Voters may soon have more options as to where they cast their ballots.
A bill, sponsored by State Senator Rachel May, would establish portable polling locations for early voting and allow a county’s board of elections to establish such locations. Senate Bill S242 would also require that these portable polling places be open for at least three days and not replace or decrease the number of regular early voting sites.
“Our democracy works best when everyone participates, and we must ensure that participation is as easy as possible,” May said in a Facebook post. “My portable polling locations bill will do just that by providing boards of election an option to help remove barriers, giving New Yorkers easier access to the ballot box.”
The location of the polling places would need to be determined no more than 14 days before the election.
It is hoped that these portable early polling places will increase voting access for rural and elderly voters.
The bill has passed the State Senate and a corresponding bill is in Assembly Committee.
