New York S 1870: Relates to the number of signatures for independent nominating petitions

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S01870 Summary:

BILL NOS01870 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A02724

&nbsp

SPONSORWALCZYK

&nbsp

COSPNSRBORRELLO

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Amd §§6-142, 1-104, 6-138 & 6-158, El L

&nbsp

Relates to the number of signatures for independent nominating petitions; decreases the number of signatures and votes to 15,000 signatures for statewide candidates and 50,000 votes to maintain party ballot status; changes the petition period to 12 weeks and the petitioning time to May-August.

Go to top S01870 Actions:

BILL NOS01870 

&nbsp

01/14/2025REFERRED TO ELECTIONS

01/07/2026REFERRED TO ELECTIONS

Go to topS01870 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS01870 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS01870 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 1870

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 January 14, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. WALCZYK -- 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 the number of signa-
 tures for independent nominating petitions

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 6-142 of the election law, as
 2 amended by section 9 of part ZZZ of chapter 58 of the laws of 2020, is
 3 amended to read as follows:
 4 1. An independent nominating petition for candidates to be voted for
 5 by all the voters of the state must be signed by at least [forty-five]
 6 fifteen thousand voters, or one percent of the total number of votes,
 7 excluding blank and void ballots, cast for the office of governor at the
 8 last gubernatorial election, whichever is less, of whom at least [five]
 9 one hundred[,] or one percent of enrolled voters, whichever is less,
 10 shall reside in each of one-half of the congressional districts of the
 11 State.
 12 § 2. Subdivision 3 of section 1-104 of the election law, as amended by
 13 section 10 of part ZZZ of chapter 58 of the laws of 2020, is amended to
 14 read as follows:
 15 3. The term "party" means any political organization which, excluding
 16 blank and void ballots, at the last preceding election for governor
 17 received, at least two percent of the total votes cast for its candidate
 18 for governor, or [one hundred thirty] fifty thousand votes, whichever
 19 [is greater] lesser, in the year in which a governor is elected and at
 20 least two percent of the total votes cast for its candidate for presi-
 21 dent, or [one hundred thirty] fifty thousand votes, whichever is [great-
 22 er] lesser, in a year when a president is elected.
 23 § 3. Subdivision 4 of section 6-138 of the election law, as amended by
 24 chapter 88 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read as follows:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD05514-01-5

 S. 1870 2

 1 4. [A signature made earlier than six weeks prior to the last day to
 2 file independent petitions shall not be counted.] (a) A signature on an
 3 independent petition for a special election made earlier than the date
 4 of the proclamation calling the special election shall not be counted.
 5 (b) Signatures for an independent petition for the general election
 6 shall be collected during a twelve week period beginning the Monday
 7 before Memorial day and ending the third Monday of August. No signature
 8 for an independent petition for the general election shall be counted if
 9 made prior to or after such period.
 10 § 4. Subdivisions 9, 11 and 12 of section 6-158 of the election law,
 11 as amended by chapter 164 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as
 12 follows:
 13 9. A petition for an independent nomination for an office to be filled
 14 at the time of a general election shall be filed not earlier than [twen-
 15 ty-four] twenty-three weeks and not later than [twenty-three] six weeks
 16 preceding such election. A petition for an independent nomination for an
 17 office to be filled at a special election shall be filed not later than
 18 twelve days following the issuance of a proclamation of such election,
 19 provided however, such certificate shall be filed not later than nine
 20 days followin