NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A4339
SPONSOR: Morinello TITLE OF BILL:
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment
to section 1 of article 4 of the constitution, in relation to establish-
ing a county representation system for electing the governor and lieu-
tenant-governor within the state
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL::
Relates to establishing a county representation system for electing the
governor and lieutenant-governor within the state.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS::
Section 1. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That section 1 of article 4
of the constitution be amended and a new section 1-a is added
Section 2. Resolved if the Senate concur, that the foregoing amendment
be referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the
next succeeding general election of members of the Assembly, and in
conformity with Section 1 of Article 19 of the Constitution, be
published for three months prior to the time of such election.
JUSTIFICATION::
Given the ever-changing dynamics in New York State, new census data and
general trend towards an inherent downstate influence center, the
creation of an electoral college allows for more opportunity of communi-
ties outside of New York City being represented in state government. In
an age where voter suppression has become a major issue, the continued
silencing of upstate New York completely contradicts many of the initi-
atives downstate interests have pushed. Electoral College will ulti-
mately level the playing field in New York State creating more parody
and more choice for New York voters.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
A.4392 of 2023-24 held in Judiciary
A.4475 of 2021-22 A.6324A of 2019-20
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS::
None
EFFECTIVE DATE::
Resolved if the Senate concur, that the foregoing amendment be referred
to the first regular legislative session convening after the next
succeeding general election of members of the Assembly, and in conformi-
ty with Section 1 of Article 19 of the Constitution, be published for
three months prior to the time of such election
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4339
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 4, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. MORINELLO, BARCLAY, BRABENEC, DeSTEFANO, McDO-
NOUGH, MILLER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Judiciary
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY
proposing an amendment to section 1 of article 4 of the constitution, in
relation to establishing a county representation system for electing
the governor and lieutenant-governor within the state
1 Section 1. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That section 1 of article
2 4 of the constitution be amended and a new section 1-a is added to read
3 as follows:
4 Section 1. (a) The executive power shall be vested in the governor,
5 who shall hold office for four years; the lieutenant-governor shall be
6 chosen at the same time, and for the same term. The governor and lieu-
7 tenant-governor shall be chosen at the general election held in the year
8 nineteen hundred thirty-eight, and each fourth year thereafter. They
9 shall be chosen jointly, by the casting by each voter of a single vote
10 applicable to both offices, and the legislature by law shall provide for
11 making such choice in such manner. The respective persons having the
12 highest number of county representation votes cast jointly for them for
13 governor and lieutenant-governor respectively shall be elected.
14 (b) In the event a majority of county representation votes are not for
15 a single person for the governor or lieutenant-governor, the respective
16 person having the highest number of votes cast jointly for them for
17 governor or lieutenant-governor respectively shall be elected.
18 § 1-a. (a) County representation votes for the governor and lieuten-
19 ant-governor shall be distributed as follows:
20 (i) Each county within the state shall be assigned two county repre-
21 sentation votes; and
22 (ii) Each county shall be assigned at least one additional county
23 representation vote based on the county's population such that these
24 additional county representation votes sum to four hundred fourteen.
25 Such additional county representation votes shall be assigned to coun-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD89035-01-5
A. 4339 2
1 ties using the method of equal proportions by using the Huntington-Hill
2 method.
3 (b) County representation votes shall be cast for the governor and
4 lieutenant-governor from each county based on the respective persons
5 having the largest number of votes cast jointly for them for the gover-
6 nor and lieutenant-governor respectively from such county.
7 § 2. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That the foregoing amendment be
8 referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the
9 next succeeding general election of members of the assembly, and, in
10 conformity with section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be
11 published for 3 months previous to the time of such election.
