Referred to: The Laws, Rules and Government Services Committee (Chairman Kovacs and Legislators Gavaris, Hansut, Harmon, Kitchen, Levine, and Uchitelle), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Collins, Hansut, Kovacs, Nolan, and Roberts)

Chairman of the Laws, Rules and Government Services Committee, Jason Kovacs, offers the following:

WHEREAS, the Election Commissioners’ Association of the State of New York has advocated that the New York State Legislature establish minimum staffing levels at local boards of elections across New York State; and  

WHEREAS, the scope and complexity of local boards of elections have changed significantly due to the enactment of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), the implementation of the Federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE ACT), and the carrying out of Early Voting before each election event, among numerous other recent election reforms; and

WHEREAS, in some years, due to Presidential, Federal and State Local Primaries, and Special Elections, there may be as many as three to four countywide election events in addition to nine days of Early Voting prior to each; and 

WHEREAS, it is important and beneficial to municipalities and the voting public that there be enough staffing at local boards of elections with a history of conducting Local, State and Federal Elections in an efficient and knowledgeable manner; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature, pursuant to Ulster County Charter §C-11, is the legislative, appropriating and policy-determining body of the County; and

WHEREAS, upon due deliberation, the Ulster County Legislature has determined that it is in the best interests of the citizens of the County that the Ulster County Board of Elections have a minimum number of full-time employees in addition to Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that it is the Policy of the County of Ulster that the Ulster County Board of Elections shall employ a minimum of four (4) full-time employees in addition to the appointed Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners, within two (2) years of the adoption of this resolution; and be it further

RESOLVED, in each ensuing fiscal year the Ulster County Board of Elections shall employ a minimum of two (2) additional full-time employees for every full allotment of twenty thousand (20,000) active registered voters beyond forty thousand (40,000) active registered voters in the County of Ulster as determined by the most recent voter enrollment data published by the New York State Board of Elections for the preceding year,

and moves its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                       NOES:      

Passed Committee: Laws, Rules and Government Services on ________________.

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on ________________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

TBD