Tkaczyk: Move primary date or reimburse voters
By TANIQUE WILLIAMS
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January 29, 2014
Due to inaction on passing into law a bill that would consolidate state primary dates to one day in June, New York state Sen. Cecilia Tkaczyk, D-Duanesburg, has introduced legislation (S.6417) requiring the state to reimburse taxpayers and local governments for the cost of operating separate primaries.
The bill is a response to inaction on behalf of the Senate to pass a bill (A.8198/S.6204) —sponsored by Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan — that would move state primary elections from September to coincide with congressional primaries. Consolidating primary dates could save taxpayers an estimated $50 million, according to the legislation.
The purpose of moving state primary dates to June is to ensure that New York's election law complies with the federal Military Overseas Voter Empowerment Act, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2009.
http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-Top-Stories-c-2014-01-29-86577.113122-Tkaczyk-Move-primary-date-or-reimburse-voters.html