What's happening
This bill allows attorneys who are New York state residents and licensed in New York to serve as election watchers.
Why it matters
Expands access to election oversight. By allowing New York-licensed attorneys who are state residents to serve as watchers, the bill could bring more trained observers—possibly with legal expertise—into polling places, potentially enhancing the oversight and integrity of elections.
Could improve handling of disputes or irregularities. Attorneys serving as watchers may be better equipped to recognize, document, and respond to legal or procedural issues at polling sites, which could help address problems more quickly and accurately.
May affect partisan balance and recruitment. Political parties and campaigns often struggle to recruit qualified watchers; this change could make it easier to fill watcher roles, especially in areas where finding local party members is difficult, thus potentially changing the dynamic of who monitors elections.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Lawyers Watch Polls
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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.
Let Lawyers Watch Polls
In Assembly Committee · Election Law · Sponsor David Weprin
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4552
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 14, 2019
Introduced by Sens. PARKER, BAILEY, COMRIE, KRUEGER -- 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 watchers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 8-500 of the election law, as amended by chapter 254 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
4. Each watcher must be a qualified voter of the city or county in which he or she is to serve. No person shall be appointed or act as a watcher who is a candidate for any public office to be voted for by the voters of the election district in the same election in which the watcher is to serve. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed as prohibiting any such candidate from visiting a polling place in such district on an election day while the polls are open, or an attorney who is a New York state resident and is licensed to practice law therein.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07507-01-9
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 watchers
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends Election Law section 8-500(4) to allow attorneys who are state residents and licensed to practice law in the state to require be watchers anywhere in the State.
Section 2: Provides for the Act to take effect immediately.
Existing law
Under current law, a poll watcher must be registered to vote in the county in which he is to serve.
Justification
Attorneys licensed to practice law in New York are not restricted in their practices to any locality or court. They may practice before any court in the state, as well as before the boards of elections everywhere in the state. They are also trained as observers and to accurately report their observations. There should be no restriction on their abil- ity to be in a polling place on Election Day, where their skills can be invaluable in both detecting improper conduct, such as voter intim- idation and suppression, and electioneering, and in obtaining a quick resolution of such unlawful conduct by reporting it to the appropriate authorities, including Election Day judges.
Legislative history
2017-18: S3405 - Referred to Elections 2015-16: 5.5982 - Referred to Elections 2013-14: S.3373B - Amend and Recommit to Elections 2011-12: S.2348 Referred to Elections
Fiscal implications
None.
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.