What's happening
This bill requires boards of elections to allow local governments and organizations to use their voting systems, charging only actual expenses.
Why it matters
Promotes civic engagement. by making it easier and more affordable for local entities (like towns, villages, school districts, and community organizations) to use official voting systems for their own elections, which can increase trust and participation in local governance.
Limits cost barriers. by requiring boards of elections to charge only for the actual expenses incurred, not for profit or arbitrary rental fees—potentially making democratic processes more accessible for smaller or less-funded groups.
Creates a presumption of access. by changing “may” to “shall, whenever possible,” meaning boards of elections must permit use of their voting systems unless there’s a compelling reason not to, reducing gatekeeping and bureaucratic hurdles for local elections.
Standardizes election equipment usage. across different types of local elections, ensuring that even non-governmental organizations can use secure, familiar voting systems when it serves the public interest—potentially increasing the integrity and reliability of non-governmental balloting.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Share Voting Systems Locally
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 14
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- 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 Towns Use Voting Machines
In Senate Committee · Elections · Sponsor Thomas Abinanti
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7859
IN SENATE
February 26, 2020
Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- 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 use of voting systems by municipalities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3-224 of the election law, as amended by chapter 180 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
§ 3-224. Voting [machines] systems; use of by other than the board of elections. The board of elections [may] shall, whenever possible, permit towns, villages, school districts, fire, ambulance, water, sanitation, police and other special districts within the county to use voting [machines] systems and other equipment owned by it and used for the conduct of elections or for educational and instructional purposes, upon such [rental and other] terms and conditions as shall be fixed by [it] the board of elections, including a determination of costs not to exceed actual expenses of such board. Such board may similarly permit the use of such [machines] systems by associations and organizations for the conduct of elections where it judges the use of such [machines] systems for elections conducted by such associations and organizations will be in the public interest.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05240-01-9
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 use of voting systems by municipalities
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this bill is to ensure that local municipalities conduct- ing elections have access to election equipment from county boards of election at. reasonable expense.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one of this bill amends § 3-224 of the election law to permit municipalities conducting their own elections to obtain from the board of elections whenever possible voting systems for use at the election.
Section 2 of this bill sets the effective date (January 1st next succeeding enactment).
Justification
The bill requires boards of elections whenever possible to provide voting equipment for municipal election conducted by municipal offi- cials. The legislation also provides that the board of elections can recoup from the municipalities the totality of their actual expenses in providing the election system. Boards of elections would not be required to provide voting equipment, for example, when the requirements of upcoming general or primary elections make such provision not possible.
Prior legislative history
2018: Assembly Bill 10538; Passed Assembly.
Fiscal implications
Minimal.
Effective date
This act shall take effect January 1st next succeeding enactment.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.