Bill > A04307

This bill enacts the "Count Every Vote Act of New York" and modifies the existing election law regarding vote recounts. The bill establishes new criteria for triggering a full hand recount of ballots in an election contest. Specifically, a hand recount will be conducted if: the margin of victory is 20 votes or less, the margin of victory is 0.5% or less, or in contests with over one million ballots cast where the margin of victory is less than 5,000 votes. The bill redefines "margin of victory" as the difference between votes for the winning and losing candidate (or for/against a ballot proposal), and provides a precise method for calculating the percentage by dividing the margin by total ballots cast. For contests spanning multiple counties or jurisdictions, the state board of elections will determine the margin of victory based on recanvass results submitted by local election boards. The bill also stipulates that a full hand recount must only commence after completing the initial vote recanvass, and that the results of the hand recount will supersede the original election district returns. By making these changes, the bill aims to enhance the accuracy and transparency of vote counting in New York elections.

Government Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A4307