Senate Bill S3877A

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S3877A                    REVISED 5/22/2019

SPONSOR: ORTT
 
TITLE OF BILL:

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment
to section 1 of article 4 of the constitution, in relation to establish-
ing a county representation system for electing the governor and lieu-
tenant-governor within the state

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

Establishing a county representation system for electing the Governor
and Lieutenant Governor. To create a buffer between population and the
selection of a Governor and Lieutenant Governor, and also to give more
power to the smaller populated counties by this structure of government.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That section 1 of article
4 of the constitution be amended and a new section 1-a is added to read
              

as follows:

Section 1. (a) The executive power shall be vested in the governor, who
shall hold office for four years; the lieutenant governor shall be
chosen at the same time, and for the same term. The Governor and Lieu-
tenant Governor shall be chosen at the general election held in the year
nineteen hundred thirty eight, and each fourth year thereafter They
shall be chosen jointly, by the casting by each voter of a single vote
applicable to both offices, and the legislature by law shall provide for
making such choice in such manner. The respective persons having the
highest number of county representation votes cast jointly for them for
Governor and Lieutenant Governor respectively shall be elected.

(b) In the event a majority of county representation votes are not for a
single person for the Governor or Lieutenant Governor, the respective
person having the highest number of votes cast jointly for them for
Governor or Lieutenant Governor respectively shall be elected.

1-A. (a) County representation votes for the Governor and Lieutenant
Governor shall be distributed as follows:

(i)Each county shall be assigned at least one additional county repre-
sentation vote based on the county's population such that these addi-
tional county representation votes sum to four hundred fourteen.  Such
additional county representation votes shall be assigned to counties
using the Huntington-Hill method.

(b) County representation votes shall be cast for the Governor and Lieu-
tenant Governor from each county based on the respective persons having
the largest number of votes cast jointly for them for the Governor and
Lieutenant Governor respectively from such county.

Section 2. Resolved (if the Assembly concur), that the foregoing amend-
ment be referred to the first regular legislative session convening
after the next succeeding general election of members of the Assembly,
and in conformity with Section 1 of Article 19 of the Constitution, be
published for three months previous to the time of such election.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Given the ever-changing dynamics in New York State, new census data and
general trend towards an inherent downstate influence center, the
creation of an electoral college allows for more opportunity of communi-
ties outside of New York City being represented in state government. In
an age where voter suppression has become a major issue, the continued
silencing of upstate New York completely contradicts many of the initi-
atives downstate interests have pushed.  Electoral College will ulti-
mately level the playing field in New York State creating more parody
and more choice for New York voters.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2019 New Bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

None to the state or local governments.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.