NY State Senate Bill S8120A

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Elections Committee

Introduced
In Committee
On Floor Calendar
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
Delivered to Governor
Signed/Vetoed by Governor

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Actions

view actions (3)

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jul 13, 2020	print number 8120a
Jul 13, 2020	amend and recommit to elections
Mar 23, 2020	referred to elections

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

Original

A (Active)

Co-Sponsors

S8120 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A10231
Current Committee:: Senate Elections
Law Section:: Elections
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2021-2022: A764
2023-2024: A953

S8120 - Summary

Directs the state board of elections to create a plan to permit voting by mail in the event of a natural disaster or state of emergency.

S8120 - Sponsor Memo

 
BILL NUMBER: S8120     Revised 3/27/20

SPONSOR: METZGER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act relating to the establishment of voting by mail in the case of a
natural disaster or state of emergency

 
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:

This bill provides for an alternative to in-person voting in the case of
a state of emergency, such as a disease outbreak or natural disaster.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends the unconsolidated law to require the State Board of
Elections to create a plan by May 1, 2020, for the establishment and use
of voting by mail for elections in the case of a natural disaster or
state of emergency.

Section 2 establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In the face of the COVID-19 outbreak, the health and safety of poll
workers and citizens may require an alternative process for voting that
greatly reduces the number of people casting their votes at physical
polls without sacrificing voter participation. The state's current
absentee ballot system, in which voters must apply to the Board of
Elections in order to receive a ballot in the mail, is cumbersome and
could lead to a substantial drop in voter participation if relied upon
for elections during a prolonged state of emergency. In a vote-by-mail
system, all eligible voters receive ballots by mail and vote by mailing
their ballot to the Board of Elections, depositing their ballot at
designated locations, or, as applicable, by voting at a polling center.

This bill would require the Board of Elections to create a plan for the
use of a vote-by-mail election system during a time of emergency, such
as a disease outbreak or natural disaster. Such a plan must be in place
by May 1, 2020, in order to be a viable option for the June 2020 prima-
ries.

A vote-by-mail system is used in such states as Colorado, Oregon, and
Washington for all elections, and has a demonstrated track record of
success in achieving a high level of voter turnout. Planning must begin
now in New York to implement such a system in the event of a sustained
state of emergency to ensure the continued and regular exercise of
democracy in this state.

New York has a vested interest in the continuity of government, accom-
plished in part through a timely and routine election system.  The State
Constitution itself vests the Legislature with the power to ensure the
continued operation of the government and the election of government
officials.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Undetermined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

S8120 - Bill Text download pdf


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

                                  8120

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             March 23, 2020
                               ___________

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

AN ACT relating to the establishment of voting by mail in the case of  a
  natural disaster or state of emergency

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

  Section 1. The state board of elections shall, by May 1, 2020,  create
a plan that provides for the establishment and use of voting by mail for
elections in the case of a natural disaster or state of emergency.  Such
plan  shall  otherwise  comply  with all provisions of the election law.
For purposes of this section, "voting by mail" shall  mean  an  election
for  which all eligible voters receive ballots by mail and vote by mail-
ing those ballots, depositing the ballots at,  as  applicable,  drop-off
locations  or  voter  service and polling centers, or, as applicable, by
voting at a voter service and polling center.
  § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.







 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD15987-01-0

Co-Sponsors

S8120A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A10231
Current Committee:: Senate Elections
Law Section:: Elections
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2021-2022: A764
2023-2024: A953

S8120A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs the state board of elections to create a plan to permit voting by mail in the event of a natural disaster or state of emergency.

S8120A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

 
BILL NUMBER: S8120A

SPONSOR: METZGER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act relating to the establishment of voting by mail in the case of a
natural disaster or state of emergency

 
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:

This bill provides for an alternative to in-person voting in the case of
a state of emergency, such as a disease outbreak or natural disaster.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends the unconsolidated law to require the State Board of
Elections to create a plan by September 1, 2020, for the establishment
and use of voting by mail for elections in the case of a natural disas-
ter or state of emergency.

Section 2 establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In the face of the COVID-19 outbreak, the health and safety of poll
workers and citizens may require an alternative process for voting that
greatly reduces the number of people casting their votes at physical
polls without sacrificing voter participation. The state's current
absentee ballot system, in which voters must apply to the Board of
Elections in order to receive a ballot in the mail, is cumbersome and
could lead to a substantial drop in voter participation if relied upon
for elections during a prolonged state of emergency. In a vote-by-mail
system, all eligible voters receive ballots by mail and vote by mailing
their ballot to the Board of Elections, depositing their ballot at
designated locations, or, as applicable, by voting at a polling center.

This bill would require the Board of Elections to create a plan for the
use of a vote-by-mail election system during a time of emergency, such
as a disease outbreak or natural disaster. Such a plan must be in place
by September 1, 2020.

A vote-by-mail system is used in such states as Colorado, Oregon, and
Washington for all elections, and has a demonstrated track record of
success in achieving a high level of voter turnout. Planning must begin
now in New York to implement such a system in the event of a sustained
state of emergency to ensure the continued and regular exercise of
democracy in this state.

New York has a vested interest in the continuity of government, accom-
plished in part through a timely and routine election system.  The State
Constitution itself vests the Legislature with the power to ensure the
continued operation of the government and the election of government
officials.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Undetermined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

S8120A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf


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

                                 8120--A

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             March 23, 2020
                               ___________

Introduced by Sens. METZGER, CARLUCCI, KENNEDY, MARTINEZ, RAMOS, SALAZAR
  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to
  the  Committee  on  Elections  --  committee discharged, bill amended,
  ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

AN ACT relating to the establishment of voting by mail in the case of  a
  natural disaster or state of emergency

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

  Section 1. The state board of elections shall, by September 1, 2020 or
30 days after this act shall have become a law, whichever  comes  first,
create  a  plan that provides for the establishment and use of voting by
mail for elections in the case of a natural disaster or state  of  emer-
gency.    Such  plan  shall  otherwise comply with all provisions of the
election law.  For purposes of this section, "voting by mail" shall mean
an election for which all eligible voters receive ballots  by  mail  and
vote by mailing those ballots, depositing the ballots at, as applicable,
drop-off locations or voter service and polling centers, or, as applica-
ble, by voting at a voter service and polling center.
  § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.






 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD15987-03-0

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The New York State Senate

senate Bill S8120A

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Elections Committee

Your Voice

Actions

Bill Amendments

Co-Sponsors

S8120 - Details

S8120 - Summary

S8120 - Sponsor Memo

S8120 - Bill Text download pdf

Co-Sponsors

S8120A (ACTIVE) - Details

S8120A (ACTIVE) - Summary

S8120A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S8120A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

senate Bill S8120A

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Elections Committee

Your Voice

Actions

Bill Amendments

Co-Sponsors

S8120 - Details

S8120 - Summary

S8120 - Sponsor Memo

S8120 - Bill Text download pdf

Co-Sponsors

S8120A (ACTIVE) - Details

S8120A (ACTIVE) - Summary

S8120A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S8120A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments