S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5527
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               April 6, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  AVELLA -- 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 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

 S. 5527                             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.