What's happening
This bill requires boards of elections to allow local governments and organizations to use their voting systems when possible, charging only actual expenses.
Why it matters
Expands Access to Modern Voting Systems. The bill requires boards of elections to make voting systems (not just machines) available to local governments and organizations, encouraging broader use of up-to-date election technology for various types of local elections and civic activities.
Mandates Access Over Discretion. Where the law previously made sharing voting systems optional ("may permit"), it now obligates boards of elections to provide access "whenever possible," increasing consistency and predictability for municipalities and organizations that need this equipment.
Limits Costs to Actual Expenses. By capping charges at "actual expenses," the bill ensures local entities and associations are not overcharged or priced out of using high-quality voting systems, possibly supporting fairer and more accessible local elections and organizational voting processes.
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Who cares
County boards of elections
They would have to permit local governments and districts to use county-owned voting systems and election equipment whenever possible, with charges capped at the boards’ actual expenses.
Towns and villages
They would gain stronger access to county voting systems and equipment for elections or educational and instructional purposes.
School districts and special districts
School, fire, ambulance, water, sanitation, police and other special districts would be entitled to use county voting systems whenever possible under terms set by the board of elections.
Associations and organizations
Their access to county voting systems for elections would remain subject to the board of elections’ judgment that the use serves the public interest.
Headline styles
Let Towns Use Voting Machines
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to elections
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Advanced to third reading cal.418
- Reported
- Referred to election law
- Reported referred to rules
- Referred to election law
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Share Voting Systems Locally
In Senate Committee · Elections · Sponsor Leroy Comrie
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1864
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 17, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ABINANTI, GALEF -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to the use of voting systems by municipalities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3-224 of the election law, as amended by chapter 180 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
§ 3-224. Voting [machines] systems; use of by other than the board of elections. The board of elections [may] shall, whenever possible, permit towns, villages, school districts, fire, ambulance, water, sanitation, police and other special districts within the county to use voting [machines] systems and other equipment owned by it and used for the conduct of elections or for educational and instructional purposes, upon such [rental and other] terms and conditions as shall be fixed by [it] the board of elections, including a determination of costs not to exceed actual expenses of such board. Such board may similarly permit the use of such [machines] systems by associations and organizations for the conduct of elections where it judges the use of such [machines] systems for elections conducted by such associations and organizations will be in the public interest.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January 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.
LBD05240-01-9
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.