Senate Bill S3259

2009-2010 Legislative Session

Makes provisions relating to the joint nomination of candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Elections Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

Please enter your contact information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

A valid email address is required.

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Actions

View Actions

Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 06, 2010	referred to elections
Mar 13, 2009	referred to elections

2009-S3259 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A2848
Current Committee:: Senate Elections
Law Section:: Election Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§6-104 & 7-114, El L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2011-2012: S3513, A3134
2013-2014: S2403, A2052
2015-2016: S2717, A4478
2017-2018: S1234, A2171
2019-2020: S2013, A3596
2021-2022: S3819, A4766
2023-2024: S1513, A4304
2025-2026: S1581

2009-S3259 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Makes provisions relating to the joint nomination of candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor; provides candidates be designated jointly either by the state committee or by petition; provides said petition will be valid only if it jointly designates both candidates.

2009-S3259 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S3259

 TITLE OF BILL :
An act to amend the election law, in relation to the joint nomination
of candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor

 PURPOSE :
This bill makes provisions relating to the joint nomination of
candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor. The
bill provides that candidates for governor and lieutenant governor be
designated jointly and run together as a slate in the event of a
primary election, as is currently provided for in the general
election.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :
§ 1- Amends subdivisions 1, 2 and 5 of § 6-104 of the Election Law to
provide that candidates for governor and lieutenant governor be
designated jointly either by the State Committee or by petition. A
designating petition will be valid only if it jointly designates both
candidates.

§ 2-Amends subdivision 1 of § 7-114 of the Election Law by adding a
new paragraph (e) to reflect that primary ballots shall be printed
with the jointly designated candidates for governor and lieutenant
governor appearing together on the same row or column and the ballot
machines adjusted so that both offices are voted for jointly.

§ 3-Effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :
In 1953, the State Constitution was amended to provide for the joint
election of the governor and lieutenant governor, thereby ensuring
that both elected officials represented the same political party.
However, no statutory amendments were ever made to implement joint
nomination which would have assured at least some degree of personal
compatibility, and more effective executive use of the lieutenant
governor. Subsequent amendments were made to the Election Law that
further eroded the impact of joint election by allowing individual
primary challenges for all statewide offices.  The present statutory
scheme presents the State with the prospect of incompatible candidates
running together in the general election and serving in office.
Moreover, recent history demonstrates that this prospect is more than
a theoretical possibility.  New York State government should not be
forced to operate with a second-in-command who is not a full working
partner on the executive team. A lieutenant governor can and should
play key roles as liaison with those outside the administration, and
as a knowledgeable policy advisor and manager inside the
administration.  Providing for the joint nomination of the governor
and lieutenant governor would cement the executive team concept and
ensure a fuller executive utilization of the Lieutenant Governor.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :
2008 - S.4758/A.3120 Election Committee

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :
None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
Immediate.

2009-S3259 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  3259

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             March 13, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  GRIFFO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections

AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to the joint nomination of
  candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Subdivisions  1, 2 and 5 of section 6-104 of the election
law are amended to read as follows:
  1. Party designation of a candidate for nomination for any  office  to
be  filled  by the voters of the entire state shall be made by the state
committee. CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICES OF GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT  GOVER-
NOR SHALL BE DESIGNATED JOINTLY BY A SINGLE VOTE.
  2.  The  state  committee  shall make a decision by majority vote. The
person OR PERSONS receiving the  majority  vote  shall  be  the  party's
designated  candidate  OR  GROUP  OF  CANDIDATES for nomination, and all
other persons OR GROUPS OF PERSONS who shall have  received  twenty-five
percent  or  more of the vote cast on any ballot shall have the right to
make written demand, duly acknowledged, to the state board of  elections
that  their  names  appear  on the primary ballot as candidates for such
nomination.  Such demand shall be made not later than seven  days  after
such  meeting  and  may  be withdrawn in the same manner within fourteen
days after such meeting.
  5. Enrolled members of the party may make other designations by  peti-
tion  for [a member] MEMBERS of the same party. A PETITION DESIGNATING A
CANDIDATE FOR THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR OR  LIEUTENANT  GOVERNOR  SHALL  BE
VALID  ONLY IF IT JOINTLY DESIGNATES CANDIDATES FOR BOTH SUCH OFFICES ON
SUCH PETITION.
  S 2. Subdivision 1 of section 7-114 of the election law is amended  by
adding a new paragraph (e) to read as follows:
  (E)  WITH  RESPECT TO CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICES OF GOVERNOR AND LIEU-
TENANT GOVERNOR, BALLOTS SHALL BE PRINTED SO THAT THE  NAMES  OF  CANDI-

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD03953-01-9

S. 3259                             2

DATES  FOR  BOTH OFFICES WHO WERE DESIGNATED JOINTLY SHALL APPEAR IN THE
SAME ROW OR COLUMN, WITH THE NAME OF THE CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR  APPEAR-
ING  FIRST  AND  THE  MACHINE SHALL BE SO ADJUSTED THAT BOTH OFFICES ARE
VOTED FOR JOINTLY AND HAVE BUT ONE DESIGNATING LETTER OR NUMBER.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Find your Senator and share your views on important issues.

Do you support this bill?

Senate Bill S3259

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Elections Committee

Actions

2009-S3259 (ACTIVE) - Details

2009-S3259 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2009-S3259 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2009-S3259 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Do you support this bill?

Get Status Alerts for 2009-S3259

Senate Bill S3259

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Joseph A. Griffo

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Elections Committee

Actions

2009-S3259 (ACTIVE) - Details

2009-S3259 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2009-S3259 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2009-S3259 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments