S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
657
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
January 5, 2023
___________
Introduced by Sen. MYRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
AN ACT to amend the election law, the education law, the civil practice
law and rules, and the state finance law, in relation to regulating
public data maintained by county and city boards of elections and
establishing the New York voting and elections database and institute
to maintain a statewide database of voting and election data
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new section 3-112
to read as follows:
§ 3-112. STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS; UNIFORM STANDARDS FOR PROCESSING
DATA REQUESTS AND DUTY TO SEND DATA AND INFORMATION TO STATEWIDE DATA-
BASE. 1. THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL PROMULGATE REGULATIONS
WITHIN ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION
STANDARDIZING ACROSS EACH COUNTY AND CITY BOARDS OF ELECTIONS THE METHOD
OF PROCESSING FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAW REQUESTS AND PROVIDING FOR
TIMELY DISTRIBUTION OF SUCH DATA TO THE PUBLIC.
2. UPON THE CERTIFICATION OF ELECTION RESULTS AND THE COMPLETION OF
THE VOTER HISTORY FILE AFTER EVERY ELECTION, EACH BOARD OF ELECTIONS
SHALL WITHIN TEN BUSINESS DAYS TRANSMIT COPIES OF: (A) ELECTION RESULTS
AT THE ELECTION DISTRICT LEVEL; (B) CONTEMPORANEOUS VOTER REGISTRATION
LISTS; (C) VOTER HISTORY FILES; (D) MAPS OR OTHER DOCUMENTATION OF THE
CONFIGURATION OF DISTRICTS IN ANY FORMAT OR FORMATS AS SPECIFIED BY THE
STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS; AND (E) LISTS OF ELECTION DAY POLL SITES AND
EARLY VOTING SITES AND MAPS OR OTHER DOCUMENTATION OF THE CONFIGURATION
OF DISTRICTS IN ANY FORMAT OR FORMATS AS SPECIFIED BY THE STATE BOARD OF
ELECTIONS OF THE ELECTION DISTRICTS ASSIGNED TO EACH ELECTION DAY POLL
SITE OR EARLY VOTING SITE. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE
TERM "ELECTION AUTHORITY" REFERS TO THE AGENCY PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR
MAINTAINING THE RECORDS LISTED IN THIS SUBDIVISION AND INCLUDES ANY
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03134-02-3
S. 657 2
BOARD OF ELECTION, AS WELL AS GENERAL PURPOSE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OR
SPECIAL PURPOSE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT ADMINISTER THEIR OWN ELECTIONS OR
MAINTAIN THEIR OWN VOTING AND ELECTION RECORDS.
3. THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL UPLOAD THE DATA RECEIVED TO ITS
PUBLIC FACING WEBSITE WITHIN FIVE BUSINESS DAYS OF ITS RECEIPT. NO COST
SHALL BE CHARGED TO ACCESS THE DATA.
4. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE CO-DIRECTORS OF THE DATABASE AND INSTI-
TUTE, OR THEIR DESIGNEES MAY FILE AN ACTION TO ENFORCE COMPLIANCE WITH
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION.
§ 2. The education law is amended by adding a new article 117 to read
as follows:
ARTICLE 117
NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND INSTITUTE
SECTION 5801. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES AND LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.
5802. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATA-
BASE AND INSTITUTE.
5803. FUNCTION OF THE NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND
INSTITUTE.
5804. CO-DIRECTORS AND CHAIRS ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS.
5805. ANNUAL REPORT.
§ 5801. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES AND LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. NEW YORK'S
EXISTING SYSTEM OF VOTING AND ELECTION ADMINISTRATION HAS DEVELOPED OVER
THE COURSE OF TWO CENTURIES AND HAS EVOLVED IN RESPONSE TO CHANGING
UNDERSTANDINGS OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EQUITABLE PARTIC-
IPATION IN GOVERNMENT. THE LEGISLATURE HEREBY FINDS THAT EQUITABLE,
EFFICIENT, AND ACCOUNTABLE ELECTIONS REQUIRE TRANSPARENCY AND RELIABLE
DATA TO BETTER INFORM THE PUBLIC AND THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IN DECISION
MAKING REGARDING ELECTION ADMINISTRATION AND VOTING RIGHTS IN THE STATE.
