What's happening
This bill allows New York State resident attorneys licensed to practice law to serve as election watchers regardless of their county of residence.
Why it matters
Expands access to election oversight by allowing any New York State-licensed attorney, regardless of their specific county or city of residence, to serve as an official election watcher. This could increase the pool of skilled and legally knowledgeable individuals available to observe elections for parties or candidates.
May enhance the integrity and professionalism of election monitoring,. since attorneys are trained in legal procedures and ethical standards, potentially improving the quality of oversight and documentation of any irregularities.
Could help address local shortages of qualified poll watchers,. particularly in rural or underserved areas where political parties or campaigns may struggle to find enough local volunteers, thus supporting broader geographic coverage and more robust election observation.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Lawyers Watch Polls
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to election law
- 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.
Let Lawyers Watch Polls
In Senate Committee · Elections · Sponsor Kevin S. Parker
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4044
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 31, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN, BUCHWALD, OTIS, ABINANTI, VANEL, LIFTON, GALEF, PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to watchers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 8-500 of the election law, as amended by chapter 254 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
4. Each watcher must be a qualified voter of the city or county in which he or she is to serve. No person shall be appointed or act as a watcher who is a candidate for any public office to be voted for by the voters of the election district in the same election in which the watcher is to serve. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed as prohibiting any such candidate from visiting a polling place in such district on an election day while the polls are open, or an attorney who is a New York state resident and is licensed to practice law therein.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07507-01-9
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.