
27ment,withadatewhichisascertainedtobenotlaterthantheday
28beforeelectionandreceivedbysuchboardofelectionsnotlaterthan
29sevendaysfollowingthedayofelection,ORFOURTEENDAYSFOLLOWINGTHE
30DAYOFTHEGENERALELECTIONINTHECITYOFNEWYORKINANYYEARIN
WHICH
31THEREHASBEENARUNOFFELECTION,tobecastandcountedexceptthat
32theabsenteeballotofavoterwhorequestedsuchballotbyletter,
33ratherthanapplication,shallnotbecountedunlessavalidapplication
34form,signedbysuchvoter,isreceivedbytheboardofelectionswith
35suchballot.
36S6.Section9214oftheelectionlaw,thesectionheadingandfirst
37undesignatedparagraphasamendedbychapter286ofthelawsof1983,
38andthesecondundesignatedparagraphasamendedbychapter4ofthe
39lawsof2011,isamendedtoreadasfollows:
40S9214.Transmissionofstatementsofcanvassingboardstostate
41boardofelectionsandsecretaryofstate.Theboardofelectionsshall
42transmitbymailorcausetobedeliveredpersonallytothestateboard
43ofelections,acertifiedcopyofthestatementofthecanvassingboard
44relatingtotheofficesofelectorsofpresidentandvicepresidentof
45theUnitedStates,UnitedStatessenator,representativesincongress
46andstateoffices,includingmembersofthestatesenateandassembly,
47andtothevotescastonanyballotproposalsubmittedtoallthevoters
48ofthestate,withintwentyfivedaysaftertheelection.Ifanycerti
49fiedcopyshallnotbereceivedbythestateboardonorbeforethe
50twentyfifthdayfollowingageneralelection,oraspecialelection,it
51shalldispatchaspecialmessengertoobtainsuchcertifiedcopy,and
52theboardofelections,immediatelyupondemandofsuchmessengeratits
53office,shallmakeanddeliveracertifiedcopytosuchmessengerwho
54shalldeliveritforthwithtothestateboard.
55Theboardofelectionsshalltransmittothesecretaryofstatewithin
56twentyfivedaysafterageneralelection,andwithintwentydaysafter
A.78324
1aspecialelection,alistofthenamesandresidencesofallpersons
2determinedbythecanvassingboardtobeelectedtoanycountyoffice.
3NOTWITHSTANDINGTHEFOREGOINGPROVISIONSOFTHISSECTION,INANYYEAR
IN
4WHICHTHEREHASBEENARUNOFFELECTIONINTHECITYOFNEWYORK,THE
5BOARDOFELECTIONSINTHECITYOFNEWYORKSHALLTRANSMITTOTHE

SECRE
6TARYOFSTATENOTLATERTHANTHIRTYDAYSAFTERTHEGENERALELECTION
IN
7THATYEARALISTOFTHENAMESANDRESIDENCESOFALLPERSONS
DETERMINED
8BYTHECANVASSINGBOARDTOBEELECTEDTOANYCOUNTYOFFICE.
9Theboardofelectionsshalltransmittothestateboard,onorbefore
10thetenthdayofDecemberfollowinganelectionforgovernor,acerti
11fiedtabulatedstatement,byelectiondistricts,oftheofficialcanvass
12ofthevotescastforcandidatesforgovernor,toinclude,inthecase
13ofacandidatewhowasnominatedbytwoormorepartiesorindependent
14bodies,aseparatestatementofthenumberofvotescastforhimasthe
15candidateofeachpartyorindependentbodybywhichhewasnominated
16andifthecountycontainsmorethanoneassemblydistrictorpartsof
17morethanoneassemblydistrict,astatementofthenumberofvotescast
18forgovernorbyassemblydistrict.
19S7.Paragraph(a)ofsubdivision1ofsection10108oftheelection
20law,asamendedbychapter4ofthelawsof2011,isamendedtoreadas
21follows:
22(a)Ballotsformilitaryvotersshallbemailedorotherwisedistrib
23utedbytheboardofelections,inaccordancewiththepreferredmethod
24oftransmissiondesignatedbythevoterpursuanttosection10107of
25thisarticle,assoonaspracticablebutinanyeventnotlaterthan
26thirtytwodaysbeforeaprimaryorgeneralelectiontwentyfivedays
27beforeaNewYorkcitycommunityschoolboarddistrictorcityof
28Buffaloschooldistrictelectionfourteendaysbeforeavillage
29electionconductedbytheboardofelectionsandfortyfivedaysbefore
30aspecialelection.NOTWITHSTANDINGTHEFOREGOINGPROVISIONSOFTHIS
31SECTION,INANYYEARINWHICHTHEREHASBEENARUNOFFELECTIONIN
THE
32CITYOFNEWYORK,BALLOTSFORMILITARYVOTERSSHALLBEMAILEDOR
OTHER
33WISEDISTRIBUTEDBYTHEBOARDOFELECTIONSOFSUCHCITYIN
ACCORDANCE
34WITHTHEPREFERREDMETHODOFTRANSMISSIONDESIGNATEDBYTHEVOTER
PURSU
35ANTTOSECTION10107OFTHISARTICLE,ASSOONASPRACTICABLEBUTINANY
36EVENTNOTLATERTHANTWENTYFIVEDAYSBEFOREAGENERALELECTIONIN
THAT
37YEAR.Avoterwhosubmitsamilitaryballotapplicationshallbeenti
38tledtoamilitaryballotthereafterforeachsubsequentelection