THEREFORE, THE LEGISLATURE FINDS THAT IT IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST TO
ESTABLISH A CENTRAL INSTITUTION TO REDUCE THE BURDEN ON BOARDS OF
ELECTIONS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH REGARD TO STORING
AND SHARING ELECTION DATA, PROVIDE A NONPARTISAN AND ACCURATE SET OF
DATA THAT THE PUBLIC CAN RELY UPON, ENCOURAGE THE ENACTMENT OF
EVIDENCE-BASED ELECTION POLICIES AND LEGISLATION, AND IMPROVE TRANSPAR-
ENCY AND ALLOW VOTERS TO DETECT INEQUITABLE ELECTION POLICIES AND RACIAL
DISCRIMINATION.
§ 5802. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE
AND INSTITUTE. THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED JOINTLY WITHIN THE STATE
UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AND CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK THE "NEW YORK
VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND INSTITUTE", REFERRED TO IN THIS ARTI-
CLE AS THE "DATABASE AND INSTITUTE", TO MAINTAIN AND ADMINISTER A
CENTRAL REPOSITORY OF ELECTIONS AND VOTING DATA AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC
FROM ALL POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND TO FOSTER,
PURSUE, AND SPONSOR RESEARCH ON EXISTING LAWS AND BEST PRACTICES IN
VOTING AND ELECTIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "POLITICAL
SUBDIVISION" SHALL MEAN A GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF REPRESENTATION CREATED FOR
THE PROVISION OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A
COUNTY, CITY, TOWN, VILLAGE, SCHOOL DISTRICT, OR ANY OTHER DISTRICT
ORGANIZED PURSUANT TO STATE OR LOCAL LAW.
§ 5803. FUNCTION OF THE NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND
INSTITUTE. 1. THE DATABASE AND INSTITUTE SHALL PROVIDE A CENTER FOR
RESEARCH, TRAINING AND INFORMATION ON VOTING SYSTEMS AND ELECTION ADMIN-
ISTRATION. THE DATABASE AND INSTITUTE IS HEREBY EMPOWERED:
(A) TO CONDUCT CLASSES BOTH FOR CREDIT AND NON-CREDIT;
(B) TO ORGANIZE INTERDISCIPLINARY GROUPS OF SCHOLARS TO RESEARCH
VOTING AND ELECTIONS IN THE STATE;
S. 657 3
(C) TO CONDUCT SEMINARS INVOLVING VOTING AND ELECTIONS;
(D) TO ESTABLISH A NONPARTISAN CENTRALIZED DATABASE IN ORDER TO
COLLECT, ARCHIVE, AND MAKE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AT NO COST AN ACCESSIBLE
DATABASE PERTAINING TO ELECTIONS, VOTER REGISTRATION, AND BALLOT ACCESS
IN THE STATE;
(E) TO ASSIST IN THE DISSEMINATION OF SUCH DATA TO THE PUBLIC;
(F) TO PUBLISH SUCH BOOKS AND PERIODICALS AS IT SHALL DEEM APPROPRIATE
ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS IN THE STATE; AND
(G) TO PROVIDE NONPARTISAN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO POLITICAL SUBDIVI-
SIONS, SCHOLARS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SEEKING TO USE THE RESOURCES OF
THE STATEWIDE DATABASE.
2. (A) DATA TO MAINTAIN. THE DATABASE AND INSTITUTE SHALL MAINTAIN IN
ELECTRONIC FORMAT AND MAKE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ONLINE AT NO COST AT
MINIMUM THE FOLLOWING DATA AND RECORDS FOR AT LEAST THE PREVIOUS TWELVE
YEAR PERIOD:
(I) ESTIMATES OF THE TOTAL POPULATION, VOTING AGE POPULATION, AND
CITIZEN VOTING AGE POPULATION BY RACE, COLOR, AND LANGUAGE-MINORITY
GROUP, BROKEN DOWN TO THE ELECTION DISTRICT LEVEL ON A YEAR-BY-YEAR
BASIS FOR EVERY POLITICAL SUBDIVISION IN THE STATE, BASED ON DATA FROM
THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU, AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, OR DATA OF
COMPARABLE QUALITY COLLECTED BY A PUBLIC OFFICE.
(II) ELECTION RESULTS AT THE ELECTION DISTRICT LEVEL FOR EVERY STATE-
WIDE ELECTION AND EVERY ELECTION IN EVERY POLITICAL SUBDIVISION.
(III) CONTEMPORANEOUS VOTER REGISTRATION LISTS, VOTER HISTORY FILES,
ELECTION DAY POLL SITE LOCATIONS, AND EARLY VOTING SITE LOCATIONS, FOR
EVERY ELECTION IN EVERY POLITICAL SUBDIVISION.
