As of May 28, Ballotpedia has tracked 157 election-related bills in the New York State Senate since the beginning of the year. Of the 157, Ballotpedia tracked nine from May 22-28. Democrats sponsored all nine bills. Five of nine bills are below:
-
NY S07368: Relates to board of elections poll workers; provides that the board of elections shall, upon appointing an election inspector or poll clerk, assign such person as a representative of one of the two major political parties of the state; provides that the board of elections shall assign an election inspector or poll clerk who is a duly enrolled member of either major political party as a representative of the party in which they are enrolled and if a person is a duly enrolled member of any other political party of the state, or who is not enrolled in any party, the board of elections shall permit such person to elect which of the two major parties they shall represent; makes related provisions, Sen. Jeremy Cooney (D).
- As introduced, this bill requires the board of elections to assign a representative from one of the two major political parties to each appointed election inspector, poll clerk, and election coordinator.
-
NY S01733: Requires local boards of education, BOCES, charter schools and non public schools to adopt policies to promote student voter registration and pre-registration, including procedures for providing access to voter registration and pre-registration applications during the school year and assistance with filing such applications and informing students of the state requirements for voter registration and pre-registration, Sen. Shelley Mayer (D).
- As amended, this bill requires local boards of cooperative education services, charter schools, and non public schools to promote student voter registration and preregistration by providing information and access to applications.
-
NY S07404: Authorizes a representative of a candidate, political party, or independent body entitled to have watchers present at the polls in any election district in the board’s jurisdiction from observing, without objection, the review of ballot envelopes required for post-election review and canvassing of affidavit ballots, Sen. Michael Gianaris (D).
- As introduced, this bill provides that authorized watchers may observe the review of ballot envelopes in a post election review and canvass of affidavit votes.
-
NY S07394: Establishes early mail voting; authorizes registered voters to obtain early mail voting ballots through application to the board of elections; provides where applicants fail to provide a reason they are entitled to an absentee ballot, their application will be processed as an application for an early mail ballot; requires the state board of elections to establish and maintain an electronic early mail ballot application transmittal system through which voters may apply for an early mail ballot online, Sen. Michael Gianaris (D).
- As introduced, this bill:
- Establishes an early mail voting program and outlines related procedures and timelines, including allowing an applicant to request to receive early mail ballots for remaining elections in that calendar year.
- Reduces the number of days before an election when an absentee ballot application must be received from 15 days before an election to 10 days before the election.
- Establishes that a voter who submits an application for an absentee ballot, but does not qualify for an absentee ballot, but qualifies for an early mail ballot, should be processed as an early mail voter.
- As introduced, this bill:
-
NY S02024: Relates to school session days; adds general election day to the list of days when school will not be in session; allows a school district to elect to require staff attendance on a general election day or to schedule a professional development day, Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D).
- As amended, this bill provides that a school district may require staff to work on a general election day, although the day is a holiday for students.
During the week of May 22-28, Ballotpedia tracked 15 Senate election-related bills nationally. As of May 28, Ballotpedia has tracked 965 Senate bills nationally. Ballotpedia tracked the most Senate bills this year in the New York State Senate with 157, while Ballotpedia tracked the fewest Senate bills in the Massachusetts State Senate with zero.
As of May 28, Ballotpedia has tracked 441 Senate bills in Democratic trifectas and 403 Senate bills in Republican trifectas. A trifecta is when one political party holds the governorship and majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. Ballotpedia has tracked 121 Senate bills in states where neither party holds trifecta control.
The New York Senate is scheduled to be in session from Jan. 4 to June 8 this year. In 2022, Ballotpedia tracked 190 Senate bills related to election administration. Ten of these bills passed both chambers and eight were enacted into law. New York is a Democratic trifecta.
Additional reading:
Learn More
