NY State Senate Bill S6923A

Archive: Last Bill Status - Passed Senate

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

Your Voice

Please enter your contact information

First Name *

Last Name *

Email Address *

A valid email address is required.

Home address search or enter your address manually *

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Leave this field blank

Actions

view actions (9)

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 09, 2020	referred to election law delivered to assembly passed senate ordered to third reading cal.6 reported and committed to rules
Jan 08, 2020	referred to elections
Jan 06, 2020	print number 6923a
Jan 06, 2020	amend and recommit to rules
Dec 20, 2019	referred to rules

Votes

view votes

Jan 9, 2020 - floor Vote

S6923A

floor

Aye

Nay

Absent

Excused

Abstained

Jan 9, 2020 - Elections committee Vote

S6923A

committee

Aye

Nay

Aye with Reservations

Absent

Excused

Abstained

show Elections committee vote details

Elections Committee Vote: Jan 9, 2020

aye (5)

nay (2)

Jan 9, 2020 - Rules committee Vote

S6923A

committee

Aye

Nay

Aye with Reservations

Absent

Excused

Abstained

Jan 8, 2020 - floor Vote

S6923A

floor

Aye

Nay

Absent

Excused

Abstained

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

Original

A (Active)

S6923 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9792
Law Section:: Election Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §8-600, El L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: S1485, A7186

S6923 - Summary

Relates to the number of early voting poll sites in certain cities and towns and requires, where practicable, that such sites shall be situated along public transportation routes.

S6923 - Sponsor Memo

 
BILL NUMBER: S6923

SPONSOR: MARTINEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the election law, in relation to the number of polling
sites for early voting in certain cities and towns

 
PURPOSE:

This bill amends previously enacted early voting provisions to provide
that New York's high population cities and towns outside of New York
City must contain at least one early voting polling location per full
increment of fifty thousand persons.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends § 8-600 of the Election Law to provide that, in cities
and towns (outside of New York City) which have a population which
exceeds one hundred thousand persons (per the latest federal decennial
census), such municipalities must contain at least one early voting

polling location per each full increment of fifty thousand persons.

If such cities and towns contain public transportation routes, such
polling places must be situated along such transportation routes to the
extent practicable.

This section also increases the maximum required number of polling
locations per county from seven to ten, and provides that the required
maximum of ten does not apply where other provisions of law, including
these new provisions, conflict with the maximum of ten required polling
locations provision.

Section 2: Effective date.

 
EXISTING LAW:

Currently, the board of elections in each county must designate early
voting locations. There must be at least one early voting location for
every full increment of 50,000 voters in each county, with a maximum
required number of locations in each county set at seven.  Polling plac-
es for early voting should be located so that voters in the county have
adequate and equitable access, taking into consideration population
density, travel time to the polling place, proximity to other early
voting poll sites, public transportation routes, commuter traffic
patterns, and other such factors the board of elections deems appropri-
ate.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In 2019, New York state lawmakers took historic steps in approving a
series of reforms intended to make New York's voting process easier,
more efficient, more transparent, and more accountable to its citizens.
Among these reforms were the scheduling of state and federal primaries
on the same day, automatic updating of voters' registrations when they
move, preregistration of those ages 16 and 17 prior to an election in
which they will be eligible to vote, and requirements that established
10 days of early voting which includes two full weekends prior to
elections.
With regard to early voting, the intent of the legislature was to
provide a flexible timeline within which voters can cast their ballots,
taking into account the reality that voters often have busy schedules,
vacations, and family obligations that can get in the way of voting on
election day. Early voting provides flexibility and a longer voting
process that encourages civic involvement by New York's citizens.

Key components of ensuring the success and accessibility of early voting
are the location and number of polling sites. The original legislation
set a minimum threshold for the number of polling locations, with one
polling location for each 50,000 voters. The legislature was also care-
ful to include provisions stating that when siting polling locations,
population density, travel time, and public transportation routes should
be key considerations. These provisions recognize that inaccessibility
to early voting polling locations will undermine the utility of the
early voting program.

Following analysis of early voting polling site locations following the
2019 election cycle, the State Legislature discovered that the decisions
of county boards of elections have resulted in varying levels of access
to early voting based on which county a voter is located in and local
siting decisions. In some large counties, there were as few as .33 sites
per fifty thousand persons, or as many as 2 per fifty thousand (six
times the level of access to early voting in the latter vs the former).
At the municipal level, large cities and towns in the same region had as
many as 1.38 polling locations per fifty thousand persons, or as few as
.1 polling places for fifty thousand persons (13.8 times the level of
access in the latter vs the former), demonstrating a severe disparity in
access. The information demonstrates that, in some cases, voters living
in high population areas are not afforded the same level of access as
those who live in less densely populated areas, or that their level of
access may be based on some consideration other than the realities of
population density and how it affects access.

