New York Assembly Bill A06153

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/26/25
• Refer: 2/26/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Establishes no polling place shall be located on the premises of any public or private elementary or secondary school or a school for preschool children.

Summary

This bill amends New York’s Election Law to prohibit polling places from being located on the premises of any public or private elementary school, secondary school, or preschool school. It adds a new subdivision to section 4-104 of the Election Law establishing that no polling place may be placed in these school facilities, while leaving in place the general framework for designating polling places in other publicly owned or leased buildings. The bill also removes existing statutory language that specifically addressed the use of public school buildings as polling places and the accommodations required when a school was selected. Under current law, school buildings could be used as polling places if the controlling body provided suitable rooms near an accessible entrance and for voters with disabilities. This bill would eliminate that option for schools altogether, while preserving the broader rules for other public buildings and the process for a building owner or controlling body to request cancellation if use would unreasonably interfere with normal activities. Its practical effect would be to change how local election officials select polling sites, requiring them to avoid school premises and instead use other public or private facilities. This could affect school districts, election boards, voters, and poll workers by shifting Election Day operations away from educational settings and potentially requiring new site planning, accessibility review, and voter notification procedures. The bill takes effect immediately. The available context shows no recorded committee debate or votes, so there is no documented formal sentiment from legislative proceedings. Based on the bill’s text and caption, the measure appears aimed at reducing disruption and security concerns associated with holding elections in schools, but it may also raise logistical concerns about finding enough accessible alternative polling locations. Because there is no transcript or vote history, no specific supporters or opponents are identified in the provided materials.

Impact

The bill would amend Election Law section 4-104 by adding a categorical prohibition on locating polling places on the premises of public or private elementary schools, secondary schools, and preschools. It would also remove the existing school-specific accommodation language that allowed public school buildings to serve as polling places under certain conditions. Local boards of elections and other bodies that designate polling places would need to exclude school premises and rely on other public or leased buildings, while the general rules for polling-place designation and cancellation requests would remain in effect for non-school facilities.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or vote records were provided, so there is no documented legislative sentiment to summarize from debate or roll call. From the bill’s structure and caption, the measure appears to be framed as a policy change to keep elections out of schools, which may appeal to those concerned about school disruption, student safety, or administrative burden. At the same time, the absence of recorded discussion means there is no evidence in the provided materials of formal support, opposition, or compromise positions.

Contention

The main policy tension is between removing polling places from school premises and maintaining convenient, accessible voting locations. Supporters would likely favor the bill for minimizing disruption to school operations and avoiding the use of educational facilities for elections, while opponents or critics may worry that banning schools could reduce the number of available polling sites, especially in neighborhoods where schools are among the most accessible public buildings. Accessibility for voters with disabilities and the practical burden on election administrators are likely to be the central implementation concerns.