STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4332
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 4, 2025
___________
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 time election day
workers must be at poll sites to prepare for the opening of polls,
including receiving voting system keys and other ancillary election
day supplies
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1 and subdivision 2 of
2 section 8-102 of the election law, as amended by chapter 164 of the laws
3 of 2010, are amended to read as follows:
4 The inspectors of election, and clerks, if any, shall meet at the
5 polling place at least [one-half] one hour before the time set for open-
6 ing the polls of election. The inspectors of election shall:
7 2. The keys to the ballot scanner and ballot marking device shall be
8 delivered to the inspectors at least [one-half] one hour before the time
9 set for the opening of the polls, in a sealed envelope, on which shall
10 be written or printed the ballot scanner or ballot marking device serial
11 number and location of the polling place, as reported by the voting
12 machine custodian. The envelope containing the keys shall not be opened
13 until at least one inspector from each of the two parties shall be pres-
14 ent in the polling place and shall have examined the envelope to see
15 that it has not been opened. Before opening the envelope, such election
16 inspectors present shall examine the serial number on the machine, and
17 shall see if they are the same as the numbers written on the envelope
18 containing the keys. If found not to agree, the envelope must not be
19 opened until the voting machine custodian, or other authorized person,
20 shall have been notified and shall have arrived at the polling place for
21 the purpose of re-examining such machine and shall certify that it is
22 properly arranged. If the serial number on the machine is found to agree
23 with the number on the envelope, the inspectors, except as hereinafter
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05584-01-5
S. 4332 2
1 provided, shall turn on the machine. The inspectors shall carefully
2 examine the printed record produced by the machine to see that each
3 counter registers zero, and shall allow watchers to examine the printed
4 record. The inspectors shall then sign a certificate showing the deliv-
5 ery of the keys in a sealed envelope, the serial number on the machine,
6 the number registered on the protective counter, that all the counters
7 are set at zero and that the public counter is set at zero. The machine
8 shall remain secured against voting until the polls are formally opened
9 and shall not be operated except by voters when voting or by election
10 officials upon the instructions of the board of elections. If any count-
11 er is found not to register zero, the inspectors of election shall imme-
12 diately notify the board of elections.
13 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
14 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.