This legislation seeks to remedy this issue with regard to large cities
and towns by permitting for more equitable and evenly distributed access
to early voting polling locations across the state. The legislation
ensures that voters living in high population areas will not be disen-
franchised from the early voting system simply because of their residen-
cy in a large municipality, and will expand access in densely populated
areas.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

There is no cost to the state.

 
LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

S6923 - Bill Text download pdf


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

                                  6923

                       2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            December 20, 2019
                               ___________

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

AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to the number  of  polling
  sites for early voting in certain cities and towns

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

  Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 2  of  section  8-600  of  the
election  law,  as added by chapter 6 of the laws of 2019, is amended to
read as follows:
  (a) The board of elections shall designate polling  places  for  early
voting,  which  may  include  the offices of the board of elections, for
persons to vote early pursuant to this title. There shall be  so  desig-
nated  at  least one early voting polling place for every full increment
of fifty thousand registered voters in each county;  provided,  however,
the  number  of  early  voting  polling  places in a county shall not be
required to be greater than [seven] TEN UNLESS  REQUIRED  BY  ANY  OTHER
PROVISION  OF  LAW,  and  a county with fewer than fifty thousand voters
shall have at least one early voting polling place.
  IN CITIES OR TOWNS WITH A POPULATION OF MORE THAN  ONE  HUNDRED  THOU-
SAND,  BUT  LESS  THAN ONE MILLION BASED ON THE LATEST FEDERAL DECENNIAL
CENSUS, THERE SHALL BE AT LEAST ONE EARLY VOTING POLLING PLACE FOR EVERY
FULL INCREMENT OF FIFTY THOUSAND PERSONS IN SUCH CITIES AND TOWNS  BASED
ON THE LATEST FEDERAL DECENNIAL CENSUS; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THE NUMBER OF
EARLY  VOTING  POLLING  PLACES  IN  EACH SUCH CITY AND TOWN SHALL NOT BE
REQUIRED TO BE GREATER THAN ELEVEN, AND TO THE  EXTENT  PRACTICABLE,  IF
SUCH  CITIES  OR  TOWNS  HAVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ROUTES, SUCH POLLING
PLACES SHALL BE SITUATED ALONG SUCH TRANSPORTATION ROUTES.
  § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.


 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD14367-03-9

Co-Sponsors

S6923A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9792
Law Section:: Election Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §8-600, El L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: S1485, A7186

S6923A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to the number of early voting poll sites in certain cities and towns and requires, where practicable, that such sites shall be situated along public transportation routes.

S6923A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

 
BILL NUMBER: S6923A

SPONSOR: MARTINEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the election law, in relation to the number of polling
sites for early voting in certain cities and towns

 
PURPOSE:

This bill amends previously enacted early voting provisions to provide
that New York's high population cities and towns outside of New York
City must contain at least one early voting polling location per full
increment of fifty thousand registered voters.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends § 8-600 of the Election Law to provide that, in cities
and towns (outside of New York City) which have a population which
exceeds one hundred thousand persons (per the latest federal decennial
census), such municipalities must contain at least one early voting
polling location per each full increment of fifty thousand registered

voters.

If such cities and towns contain public transportation routes, such
polling places must be situated along such transportation routes to the
extent practicable.

This section also increases the maximum required number of polling
locations per county from seven to ten, and provides that the required
maximum of ten does not apply where other provisions of law, including
these new provisions, conflict with the maximum of ten required polling
locations provision.

Section 2: Effective date.

 
EXISTING LAW:

Currently, the board of elections in each county must designate early
voting locations. There must be at least one early voting location for
every full increment of 50,000 voters in each county, with a maximum
required number of locations in each county set at seven.  Polling plac-
es for early voting should be located so that voters in the county have
adequate and equitable access, taking into consideration population
density, travel time to the polling place, proximity to other early
voting poll sites, public transportation routes, commuter traffic
patterns, and other such factors the board of elections deems appropri-
ate.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In 2019, New York state lawmakers took historic steps in approving a
series of reforms intended to make New York's voting process easier,
more efficient, more transparent, and more accountable to its citizens.
Among these reforms were the scheduling of state and federal primaries
on the same day, automatic updating of voters' registrations when they
move, preregistration of those ages 16 and 17 prior to an election in
which they will be eligible to vote, and requirements that established

10 days of early voting which includes two full weekends prior to
elections.

With regard to early voting, the intent of the legislature was to
provide a flexible timeline within which voters can cast their ballots,
taking into account the reality that voters often have busy schedules,
vacations, and family obligations that can get in the way of voting on
election day. Early voting provides flexibility and a longer voting
process that encourages civic involvement by New York's citizens.

Key components of ensuring the success and accessibility of early voting
are the location and number of polling sites. The original legislation
set a minimum threshold for the number of polling locations, with one
polling location for each 50,000 voters. The legislature was also care-
ful to include provisions stating that when siting polling locations,
population density, travel time, and public transportation routes should
be key considerations. These provisions recognize that inaccessibility
to early voting polling locations will undermine the utility of the
early voting program.

