S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8034
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 20, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sen. OBERACKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend the election law, in relation to requiring the county
   seat in Herkimer county to have at least one polling place  designated
   for early voting
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 8-600  of  the  election  law,  as
 amended  by  chapter  781  of  the  laws  of 2021, is amended to read as
 follows:
   2. (a) The board of elections shall designate polling places for early
 voting, which may include the offices of the  board  of  elections,  for
 persons to vote early pursuant to this title.
   (b)  The  largest  city  in  the county or, if there is no city in the
 county, the municipality with the  highest  population  in  each  county
 based  on  the  latest  federal  decennial census, or the county seat in
 Washington county, OR THE COUNTY SEAT IN HERKIMER COUNTY, shall have  at
 least  one  polling place designated for early voting, and to the extent
 practicable if such  city  or  municipality  has  public  transportation
 routes,  such  polling place shall be situated along such transportation
 routes.
   (c) In counties with at least five hundred thousand registered voters,
 there shall be so designated at least one early voting polling place for
 every full increment of forty thousand registered voters.
   (d) In all other counties with less than five hundred thousand  regis-
 tered  voters,  there  shall  be so designated at least one early voting
 polling place for every full increment  of  thirty  thousand  registered
 voters;  provided, however, the number of early voting polling places in
 counties with less than five hundred thousand  registered  voters  shall
 not be required to be greater than ten nor less than one.
   (e)  For  any special, primary or run-off primary election at which no
 voters of the municipality with the highest population within the county
 are eligible to vote, the board of elections may, in lieu of  having  an
 early  voting  polling  place  in such municipality, designate a polling
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD13850-04-2
 S. 8034                             2
 
 place for early voting in the municipality with the  highest  population
 within  the  county within which the voters are eligible to vote at such
 special, primary, or run-off primary election.
   (f)  The board of elections of each county or the city of New York may
 establish additional polling places for early voting in  excess  of  the
 minimum  number  required  by  this  subdivision  for the convenience of
 eligible voters.
   (g) Notwithstanding the minimum number  of  early  voting  poll  sites
 otherwise  required  by  this  subdivision,  for  any primary or special
 election, upon majority vote of the board of elections,  the  number  of
 early voting sites may be reduced when the board of elections determines
 a  lesser  number  of  sites  is  sufficient  to meet the needs of early
 voters.
   (h) Polling places for early voting shall be located so that voters in
 the county have adequate and equitable access, taking into consideration
 population density, travel time to the polling place, proximity to other
 early voting poll sites, public transportation routes, commuter  traffic
 patterns  and  such other factors the board of elections deems appropri-
 ate. The provisions of section 4-104 of this  chapter,  except  subdivi-
 sions  four  and five of such section, shall apply to the designation of
 polling places for early voting except to the extent such provisions are
 inconsistent with this section.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the  same  date  and  in  the  same
 manner as section 2 of chapter 781 of the laws of 2021, takes effect.