What's happening
This bill requires candidates for county committee positions in New York City to submit written acceptance to the board of elections within ten days of petition filing.
Why it matters
Ensures candidate consent and transparency. By requiring written acceptance from county committee candidates, the bill makes sure that only those who knowingly agree to run are placed on the ballot, reducing confusion or the appearance of “ghost candidates” entered without their full knowledge.
Increases accountability for both candidates and parties. This change places responsibility on candidates and party organizers to confirm participation, potentially reducing internal party disputes and challenges over whether someone actually intended to stand for election.
Streamlines election administration. Mandating delivery of written acceptance to the board of elections within a defined ten-day window helps election officials promptly verify candidate eligibility, which can improve ballot accuracy and reduce post-filing challenges or litigation.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Written Candidate Consent
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to elections
- Committed to rules
- Amended on third reading (t) 5428a
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.850
- 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.
Require Written Consent for Candidates
In Assembly Committee · Election Law · Sponsor Harvey Epstein
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5428--A Cal. No. 850
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
April 30, 2019
Introduced by Sen. MYRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second report, ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to obtaining written consent from candidates for certain county committees
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 6-134 of the election law is amended by adding a new subdivision 14 to read as follows:
14. In the case of a designating petition for election to the party position of member of a county committee located within a city having a population of one million or more, a candidate's written acceptance to be so designated, duly acknowledged, shall be delivered to the board of elections within ten days of the filing of such designating petition.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11405-06-9
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 obtaining written consent from candidates for certain county committees
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends Section 6-134 of the election law by adding a new subdivision 14 to require county committee candidates to provide their written acceptance to be designated on a petition for to the position of county committee member in cities with a population of one million or more, and requires such acceptance to be filed to the board of elections within ten days from the filing of such designating petition.
Section 2 provides the effective date.
Justification
In our country, political parties are governed at all levels by commit- tees of citizens chosen by their peers. While individual party rules dictate the responsibilities of committee members, in New York, at the local level, county committee members are typically responsible for organizing fellow party members, creating the party's platform, and nominating the party's candidate in special elections for the state legislature.
Because county committees play such a vital role in our state's demo- cratic process by providing a framework for community members to get involved in electoral politics, we must ensure that the system by which committee candidates gain their seats is ethical and trustworthy.
In August 2018 New York Times reporting uncovered multiple instances in which individuals were unwittingly nominated for positions on the Queens county committee. Surprisingly, the dishonest practice of nominating unwitting candidates, which invades the privacy of these individuals and undermines the democratic process by shutting out willing candidates, is not considered a violation by the state board of elections.
To certify that candidates for county committee are running for these important positions of their own volition, this legislation requires county committee candidates in cities of one million or more to provide to the state board of elections their written consent to be nominated for county committee membership.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately after becoming law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.