NY State Senate Bill 2021-S6496

Senate Bill S6496

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Requires the board of elections in the city of New York to release certain data relating to ranked choice elections

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Elections Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to elections
May 03, 2021	referred to elections

2021-S6496 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A6172
Current Committee:: Senate Elections
Law Section:: New York City Charter
Laws Affected:: Amd §1057-g, NYC Chart
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: A4266

2021-S6496 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires the board of elections in the city of New York to release data on how voters ranked all candidates in a ranked choice election, even if a single candidate received a majority of highest rank votes and the tabulation process was not triggered.

2021-S6496 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S6496

SPONSOR: GOUNARDES
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the New York city charter, in relation to requiring the
board of elections in the city of New York to release certain data
relating to ranked choice elections

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill would require the New York City Board of Elections to release
tabulations on how voters ranked candidates in ranked choice elections
regardless of outcome.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends Subdivision f of section 1057-g of the New York city
charter to release candidate rankings.

Section 2 sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In 2019, New York City voters approved a referendum to adopt ranked
choice voting in special and primary elections for municipal offices.
Voters are given the choice to rank up to 5 candidates based on prefer-
ence, allowing for an instant runoff election until a single candidate
secures over 50% of the vote. Ranked choice voting empowers voters,
reduces inefficiencies and cost, and promotes positive campaigning.
Currently, candidate rankings are only publicly released for each trig-
gered round of vote tabulation. Ranked choice voting was implemented to
give voice to a plurality of voters and ideas. The public deserves the
right to see all voter preferences in our municipal elections. This bill
would require the Board of Elections to release the rankings for all
candidates alongside election results to promote openness and transpar-
ency in the election system.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2021-S6496 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6496
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                May 3, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sen. GOUNARDES -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
 
 AN  ACT to amend the New York city charter, in relation to requiring the
   board of elections in the city of New York  to  release  certain  data
   relating to ranked choice elections

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision f of section 1057-g of the New York city  char-
 ter is amended by adding a new paragraph 3 to read as follows:
   3.  WHEN  MAKING  THE STATEMENT OF RESULTS OF A RANKED CHOICE ELECTION
 PURSUANT TO SECTION 9-126 OR 9-210 OF THE ELECTION  LAW,  THE  BOARD  OF
 ELECTIONS  IN  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK SHALL RELEASE DATA ON HOW VOTERS
 RANKED ALL CANDIDATES, EVEN IF A SINGLE CANDIDATE RECEIVED A MAJORITY OF
 HIGHEST RANK VOTES AND THE TABULATION PROCESS AS DESCRIBED IN  PARAGRAPH
 TWO OF SUBDIVISION E OF THIS SECTION WAS NOT TRIGGERED.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
 
 

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09907-01-1

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