Bill Text: NY A07934 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishes an open primary system for all state and congressional elections.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-14 - opinion referred to judiciary [A07934 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A07934-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          7934

                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                      May 28, 2019
                                       ___________

        Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Election Law

                    CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY

        proposing  an amendment to article 2 of the constitution, in relation to
          the establishment of an open primary system for all state and congres-
          sional elections

     1    Section 1. Resolved (if the Senate concur),  That  article  2  of  the
     2  constitution be amended by adding a new section 10 to read as follows:
     3    §  10.  (a)  A voter-nomination primary election shall be conducted to
     4  select the candidates for congressional and state elective offices.  All
     5  voters may vote at a voter-nominated primary election for any  candidate
     6  for  congressional and state elective office without regard to the poli-
     7  tical party preference disclosed by the candidate or the voter, provided
     8  that the voter is otherwise qualified to vote  for  candidates  for  the
     9  office in question. The candidates who are the top two vote-getters at a
    10  voter-nominated  primary  election for a congressional or state elective
    11  office shall, regardless of party preference,  compete  in  the  ensuing
    12  general election.
    13    (b)  The  Legislature  shall provide that candidates for such congres-
    14  sional and state offices shall be placed on the ballot  for  voter-nomi-
    15  nated  primary election by petition in the manner provided by statute. A
    16  candidate for a congressional or state elective office may have  his  or
    17  her  political  party preference, or lack of political party preference,
    18  indicated upon the ballot for the office in the manner provided by stat-
    19  ute. A political party or party committee shall not nominate a candidate
    20  for any congressional or state elective office  at  the  voter-nominated
    21  primary.  This  subdivision shall not be interpreted to prohibit a poli-
    22  tical party of party committee from endorsing, supporting,  or  opposing
    23  any candidate for a congressional or state elective office.  A political
    24  party  or party committee shall not have the right to have its preferred
    25  candidate participate in the  general  election  for  a  voter-nominated

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD89136-01-9
        A. 7934                             2

     1  office other than a candidate who is one of the two highest vote-getters
     2  at the primary election, as provided in subdivision (a) of this section.
     3    (c) The Legislature shall provide for partisan elections for political
     4  party and party committees.
     5    § 2. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That the foregoing amendments be
     6  referred  to  the  first regular legislative session convening after the
     7  next succeeding general election of members of  the  assembly,  and,  in
     8  conformity  with  section  1  of  article  19  of  the  constitution, be
     9  published for 3 months previous to the time of such election.