BILL NUMBER: S5693

SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the election law, in relation to the boundaries of
election districts and the designation of polling places

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would provide that election districts shall not be drawn in
such a way that they are partly on and partly off a college or universi-
ty campus or other contiguous college or university property with 300 or
more registered voters, excluding inactive voters. It would also require
that the poll sites for election districts serving such concentrations
of college or university voters shall be on the campus or college or
university property, or, at a site approved by the college or universi-
ty.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Subdivision 2 of section 8-600 of the election law is amended
              

by adding a new paragraph (i).

Section 2: This act shall take effect January 1, 2026.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

This bill would provide college and university campuses, and other
college and university properties with large concentrations of voters,
with their own election districts and their own poll sites.  This bill
recognizes the fact that requiring residents of colleges and universi-
ties to vote at sites remote from their campuses, or requiring voters
unaffiliated with the colleges and universities to vote on campuses can
present unnecessary obstacles to voting.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2021-22: S4658 - referred to election law

2019-20: S.4378- Passed Senate

2017-18: S.3092 - REFERRED TO ELECTIONS

2015-16: S.1412A - Amend and Recommit to Elections

2013-14: S.888A - Referred to 'Elections

2011-12; S.1851A/A.2162A - Died in Elections

2009-10: S.2003A - PASSED SENATE

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

minimal

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on January 1, 2024.