S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    273
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 9, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. PAULIN, CAHILL, GALEF, JAFFEE -- Multi-Sponsored
   by -- M. of A.   BUCHWALD, PERRY -- read  once  and  referred  to  the
   Committee on Election Law
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  election  law, in relation to court proceedings
   involving disputed election results

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The election law is amended by adding a new section 16-103
 to read as follows:
   § 16-103. PROCEEDINGS INVOLVING GENERAL OR SPECIAL  ELECTION  RESULTS.
 1.  UPON  EVIDENCE  OF  FRAUD,  IRREGULARITIES  OR VIOLATIONS OF ARTICLE
 SEVENTEEN OF THIS CHAPTER AFFECTING THE OUTCOME OF A GENERAL OR  SPECIAL
 ELECTION  AN AGGRIEVED CANDIDATE MAY CONTEST ANY SUCH SPECIAL OR GENERAL
 ELECTION IN A PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN THE SUPREME COURT.
   2. A PROCEEDING PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL  BE  INSTITUTED  WITHIN
 TWENTY DAYS AFTER THE ELECTION TO WHICH IT RELATES. THE COURT MAY DETER-
 MINE ISSUES OF FACT AND/OR LAW IN A PROCEEDING PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   3. IN A PROCEEDING PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION THE COURT SHALL INVALIDATE
 THE  ELECTION  RESULTS  AND ORDER A NEW ELECTION IF CLEAR AND CONVINCING
 EVIDENCE DEMONSTRATES THAT FRAUD, IRREGULARITY OR VIOLATIONS OF  ARTICLE
 SEVENTEEN  OF THIS CHAPTER DEPRIVED THE AGGRIEVED CANDIDATE OF A WINNING
 MARGIN OF VOTES. SUCH NEW  ELECTION  SHALL  INCLUDE  ALL  DULY  ENROLLED
 VOTERS  RESIDING  IN  THE  POLITICAL  SUBDIVISION  EMBRACING  THE OFFICE
 CONTESTED. SUCH ELECTION SHALL BE HELD ON THE FIFTH  TUESDAY  AFTER  THE
 COURT'S  ORDER  IS  ISSUED; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, IF THE FIFTH TUESDAY IS A
 RELIGIOUS, FEDERAL OR STATE HOLIDAY THE NEW ELECTION SHALL  BE  HELD  ON
 THE NEXT SUCCEEDING TUESDAY THEREAFTER WHICH IS NOT A RELIGIOUS, FEDERAL
 OR STATE HOLIDAY.
   4.  ALL  CANDIDATES  ON  THE  BALLOT  AT THE ORIGINAL ELECTION FOR THE
 CONTESTED OFFICE SHALL BE ON THE BALLOT AT THE NEW  ELECTION;  PROVIDED,
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03709-01-9

 A. 273                              2
 
 HOWEVER,  IF  THE  OFFICE  CONTESTED  IS  ONE FOR WHICH A VOTER MAY CAST
 MULTIPLE VOTES FOR TWO OR MORE  CANDIDATES  FOR  THE  SAME  OFFICE,  ANY
 CANDIDATE  FOR SUCH OFFICE WHOSE WINNING MARGIN AT THE ORIGINAL ELECTION
 IS  NOT BY CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE SHOWN TO BE INVALID, SHALL HAVE
 BEEN DULY ELECTED AT THE ORIGINAL ELECTION, AND THE NUMBER OF  POSITIONS
 TO BE ELECTED AT THE NEW ELECTION SHALL BE REDUCED ACCORDINGLY.
   5.  THE  COURT  MAY  ISSUE  AN  INJUNCTION TO PREVENT A CANDIDATE FROM
 WRONGLY ASSUMING OFFICE UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE  NEW  ELECTION  SHALL  BE
 HELD.  THE  PROVISIONS  OF SECTION FIVE OF THE PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW SHALL
 APPLY IN THE INTERIM.
   6. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL  BE  CONSTRUED  TO  LIMIT  ANY  OTHER
 RIGHTS  OR REMEDIES AVAILABLE IN LAW OR EQUITY OR PURSUANT TO THIS CHAP-
 TER.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and  shall  apply  to  any
 election held on or after such effective date.