Bill Text: NY S07978 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Eliminates the requirements for publication of detailed election notices within the city of New York.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-03-06 - REFERRED TO ELECTIONS [S07978 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-S07978-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          7978

                    IN SENATE

                                      March 6, 2020
                                       ___________

        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,  in  relation  to  eliminating  the
          requirements  for  publication of detailed election notices within the
          city of New York

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  Subdivision  1  of  section  4-118 of the election law is
     2  amended to read as follows:
     3    1. Each county board of elections, except for those located within the
     4  city of New York, shall publish in  the  week  ending  on  the  Saturday
     5  preceding a primary election a notice specifying the day of such primary
     6  election,  the hours during which it will be held and the public offices
     7  for which nominations are to be made and the party positions  which  are
     8  to be filled at such primary elections. Such publication shall be in two
     9  newspapers published within the county. If the county contains a city or
    10  cities,  at least one of such newspapers shall be published in the city,
    11  or the largest city, if there be more than one.
    12    § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 4-120 of the election law, as amended by
    13  chapter 413 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
    14    1. The board of elections, except for those located within the city of
    15  New York, shall publish once in each of the two weeks preceding a gener-
    16  al election, or a special or village election conducted by the board  of
    17  elections,  a  notice specifying the day of the election, and the public
    18  officers to be voted for within such county, or any part thereof at such
    19  election. The board of elections shall, as soon as practicable, but  not
    20  less  than  two weeks prior to any special election, prominently display
    21  on its website the date and hours of the election,  the  offices  to  be
    22  voted on in the county, part of a county, or the city of New York, and a
    23  link  to  any poll site information or poll location tools, where avail-
    24  able. Such information shall also be made  available  to  local  govern-
    25  ments, municipalities, and community boards for publication on any publ-
    26  ic-facing  internet  website,  web  application,  web  domain or digital
    27  application, including a social network or search engine, to the  extent

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD15604-01-0
        S. 7978                             2

     1  that  such  publication is practicable. If constitutional amendments, or
     2  questions are to be submitted to the voters of  the  state,  the  notice
     3  shall state that fact and that a copy of each such amendment or question
     4  may  be  obtained at the board of elections, by any voter. Such publica-
     5  tion shall be in two newspapers published  within  the  county.  If  the
     6  county  contains a city or cities, at least one of such newspapers shall
     7  be published in the city, or the largest city, if  there  be  more  than
     8  one.
     9    In the case of a village election, such publication shall be made in a
    10  newspaper  of  general  circulation in such village and shall include an
    11  abstract of any proposition to be voted upon at such election.
    12    § 3. Subdivision 1 of section 4-122 of the election law, as amended by
    13  chapter 310 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
    14    1. The county board of elections, except for those located within  the
    15  city of New York, shall publish, at least six days before an election, a
    16  list  containing  the  name  of  every candidate for public office to be
    17  voted for within its jurisdiction at such election.
    18    § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.