NYDLC 2023 Priority Bills
The NYDLC Strongly Opposes the Following Bill
Opposition to Repeal of Procedures for Recounts in Close Elections A1259 (Lunsford) / S1014 (Cooney) This bill would take away the requirement that boards of elections must recount the ballots by hand in close elections, and it would require a closer election to trigger an automatic recount (lowering the vote differential from .5% to .25%).
The NYDLC Strongly Supports Passage of the Following Bills
Voting Integrity and Verification Act of New York (VIVA NY) A5934 (Cunningham) / S6169 (Cleare) Boards of election must provide paper ballots in polling places that all voters have the option to mark by hand or with a nontabulating ballot marking device.
Require Notice to Voter when Removed from Voter Rolls S6168 (Comrie) / A6764 (Cunningham) Ensures that boards of elections provide adequate notice to each voter before and after a board cancels the voter's registration or places a voter in inactive status.
Permit Registration at any Residence to Which the Voter Maintains a Continuous Connection with an Intent to Remain S2349A (Myrie) / NSA. (Passed Senate 5/8/23) Allows voters to register to vote at any residence to which the voter maintains a continuous connection with an intent to remain, including a home where a student lives while attending a college or university.
Protect voters, poll watchers, election officials and polling places from intimidation, interference and damage A4759 (Lavine) / NSA. Makes it a criminal offense to intimidate or interfere with voters, poll watchers and election officials, and to cause physical damage to polling places and locations and property used by boards of elections.
Constitutional Amendments and Ballot Proposals Written in Plain Language A1722 (Zinerman) / S1381 (Comrie) Constitutional amendments and statewide ballot proposals must be submitted to voters for public comment and be written in plain language.
“Portable” Early Voting Locations S242 (May) / A6971 (Sillitti) (Passed Senate 01/09/2023) Allows counties to have temporary poll sites for a few days during early voting. This would assist rural voters who have to travel long distances to reach an early voting site. Under current law, many rural counties are required to have only one site for early voting.
Allows Counting of Absentee Ballots without Postmarks Marked “Received” and Requires Envelopes with Tracking Barcodes S2888 (Myrie) / NSA
Give the State Board of Elections Discretion over Voting Machine Certification A3993 (Carroll) / S6708 (Comrie) (Passed Senate in 2022 Session) 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.
Prohibit Board of Elections Conflicts of Interest S612 (Mayer) / A1244 (Jacobson) (Passed Senate 01/10/2023)
Require Voter Challenges to be in Writing S2383 (Myrie) the / A2876 (Solages) Require all challenges to voters be made in writing and logged in poll books.
