What's happening
This bill changes the term of office for all New York election commissioners to four years, effective November 1, 2017.
Why it matters
Standardizes the term length for election commissioners across all New York counties, eliminating previous exceptions and local discretion. Previously, some counties (like NYC and Schenectady) had four-year terms, while others defaulted to two years unless the local legislature decided otherwise. This bill removes that variability.
May increase continuity and stability within county Boards of Elections by giving commissioners a longer tenure. With four-year terms, commissioners have more time for long-term planning and implementation of election procedures, potentially leading to more consistent election administration.
Reduces the frequency of political appointments or reappointments, potentially lessening political pressure or turnover in these roles. Commissioners will not face as frequent reappointment processes, which could help shield them from short-term political shifts and allow them to focus on election integrity.
Applies the new term lengths immediately to all election commissioners, affecting the timing and process of upcoming appointments and possibly altering local political dynamics. This could impact planning and succession for current commissioners whose terms would have ended sooner under old rules.
Albany, before your first meeting.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Extend Election Commissioner Terms
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to election law
- Referred to election law
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1555
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 12, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to the terms of office of election commissioners
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 3-202 of the election law is amended to read as follows:
1. The term of office of an election commissioner shall be [two] four years beginning January first of each odd numbered year [except that in the city of New York and the county of Schenectady the term shall be four years beginning on January first of each alternate odd numbered year. The county legislative body of any other county may determine that the commissioners of elections thereafter appointed shall serve for a term of four years. Such determination may be rescinded by a subsequent action of the county legislative body which shall take effect at the expiration of the terms of the commissioners then in office].
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to all elections occurring on and after November 1, 2017.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03269-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.