What's happening
This bill requires county boards of elections to supply each polling site with affidavit ballots equal to at least 15% of previous voter turnout.
Why it matters
Reduces the risk of voters being turned away. By mandating a minimum supply of affidavit ballots (at least 15% of prior turnout), the bill aims to ensure that all eligible voters can cast a ballot even if there are problems with the regular poll books.
Improves election accessibility and contingency planning. Affidavit ballots are crucial for voters who encounter issues such as not appearing on the rolls or registration discrepancies; this law requires counties to better anticipate and prepare for such situations.
May help reduce voter disenfranchisement during high turnout or unexpected events. Setting a specific minimum based on previous turnout provides a safety net for surges in voting or administrative errors, potentially reducing the number of eligible voters who leave without voting.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Guarantee More Affidavit Ballots
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 14
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to elections
- Referred to elections
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 Affidavit Ballot Supply
In Assembly Committee · Election Law · Sponsor Dan Quart
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2772
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 29, 2019
Introduced by Sens. COMRIE, KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to the number of affidavit ballots to be supplied at polling sites
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 7-106 of the election law is amended by adding a new subdivision 12 to read as follows:
12. Each county board of elections shall be required to supply each polling site within the county affidavit ballots. The number of affidavit ballots supplied to each polling site shall not be less than fifteen percent of the total voter turnout in each election district at the polling site for the last election of that kind.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01359-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the election law, in relation to the number of affidavit ballots to be supplied at polling sites
Purpose
To ensure that the Board of Elections provides enough affidavit ballots at each polling site.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 requires that the Board of Elections provides enough affidavit ballots at each polling site. The section defines enough as at least 15% of the total voter turnout at the polling site for the last election of the same kind (i.e., general, primary, special).
Section 2 contains the effective date.
Justification
Voters who encounter a problem with their registration on Election Day vote using an affidavit ballot. If their registration is later deter- mined to be valid, their affidavit ballot will be counted. Many of the voters who use affidavit ballots are the most likely to be disenfran- chised due to language barriers or a lack of familiarity with the voting process. When a polling site is unable to offer these voters the oppor- tunity to fill out an affidavit ballot and participate in the election process, it not only disenfranchises them for that election, it makes them less likely to vote in future elections.
Legislative history
2017-18: S.1977/A.4256 | Third Reading/Election Law.
Fiscal implications
Minimal.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.