OF THE

State of New York.

PROVISIONS THEREIN CONCERNING ELECTIONS

AND ELECTIVE OFFICERS.

ARTICLE I.

1. Persons not to be disfranchised.

No member of this State shall be disfranchised, or deprived of any of the rights or privileges secured to any citizen thereof, unless by the law of the land, or the judgment of his peers.

Every citizen of the age of twenty-one years, who shall have been a citizen for ninety days, and an inhabitant of this state one year next preceding an election, and for the last four months a resident of the county and for the last thirty days a resident of the election district in which he or she may offer his or her vote, shall be entitled to vote at such election in the election district of which he or she shall at the time be a resident, and not elsewhere, for all officers that now are or hereafter may be elective by the people, and upon all questions which may be submitted to the vote of the people, provided, however, that a citizen by marriage shall have been an inhabitant of the United States for five years; and provided that in time of war no elector in the actual military service of the state, or of the United States, in the army or navy thereof, shall be deprived of his or her vote by reason of his or her absence from such election district; and the legislature shall have power to provide the manner in which and the time and place at which such absent electors may vote, and for the return and canvass of their votes in the election districts in which they respectively reside.

Const. 1846, art. II, § 1.

Amended, 1917.

§ 1-a. Legislature may provide vote for absent voters.

The legislature may, by general law, provide a manner in which, and the time and place at which, qualified voters who may, on the occurrence of any general election, be unavoidably absent from the state or county of their residence because their duties, occupation or business require them to be elsewhere within the United States, may vote, and for the return and canvass of their votes in the election district in which they respectively reside. Added, 1919.

§ 2. Persons excluded from the right of suffrage.

No person who shall receive, accept, or offer to receive, or pay, offer or promise to pay, contribute, offer or promise to contribute to another, to be paid or used, any money or other valuable thing as a compensation or reward for the giving or withholding a vote at an election, or who shall make any promise to influence the giving or withholding any such vote, or who shall make or become directly or indirectly interested in any bet or wager depending upon the result of any election, shall vote at such election; and upon challenge for such cause, the person so challenged, before the officers authorized for that purpose shall receive his vote, shall swear or affirm before such officers that he has not received or offered, does not expect to receive, has not

paid, offered or promised to pay, contributed, offered or promised to contribute to another, to be paid or used, any money or other valuable thing as a compensation or reward for the giving or withholding a vote at such election, and has not made any promise to influence the giving or withholding of any such vote, nor made or become directly or indirectly interested in any bet or wager depending upon the result of such election. The Legislature shall enact laws excluding from the right of suffrage all persons convicted of bribery or of any infamous crime.

Const. 1846, art. II, § 2.

§ 3. Certain occupations and conditions not to affect residence. For the purpose of voting, no person shall be deemed to have gained or lost a residence, by reason of his presence or absence, while employed in the service of the United States; nor while engaged in the navigation of the waters of this State, or of the United States, or of the high seas; nor while a student of any seminary of learning; nor while kept at any almshouse, or other asylum, or institution wholly or partly supported at public expense or by charity; nor while confined in any public prison.

Const. 1846, art. II, § 3.

§ 4. Registration and election laws to be passed.

Laws shall be made for ascertaining, by proper proofs, the citizens who shall be entitled to the right of suffrage hereby established, and for the registration of voters; which registration shall be completed at least ten days before each election. Such registration shall not be required for town and village elections except by express provision of law. In cities and villages having five thousand inhabitants or more, according to the last preceding State enumeration of inhabitants, voters shall be registered upon personal application only; but voters not residing in such cities or villages shall not be required to apply in person for registration at the first meeting of the officers having charge of the registry of voters.

Const. 1846, art. II, § 4.

5. Manner of voting.

All elections by the citizens, except for such town officers as may by law be directed to be otherwise chosen, shall be by ballot, or by such other method as may be prescribed by law, provided that secrecy in voting be preserved.

Const. 1846, art. II, § 5.

