S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  4194

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 29, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of A. ZEBROWSKI, BUCHWALD, GALEF, SKOUFIS, ABINANTI,
  JAFFEE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law

AN ACT to amend the election law,  in  relation  to  poll  watchers  for
  special,  town or village elections being held for the sole purpose of
  a ballot proposal

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1. Subdivisions 1 and 3 of section 8-500 of the election law,
as amended by chapter 373 of the laws of 1978, are amended  to  read  as
follows:
  1.  At  any  general,  special,  town  or  village election, any party
committee or independent body whose candidates are upon the ballot,  AND
WHEN  A  SPECIAL,  TOWN  OR  VILLAGE ELECTION IS BEING HELD FOR THE SOLE
PURPOSE OF A BALLOT PROPOSAL OR PROPOSALS, THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS OF THE
COUNTY IN WHICH THE ELECTION IS BEING HELD and at any primary  election,
any two or more candidates and any political committee may have for each
election  district  three watchers at any one time, not more than one of
whom may be within the guard rail at any one  time.  Watchers  shall  be
appointed  by  the  chairman of any such party, committee or independent
body or by the candidates OR BY THE BOARD OF  ELECTIONS,  UPON  REQUEST,
FOR  A SPECIAL, TOWN OR VILLAGE ELECTION THAT IS BEING HELD FOR THE SOLE
PURPOSE OF A BALLOT PROPOSAL OR PROPOSALS. IN SUCH ELECTIONS, THE  BOARD
OF  ELECTIONS  SHALL APPOINT WATCHERS IN A MANNER THAT ENSURES EQUITABLE
REPRESENTATION OF ORGANIZATIONS OR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE  ADVOCATING  THE
PASSAGE OR DEFEAT OF THE BALLOT PROPOSAL OR PROPOSALS.
  3.  The appointment of watchers for any election shall be by a certif-
icate in writing issued by the chairman or secretary  of  the  political
party  or  independent  body,  [or]  the  candidates  OR  THE  BOARD  OF
ELECTIONS. Such certificate shall be delivered to an  inspector  at  the
election district.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD01796-01-5

              

A. 4194                             2

  S  2.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
have become a law; provided, however, that  effective  immediately,  the
addition,  amendment  and/or  repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
for the implementation of this act on its effective date are  authorized
and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.