BILL NUMBER: S2543
SPONSOR: MYRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the election law, in relation to notifying voters of the
candidates and upcoming elections
 
PURPOSE:
To set forth a procedure for the distribution of voting guides and post-
cards to all registered voters and to require all major television and
radio stations to use public airwaves to broadcast voting information
before all elections.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends Article 8 of the election law by adding a new title 8
which highlights three means of notification to voters, with a voting
guide, postcards, and television and radio. The voting guide will
require any candidate seeking nomination or election at the next primary
and general election to any public office to provide certain information
including but not limited to biographical information, a candidate's
current occupation, and educational and occupational experience. This
section also requires the state board to mail all registered voters in
each household within the state a voting guide consisting of all
biographical information and answers to related questions.
The postcards must be emailed by the board of elections, notifying the
voter of the date of the upcoming election. The board of elections must
send two postcards, the first being no earlier than fifteen days and no
later than ten days before the election; and the second being no earlier
than seven and no later than five days before the election.
The state board of elections must require all television and radio
stations using public airwaves or doing business within the state to
inform their audience at least four times a day, each day between the
hours of seven A.M. and eleven P.M. of the upcoming election for the ten
days before the election, the state board of elections.
Section 2 provides the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Voter participation in elections is the lifeblood of our democracy.
Voter participation in New York State has been on a steady decline since
the 1950s when, in 1953, the Mayor of the City of New York was elected
with 93% of the eligible voters casting a ballot. 60 years later in
2013, only 24% of voters who were eligible cast a ballot - a record low
for that race. In the 2014 New York State Gubernatorial race, only 29%
of eligible voters turned out according to the NY State Board of
Elections, which ranked 49th out of 50 states nationally. In the 2016
Presidential primary, less than 20% of eligible voters in New York State
turned out to vote which also ranked 49th out of 50. With voting in New
York State consistently at its lowest levels ever, this bill would
assist in reminding voters when elections are taking place so that they
will be better able to participate in the democratic process.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
S2331A of 2023-24: Reported and Committed to Finance.
S281 of 2021-22: Referred to Elections.
S3219 of 2019-20: Referred to Elections.
S5527 of 2017-18: Referred to Elections.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one-hundred-eightieth day after it
shall have become a law.