Bill > S01195

This bill amends the New York election law to require voting machines to reject ballots containing votes for candidates who have withdrawn from an election, starting January 1, 2027. Specifically, when a voting machine detects a ballot with a vote for a candidate who has already withdrawn their candidacy, it must reject the ballot and provide the voter with a notice explaining that the ballot is invalid. The notice will include the name of the withdrawn candidate and instruct the voter to complete a new ballot. The State Board of Elections is authorized to create rules and regulations to implement this new requirement. The bill aims to prevent voters from accidentally casting votes for candidates who are no longer running in the election, thereby ensuring that votes are counted only for active candidates. The change will apply to all elections held on or after January 1, 2027, giving election officials and voting machine manufacturers time to prepare for the new requirement.

Government Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1195