Bill > S10618

This bill amends election law to prohibit members of the military or armed government personnel from interfering with elections, with specific provisions for civil enforcement. It makes it illegal for officers or individuals in the civil, military, or naval service of New York or the United States to bring or keep armed troops at an election site unless necessary to repel armed enemies, and also prohibits them from attempting to fix voter qualifications, prevent voting by force or intimidation, compel election officers to accept illegal votes, impose different election regulations, or interfere with election officers' duties, all of which must also violate federal law to be punishable under this bill. Exceptions are made for law enforcement responding to specific emergencies or disturbances authorized by an election officer, when their presence is otherwise legally required, or for members of the state or national guard activated by the governor for election duties under an election officer's supervision; importantly, these prohibitions do not prevent military members from voting. The bill also prohibits administrative employees of federal, state, or local governments, whose positions are funded by government loans or grants, from using their official authority to interfere with the nomination or election of any candidate, provided this also violates federal law, with exceptions for educational, research, religious, philanthropic, or cultural organizations. The Attorney General is granted jurisdiction to prosecute offenses under these new sections, and any person aggrieved by a violation, an election officer, or the Attorney General can bring a civil suit for equitable relief, with prevailing plaintiffs in private suits recovering attorney's fees and litigation expenses, and all such actions are to be expedited.