(IV) CONTEMPORANEOUS MAPS OR OTHER DOCUMENTATION OF THE CONFIGURATION
OF ELECTION DISTRICTS IN ANY FORMAT OR FORMATS SPECIFIED BY THE DIREC-
TORS FOR ELECTION DISTRICTS.
(V) ELECTION DAY OR EARLY VOTING POLL SITES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
TO, LISTS OF ELECTION DISTRICTS ASSIGNED TO EACH POLLING PLACE, IF
APPLICABLE.
(VI) ADOPTED DISTRICTING OR REDISTRICTING PLANS FOR EVERY ELECTION IN
EVERY POLITICAL SUBDIVISION.
(VII) ANY OTHER DATA THAT THE DIRECTOR DEEMS ADVISABLE TO MAINTAIN IN
FURTHERANCE OF THE PURPOSES OF THIS TITLE.
(B) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF DATA. EXCEPT FOR ANY DATA, INFORMATION, OR
ESTIMATES THAT IDENTIFIES INDIVIDUAL VOTERS, THE DATA, INFORMATION, AND
ESTIMATES MAINTAINED BY THE STATEWIDE DATABASE SHALL BE POSTED ONLINE
AND MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AT NO COST.
(C) DATA ON RACE, COLOR, AND LANGUAGE-MINORITY GROUPS. THE STATEWIDE
DATABASE AND INSTITUTE SHALL PREPARE ANY ESTIMATES MADE PURSUANT TO THIS
SECTION BY APPLYING THE MOST ADVANCED, PEER-REVIEWED, AND VALIDATED
METHODOLOGIES.
§ 5804. CO-DIRECTORS AND CHAIRS ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS. TWO CHAIRS
ARE HEREBY ESTABLISHED IN THE NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND
INSTITUTE. ONE CHAIR SHALL BE WITHIN THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK.
ONE CHAIR SHALL BE WITHIN THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK. THE CHAIRS
SHALL ALSO ACT AS CO-DIRECTORS OF THE DATABASE AND INSTITUTE.
§ 5805. ANNUAL REPORT. NOT LATER THAN NINETY DAYS FOLLOWING THE END OF
THE STATE FISCAL YEAR THE NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND
INSTITUTE SHALL ANNUALLY SUBMIT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE MAJORITY LEADER OF
THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY A REPORT ON THE PRIORITIES
AND FINANCES OF THE NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND INSTI-
TUTE.
S. 657 4
§ 3. The civil practice law and rules is amended by adding a new rule
4550 to read as follows:
RULE 4550. NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND INSTITUTE. THE
DATA, INFORMATION, AND ESTIMATES MAINTAINED BY THE NEW YORK VOTING AND
ELECTIONS DATABASE AND INSTITUTE SHALL BE GRANTED A REBUTTABLE PRESUMP-
TION OF VALIDITY BY ANY COURT CONCERNING ANY CLAIM BROUGHT.
§ 4. The education law is amended by adding a new section 2614 to read
as follows:
§ 2614. TRANSMISSION OF PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA TO THE NEW YORK VOTING
AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND INSTITUTE. UPON THE CERTIFICATION OF ELECTION
RESULTS AND THE COMPLETION OF THE VOTER HISTORY FILE AFTER EACH
ELECTION, EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HOLDS ELECTIONS PURSUANT TO THIS
ARTICLE SHALL TRANSMIT COPIES OF THE FOLLOWING TO THE NEW YORK VOTING
AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND INSTITUTE WITHIN NINETY DAYS AFTER SUCH
ELECTION: (A) SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION RESULTS; (B) CONTEMPORANEOUS VOTER
REGISTRATION LISTS; (C) VOTER HISTORY FILES; (D) MAPS OR OTHER DOCUMEN-
TATION OF THE CONFIGURATION OF DISTRICTS IN ANY FORMAT OR FORMATS SPECI-
FIED BY THE DIRECTOR; (E) LISTS OF ELECTION DAY POLL SITES, MAPS OR
OTHER DOCUMENTATION OF THE CONFIGURATION OF DISTRICTS IN ANY FORMAT OR
FORMATS SPECIFIED BY THE DIRECTOR ASSIGNED TO EACH ELECTION DAY POLL
SITE; AND (F) ANY OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA AS REQUESTED BY SUCH
DATABASE AND INSTITUTE.
