What's happening
This bill allows school election polling places in certain New York cities to open at 6:00 a.m. instead of 7:00 a.m.
Why it matters
Expanding Early Access. Allowing polls to open at 6:00 a.m. gives voters an extra hour in the morning, which could make it easier for people with early work shifts, long commutes, or caregiving responsibilities to participate in school elections.
Potential for Increased Turnout. By aligning school election polling hours more closely with general election hours, the change may help boost voter turnout, particularly among working adults who might otherwise be unable to vote before starting their day.
Local Flexibility. The bill specifically applies to city school districts in cities with fewer than 125,000 residents, addressing the needs of smaller urban communities where expanded polling hours might have an outsized impact on accessibility and participation.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Earlier School Poll Openings
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.471
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.623
- Substituted for A6540
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–0
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.727
Show 2 earlier actions
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to education
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.
Open School Polls Earlier
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Steven Otis
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4009
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 25, 2019
Introduced by Sen. MAYER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to allowing polling places for school elections in city school districts of cities with less than one hundred twenty-five thousand inhabitants to open at 6:00 a.m.
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 2602 of the education law, as amended by chapter 171 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows:
3. Notwithstanding any provisions of article forty-one of this chapter to the contrary, the polls of such annual and special district meetings shall be open during such consecutive hours, not less than nine, beginning not earlier than [seven] six o'clock in the forenoon, and two of which hours shall be after six o'clock in the evening, as the board of education shall by resolution determine.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to all elections occurring on and after such effective date. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or before such date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10188-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to allowing polling plac- es for school elections in city school districts of cities with less than one hundred twenty-five thousand inhabitants to open at 6:00 a.m.
Purpose
The purpose of this bill is to conform the opening time for polls in small city school districts to the same time polls may open in all other independent school districts for purposes of the annual meeting. This bill also allows the small city school districts to have consistency in the time polls may open for their special meetings.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. This section amends subdivision 3 of section 2602 of the education law to change the time polls may open in small city school districts from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. for purposes of voting in annual meetings and for special district meetings.
Section 2. This section provides the effective date.
Justification
Small city school districts are the only independent school districts in the state that are not permitted to open polling places before 7:00 a.m. for voting in annual meetings which include school board elections and the annual budget vote. All other independent school districts are authorized to open polling places for annual meetings at 6:00 a.m., affording residents greater opportunity to participate in the voting process and providing boards of education greater ability to meet their local needs.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to all elections occurring on and after such effective date. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or before such date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.