Following analysis of early voting polling site locations after the 2019
election cycle, the State Legislature discovered that the decisions of
county boards of elections have resulted in varying levels of access to
early voting based on which county a voter is located in and local
siting decisions. In some large counties, there were as few as .33 sites
per fifty thousand persons, or as many as 2 per fifty thousand (six
times the level of access to early voting in the latter vs the former).
At the municipal level, large cities and towns in the same region had as
many as 1.38 polling locations per fifty thousand persons, or as few as
.1 polling places for fifty thousand persons (13.8 times the level of
access in the latter vs the former), demonstrating a severe disparity in
access. The information demonstrates that, in some cases, voters living
in high population areas are not afforded the same level of access as
those who live in less densely populated areas, or that their level of
access may be based on some consideration other than the realities of
population density and how it affects access.

This legislation seeks to remedy this issue with regard to large cities
and towns by permitting for more equitable and evenly distributed access
to early voting polling locations across the state. The legislation
ensures that voters living in high population areas will not be disen-
franchised from the early voting system simply because of their residen-
cy in a large municipality, and will expand access in densely populated
areas.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

There is no cost to the state.

 
LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

S6923A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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

                                 6923--A

                       2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            December 20, 2019
                               ___________

Introduced  by Sen. MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be  committed  to  the  Committee  on  Rules  --  committee
  discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
  to said committee

AN  ACT  to amend the election law, in relation to the number of polling
  sites for early voting in certain cities and towns

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

  Section  1.  Paragraph  (a)  of  subdivision 2 of section 8-600 of the
election law, as added by chapter 6 of the laws of 2019, is  amended  to
read as follows:
  (a)  The  board  of elections shall designate polling places for early
voting, which may include the offices of the  board  of  elections,  for
persons  to  vote early pursuant to this title. There shall be so desig-
nated at least one early voting polling place for every  full  increment
of  fifty  thousand registered voters in each county; provided, however,
the number of early voting polling places  in  a  county  shall  not  be
required  to  be  greater  than [seven] TEN UNLESS REQUIRED BY ANY OTHER
PROVISION OF LAW, and a county with fewer  than  fifty  thousand  voters
shall have at least one early voting polling place.
  IN  CITIES  OR  TOWNS WITH A POPULATION OF MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED THOU-
SAND, BUT LESS THAN ONE MILLION BASED ON THE  LATEST  FEDERAL  DECENNIAL
CENSUS, THERE SHALL BE AT LEAST ONE EARLY VOTING POLLING PLACE FOR EVERY
FULL INCREMENT OF FIFTY THOUSAND REGISTERED VOTERS IN EACH SUCH CITY AND
TOWN;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  THE NUMBER OF EARLY VOTING POLLING PLACES IN
EACH SUCH CITY AND TOWN SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO BE GREATER THAN ELEVEN,
AND TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, IF  SUCH  CITIES  OR  TOWNS  HAVE  PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION  ROUTES, SUCH POLLING PLACES SHALL BE SITUATED ALONG SUCH
TRANSPORTATION ROUTES.
  § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD14367-04-0

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

The New York State Senate

senate Bill S6923A

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - Passed Senate

Your Voice

Actions

Votes

Jan 9, 2020 - floor Vote

Floor Vote: Jan 9, 2020

Jan 9, 2020 - Elections committee Vote

Elections Committee Vote: Jan 9, 2020

Jan 9, 2020 - Rules committee Vote

Rules Committee Vote: Jan 9, 2020

Jan 8, 2020 - floor Vote

Floor Vote: Jan 8, 2020

Bill Amendments

S6923 - Details

S6923 - Summary

S6923 - Sponsor Memo

S6923 - Bill Text download pdf

Co-Sponsors

S6923A (ACTIVE) - Details

S6923A (ACTIVE) - Summary

S6923A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S6923A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

senate Bill S6923A

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Monica R. Martinez

Archive: Last Bill Status - Passed Senate

Your Voice

Actions

Votes

Jan 9, 2020 - floor Vote

Floor Vote: Jan 9, 2020

Jan 9, 2020 - Elections committee Vote

Elections Committee Vote: Jan 9, 2020

Jan 9, 2020 - Rules committee Vote

Rules Committee Vote: Jan 9, 2020

Jan 8, 2020 - floor Vote

Floor Vote: Jan 8, 2020

Bill Amendments

S6923 - Details

S6923 - Summary

S6923 - Sponsor Memo

S6923 - Bill Text download pdf

Co-Sponsors

Alessandra Biaggi

Neil D. Breslin

James Gaughran

Anna M. Kaplan

Roxanne J. Persaud

S6923A (ACTIVE) - Details

S6923A (ACTIVE) - Summary

S6923A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S6923A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments