S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________

                                         1556

                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                                   I N  S E N A T E

                                   January 10, 2011
                                      ___________

       Introduced  by Sens. ADDABBO, HASSELL-THOMPSON, MONTGOMERY -- 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  enacting  the  "early
         voting act"

         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

    1    Section 1. Short title.  This act shall be known and may be  cited  as
    2  the "early voting act".
    3    S  2. Article 8 of the election law is amended by adding a new title 6
    4  to read as follows:
    5                                  TITLE VI
    6                                EARLY VOTING
    7  SECTION 8-600. EARLY VOTING PROCEDURES.
    8          8-602. STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS; POWERS  AND  DUTIES  FOR  EARLY
    9                   VOTING.
   10    S 8-600. EARLY  VOTING PROCEDURES. 1. NO SOONER THAN FOURTEEN BUSINESS
   11  DAYS AND UP TO AND INCLUDING THE DAY PRIOR TO ANY  GENERAL,  PRIMARY  OR
   12  SPECIAL ELECTION FOR ANY PUBLIC OR PARTY OFFICE, PERSONS DULY REGISTERED
   13  TO  VOTE  FOR  CANDIDATES FOR SUCH OFFICE MAY VOTE BY PAPER BALLOT FOR A
   14  CANDIDATE FOR SUCH OFFICE, AND SUCH EARLY  VOTING  PRACTICE  SHALL  TAKE
   15  PLACE  AT  SUCH  PERSON'S  COUNTY  BOARD OF ELECTIONS, OR AN ALTERNATIVE
   16  LOCATION OR LOCATIONS AS OTHERWISE DESIGNATED BY AND  THROUGH  A  COUNTY
   17  BOARD  OF ELECTIONS UNDER THE POWERS GRANTED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION ON
   18  OR BEFORE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.
   19    2. SUCH VOTING PROCEDURE SHALL BE MONITORED AND  ADMINISTERED  BY  TWO
   20  DULY  DESIGNATED  PERSONS, ONE FROM EACH MAJOR POLITICAL PARTY, AND SUCH
   21  VOTING SHALL FOLLOW AND CONFORM TO ALL OTHER  PROCEDURES,  MEASURES  AND
   22  REQUIREMENTS  OF CASTING A VOTE BY A VOTING MACHINE AS PRESCRIBED PURSU-
   23  ANT TO THIS CHAPTER. ALL VOTES CAST WITHIN THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD SHALL
   24  BE COUNTED WITHIN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS OF THE POLLS CLOSING ON ELECTION DAY

        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD01241-01-1

 S. 1556                             2

    1  AND IN THE SAME MANNER AS PRESCRIBED IN ARTICLE NINE  OF  THIS  CHAPTER.
    2  THE  RESULTS  OR  TABULATION OF VOTES CAST DURING AN EARLY VOTING PERIOD
    3  SHALL NOT BE MADE BEFORE THE CLOSE OF ALL POLLING PLACES ON ELECTION DAY
    4  AND RESULTS SHALL BE REPORTED BY PRECINCT.  BALLOTS USED IN EARLY VOTING
    5  SHALL  BE,  AS  NEARLY  AS  PRACTICABLE,  THE SAME FORM AS THOSE USED ON
    6  ELECTION DAY.  BALLOTS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE  AND  ACCESSIBLE  TO  ANY
    7  PERSON  WITH  DISABILITIES WHO WANT TO EXERCISE HIS OR HER RIGHT TO VOTE
    8  EARLY.
    9    S 8-602. STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS; POWERS AND DUTIES FOR EARLY VOTING.
   10  ANY  RULE  OR  REGULATION  NECESSARY  FOR  THE  IMPLEMENTATION  OF   THE
   11  PROVISIONS  OF  THIS  TITLE  SHALL  BE PROMULGATED BY THE STATE BOARD OF
   12  ELECTIONS.
   13    S 3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next  succeed-
   14  ing the date on which it shall have become a law.