What's happening
This bill allows voting districts with fewer than ten voters to consolidate with other districts without a cap on total eligible voters.
Why it matters
Increases flexibility for tiny voting districts. By removing the cap on total eligible voters when consolidating districts with fewer than ten voters, the bill allows election officials to combine these very small districts with much larger ones, potentially streamlining election administration.
Potential cost savings and efficiency. Consolidating extremely small districts without regard to the previous 500-voter limit can reduce the need for extra polling places, election inspectors, and equipment, which could save taxpayer money and simplify logistics.
May impact voter experience. Voters in districts with fewer than ten eligible voters could find themselves traveling farther to cast their ballots, as their polling places may now be combined with those of significantly larger districts, raising concerns about accessibility for some.
Reflects demographic shifts. The bill acknowledges that some election districts have become extremely small, possibly due to population decline or shifting boundaries, and provides a mechanism to manage these changes without being constrained by outdated numerical limits.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Merge Tiny Voting Districts
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 44
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Signed chap.438
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- 3rd reading cal.1721
- Substituted for S6449
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.338
- Rules report cal.338
- Reported
Show 2 earlier actions
- 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.
Merge Small Voting Districts
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Leroy Comrie
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3543
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 29, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. CARROLL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to authorizing consolidation of certain voting districts with a small number of eligible voters
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 5 of section 4-104 of the election law, as amended by chapter 95 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read as follows:
(a) Whenever the number of voters eligible to vote in an election in any election district is less than one hundred, the polling place designated for such district may be the polling place of any other district which could properly be designated as the polling place of the first mentioned district pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, except that the polling place designated for any such district may be the polling place of any other district in such city or town provided that the distance from such first mentioned district to the polling place for such other district is not unreasonable pursuant to rules or regulations prescribed by the state board of elections and provided that the total number of persons eligible to vote in such other district in such election, including the persons eligible to vote in such first mentioned districts, is not more than five hundred. The inspectors of election and poll clerks, if any, of such other election district shall also act in all respects as the election officers for such first mentioned districts and no other inspectors shall be appointed to serve in or for such first mentioned districts. A separate poll ledger or computer generated registration list, separate voting machine or ballots and separate canvass of results shall be provided for such first mentioned districts, except that if the candidates and ballot proposals to be voted on by the voters of such districts are the same, the election districts shall be combined
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01996-01-9
A. 3543 2
and shall constitute a single election district for that election. However, if the first mentioned district contains fewer than ten voters eligible to vote in such election, there shall be no limitation on the total number of persons eligible to vote in such combined district. If the polling place for any election district is moved for any election, pursuant to the provisions of this subdivision, the board of elections shall, not later than ten nor more than fifteen days before such election, mail, by first class mail, to each voter eligible to vote in such election district at such election, a notice setting forth the location of the polling place for such election and specifying that such location is for such election only.
§ 2. 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.