Senate elections committee questions language and notice recipients in New York City voter-notice bill

The New York State Senate Elections Committee, chaired by Senator Christine Gonzalez, debated Senate Bill 35968 on May 28, 2025. The bill, introduced by Senator Rivera, would amend the Election Law to require certain notices prior to elections in cities with a population of 1,000,000 or more (New York City). The committee moved the bill and reported it out of committee to first reading; the record shows one committee member voting no.

Committee members pressed the bill's language and scope. A committee member said the draft’s wording about New York’s closed-primary practice is redundant and might confuse voters; that member suggested clearer text such as, “you cannot vote in a party’s primary unless you are enrolled in that party,” rather than the current phrasing. Chair Senator Christine Gonzalez said she would follow up with the prime sponsor and noted voter-education efforts are a separate avenue to explain primary rules.

Members also raised concerns about who would receive notice of polling-place changes. One senator said the proposal appears to direct notices to incumbent senators and assembly members but not to challengers, which could give incumbents an informational advantage. The same commenter suggested notifying party chairs as a way campaigns and challengers could access the information, and noted that polling-place changes are also posted publicly on local board of elections websites.

Committee members discussed operational details the bill does not specify. The bill would authorize multiple forms of contact: mailings, phone calls and email; committee remarks referenced the possibility of sending up to four mailed notices and automated calls to verify voter status. A member questioned how the bill would handle voters who are deceased or have been marked inactive, and whether multiple notices could impose financial burdens on local boards of elections. Chair Gonzalez said staff would obtain follow-up information from the sponsor to clarify those points.

Several members also noted the bill appears limited to New York City; one committee member argued that if the Legislature wants a statewide policy, it should not apply only to New York City. The committee’s discussion did not change the bill text on the record during the meeting.

Votes and next steps: the committee voted to report Senate Bill 35968 to first reading; the transcript records one ‘no’ vote but does not name the voter. The chair and staff said they would follow up with the prime sponsor for clarifications on language and operational details.

The bill’s questions about notice recipients, the treatment of inactive or deceased registrants, and the potential workload and cost for boards of elections were left for sponsor follow-up rather than resolved in committee.