39throughandincludingthenexttworegularlyscheduledgeneralelections
40heldinevennumberedyears,includinganyrunoffswhichmayoccur
41provided,however,suchapplicationshallnotbevalidforanyelection
42heldwithinsevendaysafteritsreceipt.Ballotsshallalsobemailed
43toanyqualifiedmilitaryvoterwhoisalreadyregisteredandwho
44requestssuchmilitaryballotfromsuchboardofelectionsinaletter,
45whichissignedbythevoterandreceivedbytheboardofelectionsnot
46laterthantheseventhdaybeforetheelectionforwhichtheballotis
47requestedandwhichstatestheaddresswherethevoterisregisteredand
48theaddresstowhichtheballotistobemailed.Theboardofelections
49shallenclosewithsuchballotaformofapplicationformilitary
50ballot.Inthecaseofaprimaryelection,theboardshalldeliveronly
51theballotofthepartywithwhichthemilitaryvoterisenrolled
52accordingtothemilitaryvoter'sregistrationrecords.Intheeventa
53primaryelectionisuncontestedinthemilitaryvoter'selection
54districtforallofficesorpositionsexceptthepartypositionof
55memberoftheward,town,cityorcountycommittee,noballotshallbe
56deliveredtosuchmilitaryvoterforsuchelectionandthemilitary
A.78325
1votershallbeadvisedofthereasonwhyheorshewillnotreceivea
2ballot.
3S8.Subdivision1ofsection10114oftheelectionlaw,asamended
4bychapter165ofthelawsof2009,isamendedtoreadasfollows:
51.Theboardofelectionsshallcauseallmilitaryballotsreceivedby
6itbeforethecloseofthepollsonelectiondayandallballots
7containedinenvelopesshowingacancellationmarkoftheUnitedStates
8postalserviceoraforeigncountry'spostalservice,orshowingadated
9endorsementofreceiptbyanotheragencyoftheUnitedStatesgovernment
10oraresignedanddatedbythevoterandonewitnessthereto,witha
11datewhichisascertainedtobenotlaterthanthedaybeforeelection
12andreceivedbysuchboardofelectionsnotlaterthansevendays
13followingthedayofaprimaryelectionandnotlaterthanthirteendays
14followingthedayofageneralorspecialelectiontobecastandcount
15ed.NOTWITHSTANDINGTHEFOREGOINGPROVISIONSOFTHISSECTION,INANY
16YEARINWHICHTHEREHASBEENARUNOFFELECTIONINTHECITYOFNEW
YORK,
17THEBOARDOFELECTIONSOFSUCHCITYSHALLCAUSEALLMILITARY
BALLOTS
18RECEIVEDBYITBEFORETHECLOSEOFTHEPOLLSONELECTIONDAYAND
ALL

19BALLOTSCONTAINEDINENVELOPESSHOWINGACANCELLATIONMARKOFTHE
UNITED
20STATESPOSTALSERVICEORFOREIGNCOUNTRY'SPOSTALSERVICE,OR
SHOWINGA
21DATEDENDORSEMENTOFRECEIPTBYANOTHERAGENCYOFTHEUNITED
STATES
22GOVERNMENTORARESIGNEDANDDATEDBYTHEVOTERANDONEWITNESS
THERETO,
23WITHADATEWHICHISASCERTAINEDTOBENOTLATERTHANTHEDAY
BEFORE
24ELECTIONDAYANDRECEIVEDBYSUCHBOARDOFELECTIONSNOTLATER
THAN
25TWENTYDAYSFOLLOWINGTHEDAYOFAGENERALELECTIONINTHATYEAR
TOBE
26CASTANDCOUNTED.
27S9.Theamendmentstotheelectionlawsetforthinthisactshall
28applynotwithstandinganyotherprovisionofgeneral,specialorlocal
29law,includingbutnotlimitedtoanyprovisionoflawthatwouldrender
30thepreparation,deploymentandutilizationofmechanicallevervoting
31machinesimpracticablewheretheboardofelectionsinthecityofNew
32Yorkmakesadeterminationwithrespecttosuchmachinesasauthorized
33bysubdivision1ofsection7200oftheelectionlawasamendedby
34sectionthreeofthisact.
35S10.OnorbeforeJuly1,2014,theboardofelectionsinthecity
36ofNewYorkshallsubmitareporttothegovernor,temporarypresident
37ofthesenate,speakeroftheassembly,minorityleaderofthesenate,
38minorityleaderoftheassembly,chairofthesenatestandingcommittee
39onelections,chairoftheassemblystandingcommitteeonelectionlaw,
40mayorofthecityofNewYork,andspeakeroftheNewYorkcitycouncil,
41detailingaplanforadministeringeffectiveandtimelyelectionsinthe
42cityofNewYorkwithavotingmachinesystemthatmeetstherequire
43mentsoftitle2ofarticle7oftheelectionlawandwithouttheuseof
44mechanicallevermachines.Suchplanshalladdress,ataminimum,train
45ingofboardofelectionsstaff,includingpollclerksandelection
46inspectorsinconnectionwiththepreparation,testing,deploymentand
47utilizationofopticalscanningvotingmachinesapprovedbythestate
48boardofelections,includingfurthereducationandtrainingregarding
49theneedsofvoterswithdisabilities,appropriateandeffectivemethods
50forstreamliningelectionnightcanvassingprocedures,andappropriate
51andeffectivemethodsofensuringfullandfairvotingmachineaccess
52forallvoters.

53S11.Thisactshalltakeeffectimmediatelyandshallexpireandbe
54deemedrepealedDecember31,2013,exceptthatsectiontenofthisact
55shallexpireandbedeemedrepealedAugust1,2014.