BILL NUMBER: S518

SPONSOR: KAPLAN
 
TITLE OF BILL:

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

 
PURPOSE:

This bill amends previously enacted early voting provisions to provide
that, on Long Island, each town and city must have an early voting poll-
ing location.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends § 8-600 of the Election Law to provide that, in coun-
ties with a population of more than 1,250,000 (outside of New York City,
and based on the latest federal decennial census), each town and city
must have an early voting polling location.  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 places
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 in the 2019
election cycle, the State Legislature discovered that every town and
city on Long Island had at least one early voting polling location, with
the exception of three such municipalities. Given Long Island's unique
status as a densely populated area with generally long commutes which
can result in difficult travel challenges, the sponsor concludes that as
a matter of early voting access equity, this gap should be remedied by
providing that each city and town on Long Island must provide an early
voting polling location for its voters.

Since only three towns/cities do not have such polling locations, the
burden on localities is minimal, but will have a strong positive impact
for voter access. Those voters who were left out in the 2019 election
cycle will now have the opportunity to take advantage of the early
voting system in their own communities, as almost all Long Islanders
already do. This legislation will increase access for a voting popu-
lation that generally faces long commutes and where travel from munici-
pality to municipality can sometimes be a daunting task.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S. 6922/A. 9791 of 2019/2020; Passed Senate in 2020

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

There is no cost to the state.

 
LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.