What's happening
This bill requires apartment buildings and similar residences to allow election candidates and their volunteers access for campaigning or voter registration.
Why it matters
Expands voter outreach and campaign access. By requiring access for candidates and their volunteers, this bill increases the opportunities for residents of apartments and similar dwellings to hear directly from those running for office and to participate in voter registration drives—potentially improving voter engagement in places that are otherwise harder to reach.
Sets clear boundaries and protections. The bill allows property managers to impose reasonable limits (such as requiring ID, setting visiting hours, or requiring appointments), protecting residents’ privacy and security while balancing the public interest in democratic participation.
Includes safeguards for vulnerable populations. Special provisions let nursing homes limit access for valid health reasons and direct campaign materials to a central location, aiming to protect residents who may be more at risk or less able to interact directly with campaigners.
Establishes legal consequences. By making denial of lawful access a misdemeanor, the bill gives real enforcement power to the requirement, signaling to property managers and boards that compliance is not optional and underscoring the seriousness of access to the democratic process.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Candidates Access Apartments
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to election law
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
9932
IN ASSEMBLY
February 27, 2020
Introduced by M. of A. LAVINE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to access to multiple unit dwellings by candidates and volunteers for the purpose of campaigning or registering voters
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 3-109 to read as follows:
§ 3-109. Access to multiple unit dwellings by candidates and volunteers. 1. It is unlawful for a person, either directly or indirectly, to deny access to an apartment house, dormitory, nursing home, manufactured home park, other multiple unit facility used as a residence, or an area in which two or more single-family dwellings are located on private roadways to a candidate who has:
(a) organized a campaign committee under applicable federal or state law;
(b) filed a financial report as required by section 14-104 of this chapter; or
(c) filed a certification of nomination or designation as a candidate for elected office.
A candidate granted access under this section shall be allowed to be accompanied by campaign volunteers.
2. Access to a facility or area is only required if it is located within the district or area that will be represented by the office to which the candidate seeks election, and the candidate and any accompanying campaign volunteers seek access exclusively for the purpose of campaigning for a candidate or registering voters. The candidate must be seeking election to office at the next general or special election to be held for that office.
3. A candidate and any accompanying campaign volunteers granted access under this section shall be permitted to leave campaign materials for residents at their doors, except that the manager of a nursing home may
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15086-01-0
A. 9932 2
direct that the campaign materials be left at a central location within the facility. The campaign materials must be left in an orderly manner.
4. If a facility or area contains multiple buildings, a candidate and accompanying volunteers must be permitted to access more than one building on a single visit, but access is limited to only one building at a time. If multiple candidates are traveling together, each candidate and that candidate's accompanying volunteers are limited to one building at a time, but all of the candidates and accompanying volunteers traveling together shall not be restricted to accessing the same building at the same time.
5. The provisions of this section shall not prohibit:
(a) denial of admittance into a particular apartment, room, manufactured home, or personal residential unit;
(b) requiring reasonable and proper identification as a necessary prerequisite to admission to a multiple unit dwelling;
(c) in the case of a nursing home or assisted living facility, denial of permission to visit certain persons for valid health reasons;
(d) limiting visits by candidates or volunteers accompanied by the candidate to a reasonable number of persons or during reasonable hours;
(e) requiring a prior appointment to gain access to the facility; or
(f) denial of admittance to or expulsion from a multiple unit dwelling for good cause.
6. A violation of this section is a misdemeanor.
§ 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.