S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
2161
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
January 20, 2021
___________
Introduced by Sen. MAY -- 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 designating certain
university and community college campuses as polling places for early
voting
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Paragraphs (a) and (d) of subdivision 2 of section 8-600 of
the election law, as added by chapter 6 of the laws of 2019, are amended
and a new paragraph (e) is added to read as follows:
(a) [The] SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (E) OF THIS SUBDIVISION, 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 designated at least one early
voting polling place for every full increment of fifty thousand regis-
tered 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, and a county with fewer than fifty thousand voters shall
have at least one early voting polling place.
(d) [Polling] SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (E) OF THIS SUBDIVISION, POLLING
places for early voting shall 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 such other factors the board of elections deems appropri-
ate. The provisions of section 4-104 of this chapter, except subdivi-
sions four and five of such section, shall apply to the designation of
polling places for early voting except to the extent such provisions are
inconsistent with this section.
(E)(I) NOTWITHSTANDING THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS' DISCRETION TO DESIGNATE
POLLING PLACES FOR EARLY VOTING AS SET FORTH IN THIS SUBDIVISION, FOR
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04719-01-1
S. 2161 2
ANY COUNTY REQUIRED TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE POLLING PLACE FOR EARLY VOTING
AS SET FORTH IN THIS SUBDIVISION, THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL DESIGNATE
AT LEAST ONE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK UNIVERSITY OR COMMUNITY
COLLEGE CAMPUS LOCATED IN THAT COUNTY WITH ENROLLMENT OF AT LEAST TWO
THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AS A POLLING PLACE FOR THE
EARLY VOTING PERIOD. THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL MAKE AVAILABLE TO THAT
COUNTY ADDITIONAL DISCRETIONARY FUNDING FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF EARLY
VOTING IF THAT COUNTY DESIGNATES MORE THAN ONE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW
YORK UNIVERSITY OR COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAMPUS LOCATED IN THAT COUNTY AS AN
ADDITIONAL POLLING PLACE FOR EARLY VOTING FOR AT LEAST THREE CONSECUTIVE
WEEKDAYS DURING THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD.
(II) FOR ANY COUNTY THAT IS NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE POLLING
PLACE FOR EARLY VOTING AS SET FORTH IN THIS SUBDIVISION, THE BOARD OF
ELECTIONS SHALL MAKE AVAILABLE TO THAT COUNTY ADDITIONAL DISCRETIONARY
FUNDING FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF EARLY VOTING IF THAT COUNTY DESIGNATES
ANY STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK UNIVERSITY OR COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAMPUS
LOCATED IN THAT COUNTY AS AN ADDITIONAL POLLING PLACE FOR EARLY VOTING
FOR AT LEAST THREE CONSECUTIVE WEEKDAYS DURING THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.