Bill Text: NY A07309 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Amended
Bill Title: Establishes an open primary system for all state and congressional elections.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-31 - opinion referred to judiciary [A07309 Detail]
Download: New_York-2017-A07309-Amended.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7309--A 2017-2018 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY April 21, 2017 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. THIELE, KEARNS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment to article 2 of the constitution, in relation to the establishment of an open primary system for all state and congres- sional elections 1 Section 1. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That article 2 of the 2 constitution be amended by adding a new section 10 to read as follows: 3 § 10. (a) A voter-nomination primary election shall be conducted to 4 select the candidates for congressional and state elective offices. All 5 voters may vote at a voter-nominated primary election for any candidate 6 for congressional and state elective office without regard to the poli- 7 tical party preference disclosed by the candidate or the voter, provided 8 that the voter is otherwise qualified to vote for candidates for the 9 office in question. The candidates who are the top two vote-getters at a 10 voter-nominated primary election for a congressional or state elective 11 office shall, regardless of party preference, compete in the ensuing 12 general election. 13 (b) The Legislature shall provide that candidates for such congres- 14 sional and state offices shall be placed on the ballot for voter-nomi- 15 nated primary election by petition in the manner provided by statute. A 16 candidate for a congressional or state elective office may have his or 17 her political party preference, or lack of political party preference, 18 indicated upon the ballot for the office in the manner provided by stat- 19 ute. A political party or party committee shall not nominate a candidate 20 for any congressional or state elective office at the voter-nominated 21 primary. This subdivision shall not be interpreted to prohibit a poli- 22 tical party of party committee from endorsing, supporting, or opposing 23 any candidate for a congressional or state elective office. A political 24 party or party committee shall not have the right to have its preferred 25 candidate participate in the general election for a voter-nominated EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD89108-02-7A. 7309--A 2 1 office other than a candidate who is one of the two highest vote-getters 2 at the primary election, as provided in subdivision (a) of this section. 3 (c) The Legislature shall provide for partisan elections for political 4 party and party committees. 5 § 2. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That the foregoing amendments be 6 referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the 7 next succeeding general election of members of the assembly, and, in 8 conformity with section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be 9 published for 3 months previous to the time of such election.