What's happening
This bill prohibits candidates from appearing on the ballot as the nominee of more than one party for the same office, except for judicial offices.
Why it matters
Eliminates "fusion voting" for most offices. , meaning candidates (except for judicial offices) cannot appear on the ballot as the nominee of more than one party or independent body. This change will significantly impact minor parties that often cross-endorse major party candidates.
Forces candidates to choose a single party line (other than for judges). , which could alter campaign strategies, party negotiations, and the influence of third parties in New York politics.
Alters ballot design and voter choices. , as voters will no longer see the same candidate listed under multiple party lines for the same office, potentially affecting voter turnout and the way votes are distributed among parties.
Repeals and streamlines related election law provisions. to remove procedures for handling candidates with multiple nominations, simplifying the ballot process but also reducing flexibility for coalition-building among parties.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Cross-Party Candidacies
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
2641
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 24, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. GANTT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to prohibiting multiple party designations for candidates for public office and to repeal subdivision 5 of section 7-104 of such law relating thereto
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 6-146 of the election law is amended to read as follows:
1. A person designated as a candidate for nomination or for party position, or nominated for an office, otherwise than at a primary election, may, in a certificate signed and acknowledged by him or her, and filed as provided in this article, decline the designation or nomination; provided, however, that, if designated or nominated for a public office other than a judicial office by a party of which he or she is not a duly enrolled member, or if designated or nominated for a public office other than a judicial office by more than one party or independent body or by an independent body alone, such person shall, in a certificate signed and acknowledged by him or her, and filed as provided in this article, accept the designation or nomination as a candidate of each such party or independent body other than that of the party of which he or she is an enrolled member, otherwise such designation or nomination shall be null and void; provided, further, however, that if a person who has been designated as a candidate for the nomination of more than one party for the same public office, except judicial office, accepts the designation of a party of which he or she is not enrolled, all other such designations of such candidate for such office shall be deemed to have been declined. If a person who accepts the nomination of an independent body for an office, except judicial office, is also nominated by a party for such office, such nomination of such independent body shall be deemed to have been declined.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00738-01-9
A. 2641 2
§ 2. Subdivision 4 of section 7-104 of the election law, as amended by chapter 165 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
4. (a) The names of all candidates nominated by any party or independent body for an office shall always appear in the row or column containing generally the names of candidates nominated by such party or independent body for other offices [except as hereinafter provided].
(b) When the same person has been nominated for an office to be filled at the election by more than one party, the voting machine shall be so adjusted that his or her name shall appear in each row or column containing generally the names of candidates for other offices nominated by any such party.
(c) [If such candidate has also been nominated by one or more independent bodies, his or her name shall appear only in each row or column containing generally the names of candidates for other offices nominated by any such party and the name of each such independent body shall appear in one such row or column to be designated by the candidate in a writing filed with the officer or board charged with the duty of providing ballots, or if such person shall fail to so designate, the names of such independent bodies shall appear in such row or column as such officer or board shall determine.
(d) If any person shall be nominated for any office by one party and two or more independent bodies his or her name shall appear on the voting machine twice; once in the row or column containing generally the names of candidates for other offices nominated by such party, and once in the row or column containing generally the names of candidates nominated by the independent body designated by such person in a writing filed with the officer or board charged with the duty of providing ballots and in connection with the name of such person in such row or column shall appear the name of each independent body nominating him or her or, if such person shall fail to so designate, the name of such candidate and the names of such independent bodies shall appear in such row or column as such officer or board shall determine.
(e) If any person is nominated for any office only by more than one independent bodies, his or her name shall appear but once upon the machine in one such row or column to be designated by the candidate in a writing filed with the officer or board charged with the duty of providing ballots, or if the candidate shall fail to so designate, in the place designated by the officer or board charged with the duty of providing ballots, and in connection with his or her name there shall appear the name of each independent body nominating him or her, but, where the capacity of the machine will permit, the name of such person shall not appear or be placed in a column or on a horizontal line with the names of persons nominated by a party for other offices] No person may be the candidate of more than one party or independent body for the same office, except judicial office.
§ 3. Subdivision 5 of section 7-104 of the election law is REPEALED.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the first of December next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
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.