Relates to the order of candidate and delegate names on primary ballots in the city of New York and provides for a rotation of names in subsequent elections.
Summary
This bill amends the New York Election Law to change how primary election ballots are arranged on voting machines in the City of New York. It requires candidate names for party primaries to be listed alphabetically by surname in the first election district of a political unit, and then rotated across election districts so that each candidate appears in each ballot position as evenly as possible. The bill also sets special rules for candidates with identical or similar names, grouped candidates on designating petitions, delegate and alternate delegate slates, and county committee candidates.
The measure further requires that offices or party positions and the candidates running for them appear adjacent to one another on voting machines, without blank spaces separating candidates or offices, unless a court order or late ballot change makes full compliance impracticable. It also provides that late court-ordered additions or removals from the ballot, and inadvertent ordering errors discovered too late to fix, will not invalidate an election. The bill takes effect 30 days after becoming law and applies to elections held on or after that date.
Impact
The bill would amend Election Law section 7-116 by adding a New York City-specific rule for primary ballot formatting and candidate-name rotation. Its practical effect is to alter ballot design and candidate placement procedures used by boards of elections in New York City, while leaving the broader statewide election framework intact. It would affect candidates in city primary elections, party committees, county committee contests, and election administrators responsible for preparing voting machine ballots.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the bill appears procedural and administrative rather than ideological, with no recorded committee debate or votes provided. The caption suggests an intent to standardize and rotate candidate names on primary ballots, which may be viewed as promoting fairness and reducing positional advantage. Because there is no transcript or voting history, there is no documented opposition or support in the supplied materials beyond the bill’s formal introduction and referral.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are ballot-order effects and administrative complexity. Rotating candidate names across election districts may be supported by those concerned about ballot-position bias, but it could also be criticized by election administrators for increasing ballot preparation complexity, especially in a large jurisdiction like New York City. Additional issues may arise around handling identical or similar names, grouped slates, and late court-ordered ballot changes, since the bill allows exceptions that could be seen as necessary flexibility but also as sources of inconsistency.
Same As
Relates to the order of candidate and delegate names on primary ballots in cities with a population of one million or more as of the latest federal decennial census and provides for a rotation of names in subsequent elections.
Relates to the order of candidate and delegate names on primary ballots in cities with a population of one million or more as of the latest federal decennial census and provides for a rotation of names in subsequent elections.
In nomination of candidates, further providing for casting of lots for position of names upon the primary ballots or ballot labels and notice to candidates; in ballots, further providing for form of official election ballot and providing for order of candidates on the ballot; in voting machines, further providing for demonstration of voting machines; and, in Pennsylvania Election Law Advisory Board, providing for ballot order randomization study.
In county boards of elections, further providing for powers and duties of county boards; in datesof elections and primaries and special elections, providing for authorization of ranked choice voting in municipal elections; in nomination of candidates, further providing for which candidates nominated; in ballots, further providing for form of official primary ballot; in electronic voting systems, further providing for election day procedures and the process of voting; in preparation for and conduct of primaries and elections, further providing for method of marking ballots and depositing same in districts in which ballots are used and for count and return of votes in districts in which ballots are used; and, in returns of primaries and elections, further providing for persons receiving highest number of votes to be declared elected.
Relating to the authority of the Wood County Central Hospital District of Wood County, Texas, to provide brain and memory care services to residents of the hospital district through the creation and operation of brain and memory health care services districts.