What's happening
This bill allows voters in New York to photograph and share their own ballots and voting process, but prohibits coercion to do so.
Why it matters
Empowers voters by explicitly legalizing "ballot selfies" and public sharing of their voting experience, which could encourage civic engagement and voter turnout, particularly among younger and first-time voters.
Modernizes election law to reflect current social media habits, potentially reducing confusion or accidental lawbreaking by voters who wish to share their participation in elections online.
Maintains voter privacy and ballot secrecy by prohibiting photos that include other voters or reveal anyone else's ballot, helping to prevent intimidation or vote-buying schemes.
Introduces a safeguard against coercion by making it a misdemeanor to force someone to photograph or share their voting process, aiming to protect voters from being pressured or intimidated into publicizing their vote.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Allow Ballot Selfies While Voting
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Enacting clause stricken
- Referred to election law
- Referred to election law
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5215
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 7, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. SEPULVEDA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to allowing photographs of one's self and one's own ballot while voting
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 8-300 of the election law is amended by adding a new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
4. Voters shall be permitted on their own volition, to photograph and post on social media their own ballot and themselves at any stage of voting, including while in a privacy booth or at a ballot scanner, provided that such photographs do not contain any other voter or reveal the contents of any other voter's ballot.
§ 2. Subdivisions 10 and 11 of section 17-130 of the election law are amended to read as follows:
10. [Shows his] Solicits a voter to show their ballot after it is prepared for voting, to any person so as to reveal the contents[, or solicits a voter to show the same]; or,
11. Places any mark upon his ballot, or does any other act in connection with his ballot with the intent that it may be identified as the one voted by him, other than what is allowed pursuant to subdivision four of section 8-300 of this chapter; or,
§ 3. Subdivision 23 of section 17-130 of the election law, as renumbered by chapter 373 of the laws of 1978, is amended and a new subdivision 24 is added to read as follows:
23. Not having been appointed or named an inspector of elections or clerk and not having taken the oath for such office shall wear or display any button, badge or emblem identifying or purporting to identify such person as an inspector of election or clerk[, is guilty of a misdemeanor.]; or,
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06680-01-7
A. 5215 2
24. Forces an individual to photograph and/or post on social media their own ballot or themselves at any stage of voting, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
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.