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BILL NUMBER:S3910A

TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the election law, in relation to poll watchers

PURPOSE: This bill is intended to prohibit a candidate from serving as a poll watcher in an election district in which they appear on the ballot.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS: Section 1 of the bill amends subdivision 1 of section 8-500 to prohibit a candidate from serving as a poll watcher in an election district in which they appear on the ballot.

Section 2 of the bill is the effective date.

JUSTIFICATION: In some jurisdiction, it is common for candidates to be appointed poll watchers in election district in which they appear on the ballot. Election inspectors have stated that this borders on electioneering within the pool site and is intimidating to voters. This bill would prohibit the option of candidates working as poll watchers in such circumstance.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 2009-10: S.7662 Advanced to Third Reading

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.

Text

STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________

3910--A

2011-2012 Regular Sessions

IN SENATE

March 9, 2011
___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  LITTLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee  on  Elections  --  committee
  discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
  to said committee

AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to poll 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.  NO PERSON SHALL BE APPOINTED OR ACT  AS  A
WATCHER  WHO IS A CANDIDATE FOR ANY PUBLIC OFFICE TO BE VOTED FOR BY THE
VOTERS OF THE ELECTION DISTRICT IN THE SAME ELECTION IN WHICH THE WATCH-
ER IS TO SERVE.   NOTHING IN THIS  SUBDIVISION  SHALL  BE  CONSTRUED  AS
PROHIBITING  ANY  SUCH  CANDIDATE  FROM VISITING A POLLING PLACE IN SUCH
DISTRICT ON AN ELECTION DAY WHILE THE POLLS ARE OPEN.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD04942-03-1