New York State Insider: New York State Senator Shelley Mayer: Legislative Update: Board of Elections Reforms.

 

On May 17, the Senate advanced a package of legislation to target shortfalls in the current Board of Elections system. I was proud to sponsor two of the bills which aim to decrease conflicts of interest among Board of Elections' employees running for office and to ensure Boards across the state have the capacity to respond to voters and do the work with which they are charged. The integrity of our elections is critical to our democratic process.

The full legislative package is listed below: 

• Prohibiting Conflicts of Interest: This bill, S.4542A, sponsored by Senator Shelley Mayer, prohibits conflicts of interest among board of elections employees by preventing a board of elections employee from remaining on the board of elections payroll while also running for office with an election overseen by the board at which they are employed.

 

• Make Commissioners Full-Time Board Employees: This bill, S.8311, sponsored by Senator Shelley Mayer, requires election commissioners to be full-time employees of each county’s Boards of Elections.

 

• Mandatory Training Curriculum: This bill, S.263, sponsored by Senator Zellnor Myrie, requires the State Board of Elections to develop a mandatory training curriculum for election commissioners and key staff of boards of elections.

 

• Supporting Voters While In Line: This bill, S.7382A, sponsored by Senator Zellnor Myrie, allows for the distribution of snacks and refreshments to those waiting in line to vote.

 

• Prohibit Commissioners from Holding Office: This bill, S.7442, sponsored by Senator Zellnor Myrie, prohibits election commissioners and deputy commissioners from holding a publicly elected office. 

 

• Pay Raise for Election Inspectors: This bill, S.823A, sponsored by Senator Liz Krueger, increases compensation of election inspectors to $300 and coordinators to $350 in New York City. It also sets minimum pay rate of $300 per day and increases pay for training sessions from $25 to $50.

 

• Reforming the NYC Board of Elections: This bill, S.6226E, sponsored by Senator Liz Krueger, reforms the New York City Board of Elections by reducing its size and delegating more authority to an Executive Director who will be chosen following a nationwide search. The bill also requires the NYCBOE to develop personnel policies with the City’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services in order to ensure that staff hired and promoted by the NYCBOE are qualified. 

 

• Model Poll Worker Training Program: This bill, S.5800B, sponsored by Senator Leroy Comrie, requires the State Board of Elections to establish a poll worker training curriculum and a "train-the-trainer" program that emphasizes professionalism, confidence, and comfort in serving a diverse electorate.

 

• Full Time Employee Minimums: This bill, S.6684A, Senator John Mannion, requires every board of elections to employ a minimum of four full time employees and two additional employees for every twenty thousand active registered voters above forty thousand active registered voters.

 

• Appointment Requirements: This bill, S.8289, sponsored by Senator Jim Gaughran, requires the legislative body responsible for appointing election commissioners to hold a public hearing before commissioners can be appointed. 

 

• Requirements for Commissioner Qualifications: This bill, S.8292, sponsored by Senator John Mannion, requires a Board of Elections commissioner to meet certain qualifications set by the State Board of Elections before his or her appointment.

 

• Removal of Commissioners: This bill, S.8337, sponsored by Senator Rachel May, allows the State Board of Elections to the remove a local election commissioner an affirmative majority vote of duly confirmed commissioners of the state board of elections for incompetence, misconduct, or other good cause, provided that prior to removal, such election commissioner is given a written copy of the charges against them and have an opportunity to be heard in their defense.

 

• Splitting Shifts Among Inspectors and Clerks: This bill, S.424A, sponsored by Senator Brad Hoylman, allows poll clerks to work split shifts with adjusted compensation to reflect the reduced hours worked.

 New York State Senator Shelley Mayer.