§ 6. Registration and election boards to be bi-partisan, except at town and village elections.

All laws creating, regulating or affecting boards or officers charged with the duty of registering voters, or of distributing ballots at the polls to voters, or of receiving, recording or counting votes at elections, shall secure equal representation of the two political parties which, at the general election next preceding that for which such boards or officers are to serve, cast the highest and the next highest number of votes. All such boards and officers shall be appointed or elected in such manner, and upon the nomination of such representatives of said parties respectively, as the Legislature may direct. Existing laws on this subject shall continue until the Legislature shall otherwise provide. This section shall not apply to town meetings, or to village elections. New.

ARTICLE III.

§ 2. Number and terms of senators and assemblymen.

The Senate shall consist of fifty members, except as hereinafter provided. The senators elected in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-five shall hold their offices for three years, and their successors shall be chosen for

two years. The Assembly shall consist of one hundred and fifty members who shall be chosen for one year.

Const. 1846, art. III, § 2.

3. Senate districts.

The State shall be divided into fifty districts to be called senate districts, each of which shall choose one senator. The districts shall be be numbered from one to fifty, inclusive.

District number one (1) shall consist of the counties of Suffolk and Richmond.

District number two (2) shall consist of the county of Queens.

District number three (3) shall consist of that part of the county of Kings comprising the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth wards of the city of Brooklyn.

District number four (4) shall consist of that part of the county of Kings comprising the seventh, thirteenth, nineteenth and twenty-first wards of the city of Brooklyn.

District number five (5) shall consist of that part of the county of Kings comprising the eighth, tenth, twelfth and thirtieth wards of the city of Brooklyn, and the ward of the city of Brooklyn which was formerly the town of Gravesend.

District number six (6) shall consist of that part of the county of Kings comprising the ninth, eleventh, twentieth and twenty-second wards of the city of Brooklyn.

District number seven (7) shall consist of that part of the county of Kings comprising the fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth wards of the city of Brooklyn.

District number eight (8) shall consist of that part of the county of Kings comprising the twenty-third, twenty-fourth, twenty-fifth and twenty-ninth wards of the city of Brooklyn, and the town of Flatlands.

District number nine (9) shall consist of that part of the county of Kings comprising the eighteenth, twenty-sixth, twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth wards of the city of Brooklyn.

District number ten (10) shall consist of that part of the county of New York within and bounded by a line beginning at Canal street and the Hudson river, and running thence along Canal street, Hudson street, Dominick street, Varick street, Broome street, Sullivan street, Spring street, Broadway, Canal street, the Bowery, Division street, Grand street and Jackson street, to the East river and thence around the southern end of Manhattan island, to the place of beginning, and also Governor's, Bedloe's and Ellis islands.

District number eleven (11) shall consist of that part of the county of New York lying north of district number ten, and within and bounded by a line beginning at the junction of Broadway and Canal street, and running thence along Broadway, Fourth street, the Bowery and Third avenue, St. Mark's place, Avenue A, Seventh street, Avenue B, Clinton street, Rivington street, Norfolk street, Division street, Bowery and Canal street, to the place of beginning.

District number twelve (12) shall consist of that part of the county of New York lying north of districts numbers ten and eleven and within and bounded by a line beginning at Jackson street and the East river, and running thence through Jackson street, Grand street, Division street, Norfolk street, Rivington street, Clinton street, Avenue B, Seventh street, Avenue A, St. Mark's place, Third avenue, East Fourteenth street to the East river, and along the East river, to the place of beginning.

District number thirteen (13) shall consist of that part of the county of New York lying north of district number ten, and within and bounded by a line beginning at the Hudson river at the foot of Canal street, and running thence along Canal street, Hudson street, Dominick street, Varick street, Broome street, Sullivan street, Spring street, Broadway, Fourth street, the Bowery and Third avenue, Fourteenth street, Sixth avenue, West Fifteenth street, Seventh avenue, West Nineteenth street, