Senator Golden Votes to Pass Bill to Strengthen Voting Process for Military Voters

Measure has Governor’s backing and is set to become law

Albany- State Senator Marty Golden (R-C-I, Brooklyn) today joined with the New York State Senate in voting to give final legislative approval today to legislation (S.3500) sponsored by State Senator Tom O’Mara (R-C, Big Flats), Chairman of the Senate Elections Committee, to ensure that special elections in New York State provide more time for military absentee ballots to be mailed and counted.

“This legislation ensures that New York’s servicemen and women are given every reasonable opportunity to have their voices heard and their votes counted in special elections. This bill would ensure that New Yorkers who are serving our country in the military are included in the electoral process. This insures that those who are fighting for our freedoms have every ability to excercise one of our most precious liberties, that being the right to vote," said Senator Golden.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently noted that current state law fails to provide adequate time for state and county boards of elections to adhere to federal law requiring that elections officials finalize and transmit the final ballot to military voters overseas within 45 days of a special election.

Governor Cuomo sent a proposal to change the law to both houses of the Legislature on February 23rd and urged its swift enactment. It was approved by the Assembly yesterday and will now be delivered to the Governor to be signed into law. The measure would take effect immediately.

Under current state law, special elections are held between 30 and 40 days from their announcement by the Governor. The new measure will more than double that time frame to between 70 and 80 days and give county boards of elections adequate time prior to special elections for absentee ballots for military voters to be mailed and counted in compliance with federal law.