STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7978
IN SENATE
March 6, 2020
___________
Introduced by Sen. MYRIE -- 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 eliminating the
requirements for publication of detailed election notices within the
city of New York
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 4-118 of the election law is
2 amended to read as follows:
3 1. Each county board of elections, except for those located within the
4 city of New York, shall publish in the week ending on the Saturday
5 preceding a primary election a notice specifying the day of such primary
6 election, the hours during which it will be held and the public offices
7 for which nominations are to be made and the party positions which are
8 to be filled at such primary elections. Such publication shall be in two
9 newspapers published within the county. If the county contains a city or
10 cities, at least one of such newspapers shall be published in the city,
11 or the largest city, if there be more than one.
12 § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 4-120 of the election law, as amended by
13 chapter 413 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
14 1. The board of elections, except for those located within the city of
15 New York, shall publish once in each of the two weeks preceding a gener-
16 al election, or a special or village election conducted by the board of
17 elections, a notice specifying the day of the election, and the public
18 officers to be voted for within such county, or any part thereof at such
19 election. The board of elections shall, as soon as practicable, but not
20 less than two weeks prior to any special election, prominently display
21 on its website the date and hours of the election, the offices to be
22 voted on in the county, part of a county, or the city of New York, and a
23 link to any poll site information or poll location tools, where avail-
24 able. Such information shall also be made available to local govern-
25 ments, municipalities, and community boards for publication on any publ-
26 ic-facing internet website, web application, web domain or digital
27 application, including a social network or search engine, to the extent
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15604-01-0
S. 7978 2
1 that such publication is practicable. If constitutional amendments, or
2 questions are to be submitted to the voters of the state, the notice
3 shall state that fact and that a copy of each such amendment or question
4 may be obtained at the board of elections, by any voter. Such publica-
5 tion shall be in two newspapers published within the county. If the
6 county contains a city or cities, at least one of such newspapers shall
7 be published in the city, or the largest city, if there be more than
8 one.
9 In the case of a village election, such publication shall be made in a
10 newspaper of general circulation in such village and shall include an
11 abstract of any proposition to be voted upon at such election.
12 § 3. Subdivision 1 of section 4-122 of the election law, as amended by
13 chapter 310 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
14 1. The county board of elections, except for those located within the
15 city of New York, shall publish, at least six days before an election, a
16 list containing the name of every candidate for public office to be
17 voted for within its jurisdiction at such election.
18 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
