What's happening
This bill makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally interfere in elections by using electronic means to disrupt communication or operations.
Why it matters
Targets modern threats to elections. The bill specifically addresses the use of mass electronic communications (like robocalls, spam texts, or email blasts) intended to disrupt essential election functions, reflecting how interference tactics have evolved with technology.
Protects key election processes. By criminalizing interference with the reporting and receipt of poll results, the law aims to safeguard the integrity and timely communication of election outcomes, which is vital for public trust and transparency.
Ensures voter outreach isn't sabotaged. The bill also covers interference with political and party organizations’ efforts to encourage voting or arrange transportation, recognizing that disrupting these communications can effectively suppress voter participation.
Establishes clear criminal accountability. Making such interference a misdemeanor sends a deterrent message and provides law enforcement with a concrete tool to prosecute disruptive actors, filling a gap where current law may not address these tech-driven tactics.
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Who cares
Local and state boards of elections
The bill would make intentionally using multiple electronic calls or messages to obstruct their receipt of poll results a misdemeanor.
Polling place election workers
The bill would criminalize intentional interference through multiple electronic calls or messages with a polling place’s reporting of results.
Political and party organizations
The bill would protect their voter encouragement and polling-place transportation communications from intentional disruption through multiple electronic calls or messages.
Prosecutors
The bill would create a misdemeanor for intentional electronic interference with the specified election reporting and political organization communications.
Headline styles
Ban Election Interference Online
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 7
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to elections
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7785
IN SENATE
February 20, 2020
Introduced by Sen. KAPLAN -- 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 establishing the misdemeanor of interfering in the election process by electronic means
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 17-158 to read as follows:
§ 17-158. Interfering in the election process by electronic means. Any person who, with intent to interfere with an election, places or causes to be placed, multiple calls by telephone or other electronic means, or sends or causes to be sent, multiple messages by text, email, fax, computer application, tablet application, telephone application or other electronic means, or any combination thereof, to obstruct, prevent or interfere with:
1. the reporting of poll results by any polling place;
2. the receipt of poll results by a local or state board of elections;
3. the ability of a political or party organization to place calls or send messages used for the purpose of encouraging people to vote; or
4. the ability of a political or party organization to place calls or send messages used for the purpose of arranging transportation for people to or from their polling place, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15383-02-0
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 establishing the misde- meanor of interfering in the election process by electronic means
Purpose
This legislation creates the crime of interfering in the election proc- ess by electronic means.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends section 17-158 of the election law to create the crime of interfering in the election process by electronic means. Specifically when a person with intent to interfere in an election places or causes to be place multiple calls, texts, emails, faxes, or application commu- nications, with the goal of obstructing, preventing, or interfering with either the reporting of poll results, receipt of poll results, communi- cations encouraging people to vote, or interfering with the ability to arrange transportation to polling places is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Section 2 is the effective date.
Justification
At a time when we are expanding opportunities and making it easier for individuals to vote, we are unfortunately faced with unscrupulous indi- viduals who are trying to take significant steps towards limiting an individual's ability to vote, or purposefully causing havoc with the electoral process. Purposefully flooding the phone lines of those providing rides to poll sites is underhanded and only has one goal in mind, voter suppression of those individuals. We must fight against these individuals to make sure all the gains we have achieved in New York remain, that groups do not find loopholes and use technology for ill gotten voter suppression and obstruction of the electoral process.
Legislative history
None.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.