Authorizes and directs the state board of elections, in cooperation with county boards of elections, to create an online petitioning system for designating petitions; provides that use of such online petitioning system shall not preclude the collection and use of paper designating petitions; authorizes the state board of elections to promulgate necessary rules and regulations.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2163
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 15, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sens. MAY, COONEY -- 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 authorizing and direct-
ing the state board of elections to create an online petitioning
system for designating petitions
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new section 6-136-a
2 to read as follows:
3 § 6-136-a. Online petitioning system for designating petitions. 1.
4 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the state board of
5 elections, in cooperation with county boards of election, is authorized
6 and directed to provide a system for qualified voters to sign a desig-
7 nating petition for a candidate by way of a secure internet portal. Such
8 system shall:
9 (a) provide for the collection of designating petitions for candidates
10 for the following offices:
11 (i) United States senate;
12 (ii) United States house of representatives;
13 (iii) New York state governor;
14 (iv) New York state lieutenant governor;
15 (v) New York state comptroller;
16 (vi) New York state attorney general;
17 (vii) New York state senate;
18 (viii) New York state assembly;
19 (ix) county offices;
20 (x) town offices;
21 (xi) city offices;
22 (xii) village offices; and
23 (xiii) school boards.
24 (b) be integrated with county boards of elections;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05606-01-5
S. 2163 2
1 (c) provide for the transmission of signed designating petitions or a
2 facsimile of such petitions to the appropriate officer in charge of
3 elections for a particular elected office;
4 (d) allow only those qualified voters who are eligible to sign a peti-
5 tion for a particular candidate to sign such petition, including provid-
6 ing a method for the qualified voter's identity to be properly verified;
7 and
8 (e) provide that candidates may choose to collect designating petition
9 signatures up to an amount equal to the full number of required desig-
10 nating petition signatures by use of the online petition system estab-
11 lished by this section.
12 2. Use of the online petition system established by this section shall
13 not preclude the collection and use of paper designating petitions.
14 3. The state board of elections is authorized to promulgate rules and
15 regulations necessary for the implementation of this section.
16 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
