Senator Benjamin’s Special Elections Notification Bill Unanimously Passes State Senate

(Albany, NY) Senator Benjamin today passed S211C, which will increase voter engagement in special elections across the state.

"As recent history has shown, every election matters and each election has the possibility to have large impacts on our state, including special elections such as the one I was elected in. When I first ran, the only people who knew about the election where the people my campaign notified-- the Board of Elections did nothing to tell my neighbors about the race,” said bill sponsor Brian A. Benjamin “It is imperative that voters are given the opportunity to make their voices heard in every election. I am proud that we passed my legislation to require the Board of Elections to notify voters if there is a special election in their district.”

Section one amends section 4-120 (1) of the election law by to require boards of election to post as soon as practicable the date, time and offices to be voted on in a special election. The board of elections shall additionally include a link to poll site information or a poll site locator, wherever possible. Such information shall also be publicly disseminated to local governments, municipalities, and community boards for publication on any public-facing internet website, web application, web domain or digital application, including a social network or search engine, as far as practicable.

“This bill, which is carried in the Assembly by Linda Rosenthal, will add to the many voting reforms we have already accomplished this session, and continue the historic work of the new State Senate Democratic Majority,” said State Senator Benjamin.