What's happening
This bill requires the public online release of ballot images after elections, excluding personal identifying information.
Why it matters
Increases transparency and public trust. By making ballot images available online after elections, the public and independent groups can verify election results and ensure votes were counted accurately, potentially reducing suspicions of tampering or fraud.
Enables independent audits and research. Researchers, watchdog groups, and the media gain access to primary source data, allowing more thorough analysis of voting patterns, recounts, and the accuracy of election administration.
Protects voter privacy. The bill specifies that all personal identifying information must be excluded from released ballot images, balancing transparency with the need to safeguard voter anonymity and prevent intimidation or retaliation.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Release Ballot Images Online
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 4
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to elections
- Referred to elections
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
604
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 4, 2017
Introduced by Sen. BOYLE -- 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 publicly releasing ballot images
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new section 7-131 to read as follows:
§ 7-131. Ballots; public release of ballot images. Following an election, the board of elections shall publicly release and make available online, images of all ballots, excluding all personal identifying information.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05405-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the election law, in relation to publicly releasing ballot images
Purpose or general idea of bill
This legislation would require the Board of Elections to make the images of ballots available for public scrutiny
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1. Adds a new section to the election law § 7-131.
Section 2. Effective Date
Justification
The purpose of this bill will allow the public to view ballot images, not the actual ballot, to ensure that votes are properly counted. Ballot transparency is necessary to protect the sanctity of the vote. Electronic scanners already take photographic images of the ballots as each ballot is counted. However, these machines can make mistakes if citizens do not fill out the ballot as directed. Most importantly, this bill would not allow the original ballots to be shared or handled by the public and it would conceal the identity of all voters.
Candidates and citizens can feel confident each vote is appropriately accounted for by allowing the ballot images to be open for inspection. In close elections, the few stray votes that are miscounted by the electronic scanner may change the outcome of an election.
Prior legislative history
New Bill.
Fiscal implications
Minimal to the state.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.