Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Elections Administration topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Election administrators and reform groups urge New York to fund local boards, replace aging pollbooks and plan for cyber threats
Summary
County boards and voting‑rights organizations told the Legislature to re‑appropriate and expand election grants to replace aging electronic pollbooks and voting machines, to fund local boards directly, and to prepare for cyber and misinformation threats that could disrupt voting.
Groups that run elections and civic organizations urged state lawmakers to increase direct support for county boards of elections, replace aging equipment and take new steps to defend New York’s voting infrastructure from cyberattacks and disinformation. Witnesses said those steps are urgent because the state will run its next statewide election cycle on the improved but aging equipment purchased for past cycles.
Election officials asked that the $142 million in executive‑level funding include a clear, direct line to county boards to cover equipment replacement, training and permanent staffing. Several witnesses noted that nearly 40 of New York’s 62 counties still rely on voting machines more than 15 years old; many counties also need newer iPad/iOS electronic pollbooks that will be supported by current operating systems. Administrators warned that delayed or piecemeal funding will force rushed, costly purchases before major elections.
Reform and advocacy groups asked the Legislature to fully fund the state’s new public campaign finance program, which supporters said boosted small‑donor participation and reduced the relative weight of large checks in the last cycle for participating legislative races. The Public Campaign Finance Board has requested $114.5 million for the program’s next phase; groups said the allocation will be needed to keep matching pools and administrative systems working for the 2026 statewide cycle.
Cybersecurity and misinformation were recurring concerns. State and national groups said the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) provides uniquely helpful threat intelligence and exercise support; witnesses urged the state to plan for the possibility that federal assistance could be curtailed and to fund state‑level tech and incident‑response capabilities. Participants also asked for sustained resources to expand voter education and to help local boards counter false information during election windows.
Why it matters: Election systems require timely investment in equipment, staffing and cybersecurity. Witnesses argued that most funding and operational decisions must be handled locally but need predictable state support so counties can plan and upgrade systems without last‑minute emergency purchases.
What’s next: Witnesses asked the Legislature to re‑appropriate pollbook grants in FY2526, to add direct funding lines to county boards for training and staffing, to fund the public finance program fully and to establish state‑level planning and cyber resilience funding for elections.
