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S5546Senate2011-2012 Session

Relates to the use of lever voting systems at a referendum

Sponsor Jack M. MartinsSD-7Affects Local Government
Status
In Senate Committee
Local Government
Impact
Pending
Passage
Pending

Bill progress

Step 2 of 7

In committee · Local Government

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Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Jack M. Martins

Senator · Senate District 7

Chair, Local Government

No co-sponsors yet.

History

  1. Referred to local government
  2. Committed to rules
  3. Amended on third reading (t) 5546a
  4. Advanced to third reading
  5. 2nd report cal.
  6. 1st report cal.1000
  7. Referred to local government

Full text

The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.

Sponsor's memo

BILL NUMBER:S5546A

Title of bill

An act to amend the county law, in relation to the use of lever voting systems at a referendum; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

Purpose

To authorize counties the ability to use lever voting systems at referendum.

Summary of provisions

Section one amends Subdivision 2 of Section 102 of the County Law to provide that during a referendum vote counties may permit the use of lever voting systems. A lever voting system is defined as lever machines and one ballot marking device (BMD). This bill will not require the board of elections to maintain the care, custody or control of lever voting machines.

Section two sets the effective date and the repeal date of December 31, 2011.

Justification

Subdivision 2 of Section 102 of the County Law now requires counties to use paper ballots or ballot scanners when conducting a referendum vote.

Counties across the state have expressed an overwhelming preference to continue using lever voting machines when conducting a referendum vote due to the costs related to the use of paper ballots or ballot scanners which can exceed $1 million. However, counties are also cognizant of their charge to address the needs of disabled voters. This bill would give counties the option to employ systems with both lever machines and Help America to Vote Act (HAVA)- compliant BMDs.

This authority is similar to that which was granted to school boards and village elections (Chapter 3 of the Laws of 2011).

Fiscal prudence is intrinsic in these challenging economic times as counties are forced to cut services and layoff public employees to balance their budgets. The option of utilizing a lever voting system as defined in this legislation provides counties with the ability to determine the will of the voters via referendum while mitigating cost and affording an equal right to disabled voters.

Legislative history

This is a new bill.

Fiscal implications

None to the State. Significant savings to counties opting for the use of lever voting systems.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately and be deemed repealed December 31, 2011.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.