Election legislation roundup: New York State Assembly


As of March 5, Ballotpedia has tracked 128 election-related bills in the New York State Assembly since the beginning of the year. Of the 128, Ballotpedia tracked six from Feb. 27 to March 5. Democrats sponsored five, while Republicans sponsored one. The six bills are:

NY A00479: Establishes a ranked choice voting method for nonpartisan primary elections, Assembly Members Robert Carroll (D) and Harvey Epstein (D).

  • This bill establishes ranked-choice voting for all non-partisan primary elections, except the presidential primaries and provides provisions for the procedures for voting, ballots to be used, and voter education.

NY A05007: Enables constitutionally-qualified electors to register to vote and to cast a ballot on the same day at a polling location, Assembly Member Kenneth Burgos (D)

  • Supplies that a qualified voter may complete a conditional voter registration and cast an affidavit ballot at an early voting or election day polling location.
  • Specifies that a conditional voter registration is deemed effective if the board of elections is able to determine the registrant is eligible, and has registered using accurate information matching information contained in the database, before or during the canvass period.
  • Requires the board to provide conditional voter registration and voting at all early voting and election day polling locations.

NY A04962: Requires that all candidates for elected local, state or federal office shall be required to caption any video advertisement which is viewed by the general public, Assembly Member Jennifer Lunsford (D).

  • This bill requires candidates to ensure any video advertisement or promotion in which the candidate appears include clear, conspicuous captions that are either auto generated or added by the candidate.

NY A04777: Increases the term of office of an election commissioner from two to four years beginning January first of each odd numbered year, Assembly Member J. Gary Pretlow (D).

  • This bill changes the term of office for an election commissioner from two years to four years, and removes exceptions for New York city and Schenectady.

NY A04758: Requires the county seat in Fulton county to have at least one polling place designated for early voting, Assembly Member Robert Smullen (R).

  • This bill requires the county seat in Fulton county to have at least one early voting polling place.

NY A04741: Authorizes the Westchester county board of elections to merge any election district with 50 or fewer registered voters into an existing election district, Assembly Member J. Gary Pretlow (D).

  • This bill authorizes the board of elections in the county of Westchester to merge an election district with 50 registered voters or fewer into another existing election district, with certain requirements and limitations.

During the week of Feb. 27 to March 5, Ballotpedia tracked 69 House election-related bills nationally. As of March 5, Ballotpedia has tracked 946 House bills nationally. Ballotpedia tracked the most House bills this year in the New York State Assembly with 128, while Ballotpedia tracked the fewest House bills in Alabama, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania with zero. Republicans sponsored 429 of these bills, while Democrats sponsored 388. Third party sponsorship and bills with no sponsors accounted for 67 bills, while bipartisan legislators sponsored 62.

As of March 5, Ballotpedia has tracked 540 House bills in Democratic trifectas and 317 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 89 House bills in states where neither party holds trifecta control.

The New York House 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.

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