Provides that attorneys licensed to practice in the state may serve as a poll watcher in any city or county in the state.

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S3373-2013 Actions

• Feb 1, 2013: REFERRED TO ELECTIONS

S3373-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S3373

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the election law, in relation to watch-
ers

PURPOSE:   The bill authorizes attorneys to be poll watchers anywhere in
New York if they are state residents and licensed to practice law in the
state.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends Election Law section 8-500(4) to allow  attorneys  who
are state residents and licensed to practice law in the state to require
be watchers anywhere in the State.

Section 2: Provides for the Act to take effect immediately.

EXISTING  LAW:   Under current law, a poll watcher must be registered to
vote in the county in which he is to serve.

JUSTIFICATION:  Attorneys licensed to practice law in New York  are  not
restricted  in  their practices to any locality or court. They may prac-
tice before any court in the state, as well  as  before  the  boards  of
elections  everywhere  in  the state. They are also trained as observers
and  to  accurately  report  their  observations.  There  should  be  no
restriction  on  their ability to be in a polling place on election day,
where their skills can be invaluable in both detecting improper conduct,
such as voter intimidation and suppression, and electioneering,  and  in
obtaining a quick resolution of such unlawful conduct by reporting it to
the appropriate authorities, including election day judges. For example,
in  2006  lawyers  serving  as  poll  watchers  enabled  Senator  Andrea
Steward-Cousins to win election by acting to stop disruptions and  voter
suppression and intimidation actions in the polls in Yonkers.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  2011-2012: S.2348 Referred to Elections Committee

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act shall take effect immediately.

S3373-2013 Text

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

                                    3373

                         2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                              February 1, 2013
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sen. ADDABBO -- 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 watchers

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


    Section  1.  Subdivision  4  of  section 8-500 of the election law, as
  amended by chapter 9 of the laws of 1978, is amended to read as follows:

    4. Each watcher must be a qualified voter of the  city  or  county  in
  which  he  OR  SHE  is  to serve, OR AN ATTORNEY WHO IS A NEW YORK STATE
  RESIDENT AND IS LICENSED TO PRACTICE LAW THEREIN.
    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.







   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD08293-01-3