S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
3351
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 22, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BICHOTTE HERMELYN -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to reducing the numbers of
signatures required for designating and nominating petitions; and
providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 6-136 of the election law, as
amended by chapter 79 of the laws of 1992, the opening paragraph as
amended by chapter 659 of the laws of 1994 and paragraph (c-1) as
amended by chapter 418 of the laws of 1993, is amended and a new subdi-
vision 2-a is added to read as follows:
2. [All] SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION TWO-A OF THIS
SECTION, ALL other petitions must be signed by not less than five per
centum, as determined by the preceding enrollment, of the then enrolled
voters of the party residing within the political unit in which the
office or position is to be voted for (excluding voters in inactive
status), provided, however, that for the following public offices the
number of signatures need not exceed the following limits:
(a) For any office to be filled by all voters of the city of New York,
seven thousand five hundred signatures;
(b) For any office to be filled by all the voters of any county or
borough within the city of New York, four thousand signatures;
(c) For any office to be filled in the city of New York by all the
voters of any municipal court district, one thousand five hundred signa-
tures;
(c-1) For any office to be filled in the city of New York by all the
voters of any city council district, nine hundred signatures;
(d) For any office to be filled by all the voters of cities or coun-
ties, except the city of New York and counties therein, containing more
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08705-01-1
A. 3351 2
than two hundred fifty thousand inhabitants according to the last
preceding federal enumeration, two thousand signatures;
(e) For any office to be filled by all the voters of cities or coun-
ties containing more than twenty-five thousand and not more than two
hundred fifty thousand inhabitants, according to the last preceding
federal enumeration, one thousand signatures;
(f) For any office to be filled by all the voters of any other city or
county, or of a councilmanic district in any city other than the city of
New York, five hundred signatures;
(g) For any office to be filled by all the voters of any congressional
district, twelve hundred fifty signatures;
(h) For any office to be filled by all the voters of any state senato-
rial district, one thousand signatures;
(i) For any office to be filled by all voters of any assembly
district, five hundred signatures;
(j) For any office to be filled by all the voters of any political
subdivision, except as herein otherwise provided, contained within
another political subdivision, not to exceed the number of signatures
required for the larger subdivision;
(k) For any other office to be filled by the voters of a political
subdivision containing more than one assembly district, county or other
political subdivision, not to exceed the aggregate of the signatures
required for the subdivisions or parts of subdivisions so contained; and
(l) For any county legislative district, five hundred signatures.
2-A. NOTWITHSTANDING SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION, ANY PROVISION OF
THE NEW YORK CITY CHARTER, OR OTHER LAW, RULE OR REGULATION PROVIDING
FOR GREATER THRESHOLDS TO THE CONTRARY, WITH RESPECT TO PETITIONS SIGNED
ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE, ALL
PETITIONS SIGNED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION MUST BE
SIGNED BY NOT LESS THAN ONE AND ONE-HALF PER CENTUM OR THIRTY PERCENT
OF THE SIGNATURE THRESHOLD NUMBERS STATED IN SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS
SECTION, WHICHEVER IS LESS.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the
provisions of this act shall not apply to any special election that will
occur in the city of New York for which petitions are required to be
filed before February 15, 2021; and provided further that this act shall
expire December 31, 2021, when upon such date the provisions of this act
shall be deemed repealed.