§ 5. Section 2038 of the education law is renumbered section 2039 and
a new section 2038 is added to read as follows:
§ 2038. TRANSMISSION OF PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA TO THE NEW YORK VOTING
AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND INSTITUTE. 1. UPON THE CERTIFICATION OF
ELECTION RESULTS AND THE COMPLETION OF THE VOTER HISTORY FILE AFTER EACH
ELECTION, EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HOLDS SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS PURSU-
ANT TO THIS ARTICLE SHALL TRANSMIT COPIES OF THE FOLLOWING TO THE NEW
YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND INSTITUTE WITHIN NINETY DAYS
AFTER SUCH ELECTION: (A) SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION RESULTS; (B) CONTEMPORA-
NEOUS VOTER REGISTRATION LISTS; (C) VOTER HISTORY FILES; (D) MAPS,
DESCRIPTIONS, AND SHAPEFILES FOR ELECTION DISTRICTS; (E) LISTS OF
ELECTION DAY POLL SITES, SHAPEFILES, OR DESCRIPTIONS OF THE ELECTION
DISTRICTS ASSIGNED TO EACH ELECTION DAY POLL SITE; AND (F) ANY OTHER
PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA AS REQUESTED BY SUCH DATABASE AND INSTITUTE.
2. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE CO-DIRECTORS OF THE DATABASE AND INSTI-
TUTE, OR THEIR DESIGNEES MAY FILE AN ACTION TO ENFORCE COMPLIANCE WITH
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION.
§ 6. Section 2553 of the education law is amended by adding two new
subdivisions 2-a and 2-b to read as follows:
2-A. UPON THE CERTIFICATION OF ELECTION RESULTS AND THE COMPLETION OF
THE VOTER HISTORY FILE AFTER EACH ELECTION, EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT
HOLDS SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE SHALL TRANSMIT
COPIES OF THE FOLLOWING TO THE NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE
AND INSTITUTE WITHIN NINETY DAYS AFTER SUCH ELECTION: (A) SCHOOL BOARD
ELECTION RESULTS; (B) CONTEMPORANEOUS VOTER REGISTRATION LISTS; (C)
VOTER HISTORY FILES; (D) MAPS OR OTHER DOCUMENTATION OF THE CONFIGURA-
TION OF DISTRICTS IN ANY FORMAT OR FORMATS SPECIFIED BY THE DIRECTOR;
(E) LISTS OF ELECTION DAY POLL SITES, SHAPEFILES, OR DESCRIPTIONS OF THE
ELECTION DISTRICTS ASSIGNED TO EACH ELECTION DAY POLL SITE; AND (F) ANY
OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA AS REQUESTED BY SUCH DATABASE AND INSTI-
TUTE.
2-B. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE CO-DIRECTORS OF THE DATABASE AND INSTI-
TUTE, OR THEIR DESIGNEES MAY FILE AN ACTION TO ENFORCE COMPLIANCE WITH
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION.
S. 657 5
§ 7. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 97-ss to
read as follows:
§ 97-SS. NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND INSTITUTE FUND. 1.
THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED IN THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE STATE COMP-
TROLLER AND THE COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION AND FINANCE A FUND TO BE KNOWN
AS THE NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND INSTITUTE FUND.
2. THE NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND INSTITUTE FUND SHALL
CONSIST OF ALL MONEYS CREDITED OR TRANSFERRED THERETO FROM ANY OTHER
FUND OR SOURCE, INCLUDING ANY FEDERAL, STATE, OR PRIVATE FUNDS, PURSUANT
TO LAW FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE REPOSI-
TORY AND FOR RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY SUCH DATABASE AND INSTITUTE.
3. MONEYS IN THE NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND INSTITUTE
FUND MAY BE INVESTED BY THE COMPTROLLER PURSUANT TO SECTION NINETY-
EIGHT-A OF THIS ARTICLE, AND ANY INCOME RECEIVED BY THE COMPTROLLER
SHALL BE USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF SUCH FUND.
4. THE MONEYS HELD IN OR CREDITED TO THE NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS
DATABASE AND INSTITUTE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED FOR THE PURPOSES SET FORTH
IN THIS SECTION, AND MAY NOT BE INTERCHANGED OR COMMINGLED WITH ANY
OTHER ACCOUNT OR FUND BUT MAY BE COMMINGLED WITH ANY OTHER FUND OR
ACCOUNT FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES.
5. MONEYS IN THE NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND INSTITUTE
FUND, FOLLOWING APPROPRIATION BY THE LEGISLATURE, SHALL BE AVAILABLE TO
THE NEW YORK VOTING AND ELECTIONS DATABASE AND INSTITUTE FOR MAINTENANCE
OF THE DATABASE AND RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS AS SET FORTH IN
ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEEN OF TITLE SEVEN OF THE EDUCATION LAW.
§ 8. This act shall take effect immediately.
