What's happening
This bill allows New York elections to use new ballot accountability processes instead of numbered stubs or perforated sheets, modernizing ballot tracking and procedures.
Why it matters
Modernizes ballot tracking by allowing counties to adopt updated accountability systems. that don’t rely on numbered stubs or perforated ballots, as long as the new methods can track every ballot style, keep real-time counts of ballots issued and spoiled, and reconcile all ballots at the end of the day—helping ensure election integrity with more flexible procedures.
Permits multi-sheet ballots to be issued as separate, clearly labeled sheets rather than as a single perforated unit,. which can make ballot printing and handling easier, especially for jurisdictions that use on-demand ballot printing or have complex, multi-page ballots.
Requires the State Board of Elections to set specific rules for these updated accountability systems,. including standards for on-demand ballot printing, ensuring that counties can’t just improvise but must follow uniform, regulated procedures to maintain transparency and security.
May improve efficiency and reduce costs for election administrators,. since they are no longer required to use physical stubs or perforations, while still maintaining strict controls over ballot distribution—and potentially making it easier to adopt new voting technologies in the future.
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
Headline styles
Track Ballots More Closely
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 104
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Signed chap.63
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 40–21
- 3rd reading cal.736
- Substituted for S5129
- Referred to finance
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Advanced to third reading cal.270
- 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.
Increase Ballot Tracking Rules
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Zellnor Myrie
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7123
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
April 9, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. JACOBSON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to instituting additional ballot accountability practices
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new section 7-105 to read as follows:
§ 7-105. Ballot accountability. 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter requiring ballots to include a numbered stub separated from the ballot by a line of perforations, such numbered stubs shall not be required if the board of elections implements a ballot accountability process as prescribed by the New York State Board of Elections which (i) accounts for the number of each ballot style received by the election inspectors, (ii) retains a running count of ballots distributed and spoiled which would permit an interim reconciliation at any time during voting; and (iii) provides for ballot reconciliation at the close of polls to verify that the number of ballots distributed to voters or spoiled when added to unvoted ballots equals the number of ballots received by the inspectors for the election.
2. Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter requiring that a ballot consisting of two or more sheets be provided to the voter as a single ballot divided by a line of perforations, such perforated ballots shall not be required and such ballot may be provided to the voter as separate, unconnected sheets provided: (i) the ballots clearly inform a voter that the voter must receive the number of ballot sheets the voter is entitled to, specifying such number, and (ii) each such ballot sheet shall be prominently labeled as "ballot sheet (here insert the number of the ballot sheet) of (here insert the total number of sheets comprising the ballot)."
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11127-01-9
A. 7123 2
3. The state board of elections shall promulgate regulations for ballot accountability consistent with this section which shall include specific ballot accountability requirements applicable to any ballot on demand printing process.
§ 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.