What's happening
This bill allows full-time college or university students to serve as election inspectors or poll clerks in New York.
Why it matters
Expands the pool of eligible election workers. by allowing full-time college or university students to serve, potentially addressing shortages of poll workers, especially among younger demographics.
Encourages civic engagement among students. by providing a direct, hands-on way to participate in the democratic process, which may foster lifelong voting habits and public service interest.
Includes important eligibility safeguards. students must be registered New York voters, not hold elective office, not be closely related to candidates in their election district, and demonstrate basic literacy in English—ensuring competence and minimizing potential conflicts of interest.
Aligns student participation with their campus location. students can serve as election inspectors or poll clerks in the county where their college is located (or any county within NYC if their school is in the city), making it logistically feasible for students who may not live near their official place of voter registration.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let College Students Staff Polls
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 25
32 Co-sponsors
- Thomas Abinanti
- Michael Blake
- Harry B. Bronson
- David Buchwald
- Kevin Cahill
- Patricia Fahy
- Sandy Galef
- Richard Gottfried
- Barbara Lifton
- Steven Otis
- Dan Quart
- Rebecca Seawright
- Aravella Simotas
- Albert A. Stirpe
- Al Taylor
- Latrice Walker
- David Weprin
- Anthony D'Urso
- Marianne Buttenschon
- Judy Griffin
- Walter T. Mosley
- Jo Anne Simon
- Fred Thiele
- Steven Cymbrowitz
- William Magnarelli
- Donna Lupardo
- Jonathan Jacobson
- Sean Ryan
- Monica P. Wallace
- Karen McMahon
- Patrick Burke
- Deborah Glick
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 Students Be Poll Workers
In Senate Committee · Rules · Sponsor Todd Kaminsky
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5671
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 14, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ROZIC, ABINANTI, BLAKE, BRONSON, BUCHWALD, CAHILL, FAHY, GALEF, GOTTFRIED, LIFTON, OTIS, QUART, SEAWRIGHT, SIMO- TAS, STIRPE, TAYLOR, WALKER, WEPRIN, D'URSO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. DenDEKKER, DINOWITZ, McDONOUGH, THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to the appointment of college and university students as election inspectors
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3-400 of the election law is amended by adding a new subdivision 6-a to read as follows:
6-a. (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision six of this section, any person who is a full-time college or university student may be certified and act as an election inspector or poll clerk in the county in which such person's college or university is located, or, if located within the city of New York, then such person may be so certified in any county therein, provided he or she:
(1) is registered to vote in this state;
(2) holds no elective office;
(3) is not a candidate for any public office to be voted for by the voters of the district in which he or she is to serve, and is not the spouse, parent or child of such a candidate; and
(4) is able to speak and read the English language and write it legibly.
(b) For the purposes of this subdivision, the term "full-time" shall mean any matriculated student enrolled in at least twelve credit hours per semester at a college, as defined by subdivision two of section six hundred one of the education law, located in this state.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00807-01-9
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.