Bill > A00554

This bill amends New York's election law to create a new legal mechanism for challenging election results by allowing an aggrieved candidate to contest a general or special election in supreme court if there is clear and convincing evidence of fraud, irregularities, or violations of election laws that potentially changed the election outcome. The bill establishes specific procedural requirements, including that the contest must be filed within 20 days after the election, and provides that if the court finds sufficient evidence of irregularities, it can invalidate the original election results and order a new election. The new election would include all eligible voters in the relevant political subdivision, be held on the fifth Tuesday after the court's order (or the next available Tuesday if that day is a holiday), and feature the same candidates as the original ballot. The bill also allows the court to issue an injunction preventing a potentially wrongly elected candidate from assuming office and specifies that candidates who were not shown to have won through invalid means can be considered duly elected. Importantly, the bill does not limit other legal remedies and takes effect immediately, applying to elections held on or after its effective date.

Government Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A554