The Independent View: NY Election Law Proposals for 2017

The following is a brief description of the New York State Board of Elections (BOE) Legislative proposals to address the Administration of Elections for 2017.

SBOE 17-01 Election Dav Start Time for Poll Workers: Requires Poll Workers to arrive at the Poll site one hour prior to the opening of the Polls on Election Day.

SBOE 17-02 Elimination of Party Emblem: Removes the requirement to put the Party Emblem from the Ballot allowing the County Boards more flexibility in Ballot Design.

SBOE 17~03 Removes Petitioning for LIPA Trustee: Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) Trustees are now appointed and not Elected. This would modify the Law to eliminate the ability to file Petitions for such position.

SBOE 17-04 Eliminates Need to Publish Candidate Residences: Eliminates requirement to publish Candidate Residence Addresses in certain Advertisements.

SBOE 17~05 Publication of Electoral Results: This Bill would eliminate the outdated and costly requirement that Certified Election Results be Printed in certain Legal Ads.

SBOE 17-06 Publication by Advertising Website Notice: Certain newspaper publication requirements are satisfied by Advertising where to find the Notice on the Board's Website, provided the BOE upon request will also provide the information by Mail or other means.

SBOE 17-07 Treasurer Compliance Training: New Treasurers must complete a three hour Course on Compliance, and there is a Biennial Update Requirement for all Treasurers. Remedial Training may be ordered in certain circumstances.

SBOE 17-08 Poll Worker Shift Flexibility: This Legislation will allow Local Boards at their option to authorize shorter or Longer "Split" Shifts.

SBOE 17-09 Campaign Website Publication: Requires Boards to publish Directory of Candidate Websites as provided by the Candidates.

SBOE 17-10 Local Campaign Finance Filers to State Board: Local BOE will no longer be required to receive Campaign Finance Filings for certain Local Committees.

SBOE 17-11 Authorizes Election District Increase to Two Thousand Voters and Permits Parties to Apportion Any Number of Committee Persons: Election Districts allowed to be 2,000 and Party Committees can decide Number and how to Apportion Members of County Committees to avoid any loss of Membership.

SBOE 17-12 Elimination of Duplicate Electronic Filings: Upon meeting certain Disclosure and Publication criteria, a Campaign Finance Board filing for a Candidate may be deemed to meet the State Reporting Requirement.

SBOE 17-13 Clarification of Local Proposition Filing Requirements: Clarifies BOE does not approve Local Proposition Abstracts and requires Filing of Local Propositions earlier to ensure orderly inclusion on the Ballot.

SBOE 17-14 Multiple Vacancies For Same Office: When an office is on the Ballot to fill both a Vacancy for the Remainder of the Current year as well as a new Term, the Office will appear only once on the Primary Ballot and General Election Ballot.

SBOE l7-15 New Party Names: New Parties must file a Certificate setting out their Name no later than the last day of February after the Election at which the Party obtains Ballot Status.

SBOE 17-16 Alternative Poll Site Organization: Permits BOE to adopt Alternative Poll Site Staffing Plans to more efficiently Administer Elections.

SBOE 17-17 Poll Watcher Appointment: Clarifies entities eligible to Appoint Watchers at an Election by making the Current Statute more readable and unambiguous.

SBOE 17-18 Election Day Non-Instruction Day at Schools: To make Schools more accessible as Polling Sites, provides that Schools will not schedule regular Instruction on the Day of the general Elections.

SBOE 17-19 Voting Systems Use: Provides that BOE shall whenever possible make Voting Equipment available to Municipalities conducting Elections, and empowers Boards to charge Expenses against such Municipalities.

SBOE 17-20 Village Caucuses Relating To Elections Held in November: Clarifies Statute to ensure there is no Legal ambiguity as to the ability of Parties to use Caucuses in the same manner available to Towns are available for Villages.

SBOE 17-21 Traveling for New Election Officials: Requires new Election Officials receive introductory Training and an annual Update not to exceed three hours.

SBOE 17-22 Repeal of Election Law 2-126: Repeals Election Law§ 2-126 because the Provision has been declared Unconstitutional.

Party funds; restrictions on expenditures No contributions of money, or the equivalent thereof, made, directly or indirectly, to any party, or to any party committee or to any person representing or acting on behalf of a party or party committee, or any moneys in the treasury of any party, or party committee, shall be expended in aid of the designation or nomination of any person to be voted for at a primary election either as a candidate for nomination for public office, or for any party position.