As of Feb. 26, Ballotpedia has tracked 122 election-related bills in the New York State Assembly since the beginning of the year. Of the 122, Ballotpedia tracked four from Feb. 20-26. Democrats sponsored the four bills. The four bills are:
- NY A04653: Permits New York city voters to sign designating petitions for multiple candidates for the same New York City municipal public office or party position, Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani (D).
- As introduced, this bill permits a New York city voter to sign petitions for a greater number of candidates for a city municipal public office, or party position with the counties of New York city, than the number of people to be elected, with no limit.
- NY A04517: Relates to promoting inmate voter registration and voting by incarcerated people; requires the department of corrections and community supervision to distribute a voter information guide and hold voter information and registration clinics for incarcerated people every other year, Assembly Members Khaleel Anderson, (D) Harvey Epstein (D), Phara Souffrant Forrest (D), Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas (D), Ronald Kim (D), Zohran Mamdani (D), Marcela Mitaynes (D), and Jo Anne Simon (D).
- Clarifies that an incarcerated person registering and voting should be considered a resident of their last address prior to incarceration.
- Prohibits a voter’s registration from being canceled while he or she is incarcerated in a state or local facility and prevents municipalities from enacting a conflicting ordinance.
- Requires the department to establish a program promoting voter registration and voting by incarcerated people and lists items to be included, including a guide, registration clinics, voter registration drives, resources, voter information, and more.
- NY A04463: Relates to the appointment of commissioners of elections; provides that once a party recommends a person for commissioner of elections the local legislative body shall automatically approve the appointment of such person, Assembly Member J. Gary Pretlow (D).
- As introduced, this bill requires a local legislative body to automatically approve any recommendations for commissioners of elections by a party.
- NY A04351: Establishes a ranked choice voting method to be implemented by local governments for use in general elections, special elections and primaries within the state, Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell (D).
- Authorizes the state board of elections to mandate all county boards of elections to conduct state elections to [use] the ranked choice voting method, starting in 2025.
- Specifies that the ranked choice voting provision [applies] when there are three or more candidates.
- Outlines procedures for the local governing body to implement a resolution regarding ranked choice voting.
- Outlines election procedures for use of ranked choice voting including ballot specifications, instructions, administration of tabulation, determination of a winner.
- Requires certain voter education measures where local governments pass a resolution authorizing ranked choice voting.
During the week of Feb. 20-26, Ballotpedia tracked 89 House election-related bills nationally. As of Feb. 26, Ballotpedia has tracked 880 House bills nationally. Ballotpedia tracked the most House bills this year in the New York State Assembly with 122, while Ballotpedia tracked the fewest House bills in Alabama, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania with zero. Republicans sponsored 403 of these bills, while Democrats sponsored 363. Third party sponsorship and bills with no sponsors accounted for 55 bills, while bipartisan legislators sponsored 59.
As of Feb. 26, Ballotpedia has tracked 511 House bills in Democratic trifectas and 289 House bills in Republican trifectas. A trifecta is when one political party holds the governorship and majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. Ballotpedia has tracked 80 House bills in states where neither party holds trifecta control.
The New York State Assembly is scheduled to be in session from Jan. 4 to June 8 this year. In 2022, Ballotpedia tracked 226 House bills related to election administration. Seven of these bills passed both chambers and five were enacted into law. New York is a Democratic trifecta.
Additional reading: