What's happening
This bill requires local election boards to verify party enrollment in districts and reject petitions where no party members exist.
Why it matters
Prevents "paper parties" or sham nominations. By requiring local election boards to verify that a political party actually has enrolled members in a district, the bill blocks the practice of submitting petitions for parties that have no real presence or support there.
Improves ballot integrity. The law aims to ensure that only legitimate parties with actual members can nominate candidates, reducing confusion and improving the credibility of the election process.
Reduces administrative burdens and challenges. By mandating an upfront verification step, the bill could decrease the number of frivolous or challenge-prone petitions, saving time and resources for boards of elections and courts.
Impacts minor or new parties. Smaller or newly-formed parties must have at least one enrolled member in a district to get candidates on the ballot there, potentially making it harder for them to gain a foothold but ensuring grassroots legitimacy.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Verify Party Members in Districts
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
3529
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 27, 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 requiring the local boards of election to verify the number of enrolled members of a party in such districts and reject all petitions where there are no enrolled members of a party in such districts
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 6-154 of the election law is amended to read as follows:
1. Any petition filed with the officer or board charged with the duty of receiving it shall be presumptively valid if it is in proper form and appears to bear the requisite number of signatures, authenticated in a manner prescribed by this chapter, provided, however, that the local board verifies the number of enrolled members of a party in such districts and rejects all petitions where there are no enrolled members of such party in such districts.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08658-01-7
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.