BILL NUMBER: S2862

SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the election law, in relation to the number of signa-
tures for designating petitions in the year 2019

 
PURPOSE:

To ensure ballot access for a variety of candidates for office due to
the recent change in the primary election date.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one - adds new subdivisions 5 to § 5-136 of the election law to
reduce the number of signatures required on designating petitions for
all public offices to be filled in 2019 with the exception of New York
City.

 
              

JUSTIFICATION:

In 2009, Congress passed the Military and Overseas Voters Act (MOVE),
which required a number of reforms to ensure military, federal workers
and overseas voters had the opportunity to cast their ballot in a timely
manner. In 2012, US District Judge Gary Sharpe ruled that New York
State's September primary was in violation of the MOVE Act and subse-
quently ordered the Federal Primary to be moved to the 4th Tuesday in
June, leaving it to the legislature to determine when to hold State and
local primaries. This left New York with two separate primaries: one for
federal offices and one for state and local offices.

In 2019, after 8 years of impasse the legislature has passed legislation
reunifying state, local and federal (non-presidential) primary elections
to be held on the 4th Tuesday in June, effective immediately.

However, because of the imminent change in the political calendar neces-
sary to meet the requirements for a June primary, candidates for local
offices in 2019 are required to begin circulating designating petitions
at the end of February 2019, rather than in mid-June, 2019.

This bill would temporarily reduce the number of signatures required for
designating petitions by 1/4 for candidates running for office, with the
exception of NYC, in 2019 to allow candidates to organize their
campaigns, print their petitions and begin collecting voters' signatures
after the change in the primary date.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire December 31,
2019 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed
repealed.