The New York Democratic Lawyers Council (NYDLC) strongly supports the enactment of legislation to further modernize our voter registration system and improve voter access. The Brennan Center for Justice has categorized New York as a state with restrictive voting laws. New York can do better! These are our suggestions:

Legislation that Ensures that Voters have Reasonable Opportunities to Exercise their Fundamental Right to Vote

Omnibus Bill to Improve Transparency of Boards of Elections and Improve Communications with Voters  S9376 (Harckham) / SA10299 (Carroll) 

Mobile Early Voting S557 (May) / A4568 (Galef) - (Passed Senate in 2022 Session) - Authorizes counties to establish, in addition to required early voting sites, mobile early voting locations that are operational for at least three consecutive days.

Legislation to Improve Absentee Voting

Constitutional Amendment for No Excuse Absentee Voting  S360 (Comrie) /A4431 (Vanel)

Allow Voters to Cure Envelope Sealing Defects S327 (Myrie) / A1084 (Paulin)

Allow Counting of Absentee Ballots without Postmarks Marked Received and Requires Envelopes with Tracking Barcodes S466 (Myrie) (needs Assembly sponsor)

Authorize Boards of Elections to Establish Absentee Ballot Drop-off Locations S492 (Hoylman) / A4128A (Gottfried) (Passed Senate in 2022 Session) - NYDLC Memorandum of Support

Require BOEs to Process Absentee Ballot Applications and Send Ballots to Voters on a Specific Timeline S516 (Gianaris) / A9376 (Walker)

Legislation to Improve Election Security and Ensure Public Confidence in Election Results

Secure Voting Machines and Reliable Paper Ballots for Audits S309B (Myrie)  / A1115C (Paulin) (Passed Senate in 2021 & 2022 Session) - NYDLC Memorandum of Support 

Bans risky hybrid voting machines; votes encoded with bar codes that voters cannot verify; and direct recording electronic voting machines that do not accept paper ballots. Bans “universal use” machines that would cause long lines at the polls. Requires paper ballots for all voters. Gives boards of election the flexibility to use more than two types of voting machines per election.

Making Ballot Images Available S286A (Myrie) / A6589A (Galef) Require that Boards of Election make copies of all ballots cast in an election available to the public upon request.

Give the State Board of Elections Discretion over Voting Machine Certification S6211 (Reichlin-Melnick) / A829 (Paulin) (Passed Senate in 2022 Session) NYDLC Memorandum of Support

Gives the State Board of Elections discretion to reject a machine that meets the statutory eligibility requirements, but otherwise appears unsafe, improper or insecure. Currently, the Board must certify any machine that meets the statutory requirements. 

Require hand counts for all voting machine audits S7480 (Reichlin-Melnick) / A929 (Paulin)

Overcomes technical objections to candidate nominating petitions S8444 (Reichlin-Melnick) / 

(needs Assembly sponsor)

Prohibits foreign-Influenced entities from contributing to election campaigns S1126B (Gianaris) / A7458A (Walker)

Gives State Board of Elections power to issue requests for proposals to purchase voting machines & requires purchase contract to include 10 yrs service and guarantee  S331 (Myrie) / A4926 (Paulin) 

Legislation to Reform the Board of Elections

Bar Elected Officials and Party Chairs from Serving as Election Commissioners S7442 (Myrie) / A4254 (Abinanti) 

Prohibit Board of Elections Conflicts of Interest  S4542A (Mayer) / A7561 (Jacobson) - NYDLC Memorandum of Support

Mandate Training for BOE Commissioners, Employees, Employees, Poll Workers, and Those Who Train Poll Workers  S5800B (Comrie) / A4323 (Walker)

Legislation to Prevent Voter Suppression and Ensure Due Process

Universal Attorney Poll Watchers S5309 (Parker) / A9222 Weprin Permits attorneys licensed and residing in New York, who are already subject to statewide ethics oversight, to act as poll watchers in any New York locality in order to monitor for misconduct.

Deceptive Practices and Voter Suppression Act S1032 (Stewart-Cousins) / A9555 (Lavine) Defines and penalizes deceptive election practices as well as voter suppression and intimidation, which undermines our democracy.

Restore Voting Rights for Convicted Felons S3072 (Salazar) / A6646 (Epstein)  Authorizes convicted felons who are incarcerated in state or local facilities to vote in elections based on the inmates’ residence prior to incarceration.

Require Voter Challenges to be in Writing S269 (Myrie) / A5566 (Solages) Require all challenges to voters be made in writing and logged in poll books.