ASSEMBLYMEMBER GRACE LEE AND SENATOR BRIAN KAVANAGH PASS LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE POLLING PLACE NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

New York, NY – Last week, in a victory for election transparency and accountability, Assemblymember Grace Lee and Senator Brian Kavanagh passed legislation requiring the Board of Elections (BOE) to provide timely notice of polling place changes to local elected officials and party leaders within five days of being informed that a polling place must be changed. Having passed both the Assembly and Senate the bill will now head to the Governor to be signed. 

The bill, A7618C/S4274C, requires New York City’s Board of Elections (BOE) to notify relevant elected officials and party leaders within five days of receiving notice that a polling location must be changed. Under current law, voters must be notified of polling location changes, but elected officials and party leaders are not explicitly included in notification requirements. Giving notification to elected officials and party leaders provides them the opportunity to potentially engage with the BOE on pollsite relocations and communicate changes to constituents. 

The legislation was drafted in response to community concerns after the last-minute relocation of the JHS 56 early voting polling locations ahead of the 2024 primary election. The bill will ensure greater transparency and coordination among the BOE, elected officials and community leaders, and help to prevent voter disenfranchisement due to last-minute poll site relocations.

“Voting should be simple and accessible, not confusing or difficult,” said Assemblymember Grace Lee. “This bill ensures that elected officials and party leaders are informed of polling site changes in a timely manner so we can keep our communities informed and ensure voters can make their voice heard. Thank you to Lower East Side community advocate and former district leader Daisy Paez for bringing this issue to our attention and Senator Kavanagh for working with us to make sure our neighbors aren’t left in the dark ahead of Election Day.”

Senator Brian Kavanagh, Senate sponsor of S4274A/A7618A, said: "This bill is a meaningful step toward protecting voter access and transparency. With broad, bipartisan support, this bill will ensure that communities and their elected representatives are promptly informed of polling place changes, which will help reduce confusion. I thank Assemblymember Grace Lee for championing this legislation, our colleagues in the Senate and Assembly for their support, and Daisy Paez and community advocates for their advocacy to get this done. I urge the Governor to sign this commonsense reform into law."  

“I'm really excited that a new bill has passed to make sure our communities are always in the loop when voting locations are changed,” said Daisy Paez, Community Advocate and former AD65 District Leader.  “From now on, local electeds, including district leaders, must be notified, giving the ability to participate in changes that actually benefit the people who vote there. This is a big step forward for fairer, more accessible elections without compromising our democracy. Huge thanks to Assembly Member Grace Lee and Senator Brian Kavanagh for their support and leadership in getting this done!”

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