As of May 7, Ballotpedia has tracked 140 election-related bills in the New York State Senate since the beginning of the year. Of the 140, Ballotpedia tracked three from May 1-7. Democrats sponsored two, while Republicans sponsored one. The three bills are below:
- NY S06547: Requires the election of fire district commissioners to take place on the same date and at the same location as elections of school board members, Sen. Peter Harckham (D).
- As introduced, this bill requires annual fire district elections to take place at the same date and at the same polling place as the school board elections for the school district of a municipality. Polls will stay open from 6AM to 9PM. Procedures for conducting the fire district elections will be the same as school board elections, but the costs will be paid by the fire district.
- NY S06519: Establishes a deadline for changing the location of a polling place for early voting by requiring that no location change may occur within forty-eight hours of the commencement of an early voting period, Sen. Brian Kavanagh (D).
- As introduced, this bill requires notice to be provided to voters no later than five days prior to the start of early voting if the early voting polling place changes, or, if there are fewer than five days prior to the start of early voting, notice must go out as soon as practical. No location changes may occur within 48 hours prior to the start of early voting.
- NY S06615: Requires the county seat in Seneca county to have at least one polling place designated for early voting, Sen. Thomas O’Mara (R).
- As introduced, this bill requires the Seneca county seat to have at least one polling place designated for early voting near public transportation if possible.
During the week of May 1-7, Ballotpedia tracked 14 Senate election-related bills nationally. As of May 7, Ballotpedia has tracked 945 Senate bills nationally. Ballotpedia tracked the most Senate bills this year in the New York State Senate with 140, while Ballotpedia tracked the fewest Senate bills in the Massachusetts State Senate with zero.
As of May 7, Ballotpedia has tracked 438 Senate bills in Democratic trifectas and 389 Senate 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 118 Senate bills in states where neither party holds trifecta control.
The New York Senate is scheduled to be in session from Jan. 4 to June 8 this year. In 2022, Ballotpedia tracked 190 Senate bills related to election administration. Ten of these bills passed both chambers and eight were enacted into law. New York is a Democratic trifecta.
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