S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6224
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 28, 2017
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Introduced by M. of A. CARROLL -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to notifying voters of the
candidates and upcoming elections
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Article 8 of the election law is amended by adding a new
title 6 to read as follows:
TITLE VI
VOTER NOTIFICATIONS
SECTION 8-600. VOTING GUIDE.
8-602. POSTCARDS.
8-604. TELEVISION AND RADIO.
§ 8-600. VOTING GUIDE. 1. ANY CANDIDATE SEEKING NOMINATION OR ELECTION
AT THE NEXT GENERAL AND PRIMARY ELECTION TO ANY PUBLIC OFFICE, OR A
DESIGNATED AGENT ACTING ON BEHALF OF SUCH CANDIDATE, MAY, AT LEAST SIX
WEEKS PRIOR TO THE GENERAL AND PRIMARY ELECTION, FILE WITH THE BOARD OF
ELECTIONS WITH WHICH NOMINATING AND DESIGNATING PETITIONS AND CERTIF-
ICATES FOR SUCH OFFICE ARE FILED PURSUANT TO SECTION 6-144 OF THIS CHAP-
TER A SWORN STATEMENT CONTAINING BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION, SUCH AS THE
CANDIDATE'S OCCUPATION, EDUCATIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND, PRIOR
GOVERNMENTAL EXPERIENCE, AND ANY OTHER PERSONAL BACKGROUND OR EXPERIENCE
THAT THE CANDIDATE DEEMS RELEVANT TO THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN, AND ANSWERS
TO ISSUE BASED QUESTIONS DRAFTED BY THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS THAT
ARE SPECIFIED TO EACH POSITION.
2. THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL, BY REGULATION, ESTABLISH THE
FORMAT AND LENGTH OF THE STATEMENT AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS SECTION AND
SHALL PROVIDE TO CANDIDATES A STANDARDIZED FORM FOR PREPARING SUCH
STATEMENT.
3. WITHIN FIVE DAYS AFTER THE LAST DAY FOR FILING STATEMENTS UNDER
THIS SECTION, ALL LOCAL BOARDS OF ELECTIONS SHALL FORWARD ALL SUCH
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09507-04-7
A. 6224 2
CANDIDATE BIOGRAPHIES TO THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS IN ELECTRONIC FORM
IN A MANNER TO BE PRESCRIBED BY THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.
4. IN THE EVENT THAT ANY CANDIDATE BIOGRAPHIES RECEIVED BY THE STATE
BOARD OF ELECTIONS, FROM ANY LOCAL BOARD OF ELECTIONS, IS NOT IN ELEC-
TRONIC FORM, THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL, WITHIN TEN DAYS AFTER
RECEIPT OF SUCH CANDIDATE BIOGRAPHY, CONVERT SUCH CANDIDATE BIOGRAPHY TO
ELECTRONIC FORM.
5. THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL MAIL AND EMAIL, IF A REGISTERED
VOTER'S EMAIL IS AVAILABLE TO THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, TO EVERY
REGISTERED VOTER IN EACH HOUSEHOLD IN THE STATE A VOTING GUIDE CONSIST-
ING OF ALL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION AND ANSWERS TO ISSUE BASED QUES-
TIONS, AS OUTLINED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, RECEIVED FROM
EACH CANDIDATE FOR WHOM THE RECEIVER OF THIS MAILING CAN VOTE FOR IN THE
UPCOMING ELECTION. IN THE EVENT THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS DETERMINES
THAT DISTRIBUTION OF THE VOTING GUIDE WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT AND
ECONOMICAL IF DONE BY THE LOCAL BOARDS OF ELECTIONS, THE STATE BOARD IS
HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO INSTRUCT ALL BOARDS OF ELECTIONS TO DISTRIBUTE THE
VOTING GUIDE TO AT LEAST ONE REGISTERED VOTER IN EACH HOUSEHOLD. SHOULD
THE STATE BOARD SO INSTRUCT THE BOARDS OF ELECTIONS, IT SHALL PROVIDE A
SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF VOTING GUIDES TO EACH BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND SHALL
PROMPTLY REIMBURSE EACH BOARD FOR THE ACTUAL COST OF POSTAGE INCURRED BY
SAID BOARD IN DISTRIBUTING THE VOTING GUIDES PROVIDED THAT SAID BOARD
UTILIZE THE LOWEST FEASIBLE POSTAGE RATE CHARGED BY THE UNITED STATES
POSTAL SERVICE. THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE VOTING GUIDES TO REGISTERED
VOTERS OR HOUSEHOLDS SHALL BE MADE AT LEAST THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE
ELECTION TO WHICH THEY PERTAIN.
6. THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL MAINTAIN A WEBSITE WHERE ALL
VOTER GUIDE INFORMATION IS MAINTAINED, UPDATED AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE
GENERAL PUBLIC.
§ 8-602. POSTCARDS. FOR EACH PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTION, THE STATE
BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL MAIL AND EMAIL, IF A REGISTERED VOTER'S EMAIL
IS AVAILABLE TO THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, TO AT LEAST ONE REGISTERED
VOTER IN EACH HOUSEHOLD A POSTCARD WHICH CONTAINS INFORMATION FOR THE
UPCOMING ELECTION THAT CONTAINS THE DATE OF THE ELECTION. THE BOARD
SHALL SEND THE POSTCARDS TWICE BEFORE THE ELECTION WITH THE FIRST MAIL-
ING TO BE MADE NO EARLIER THAN FIFTEEN DAYS AND NO LATER THAN TEN DAYS
PRIOR TO THE ELECTION; AND WITH THE SECOND MAILING TO BE MADE NO EARLIER
THAN SEVEN DAYS AND NO LATER THAN FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION.
§ 8-604. TELEVISION AND RADIO. FOR TEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS BEFORE EACH
PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTION, ALL MAJOR TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS
USING PUBLIC AIRWAVES OR DOING BUSINESS WITHIN THE STATE SHALL INFORM
THEIR AUDIENCE AT LEAST FOUR TIMES EACH DAY BETWEEN THE HOURS OF SEVEN
A.M. AND ELEVEN P.M. OF THE UPCOMING ELECTION. EACH OF THE FOUR REQUIRED
NOTIFICATIONS SHALL AIR AT LEAST THREE HOURS APART.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law.