What's happening
This bill removes the requirement to omit certain party positions from primary absentee ballots, making them more similar to regular ballots.
Why it matters
Expands Voter Choice and Information. By including party committee positions (such as ward, town, city, or county committee) on primary absentee ballots, absentee voters gain the same choices and information as in-person voters, potentially increasing their engagement in party organization decisions.
Promotes Ballot Uniformity. Making absentee ballots more similar to regular ballots reduces confusion for voters and election officials, and can minimize discrepancies in vote counting or ballot design between absentee and in-person voting.
Strengthens Representation. Allowing absentee voters to participate in selecting party committee members ensures that this segment of voters—often including seniors, the disabled, or those unable to be present—can help shape party leadership, leading to more representative outcomes.
Reflects Modern Voting Practices. As absentee voting becomes more common, especially in the wake of public health crises or increased voter mobility, this change ensures that absentee ballots keep pace with evolving expectations around access and equality in voting.
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
Absentee voters in primary elections
The bill would remove the requirement that their ballots omit ward, town, city or county party committee positions.
Candidates for party committee positions
The bill would allow their contests to appear on absentee primary ballots rather than requiring their omission.
Boards of elections
The bill would change absentee ballot preparation by removing the exception for party committee positions while retaining the requirement that ballots match election-day ballots as nearly as practicable.
Headline styles
Update Absentee Ballot Format
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Signed chap.615
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- 3rd reading cal.1183
- Substituted for S3135
- Referred to elections
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Advanced to third reading cal.34
- Reported
- 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.
Update Absentee Ballot Format
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Zellnor Myrie
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2687
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 24, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to ballots for absentee voters
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 7-122 of the election law, as amended by chapter 234 of the laws of 1976, is amended to read as follows:
(a) Ballots for absentee voters shall be, as nearly as practicable, in the same form as those to be voted in the district on election day, if any, except [that ballots for primary elections shall omit the party position of ward, town, city or county committee and except further] that such ballots need not have a stub, and shall have the words "Absentee Ballot", endorsed thereon.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08901-01-9
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.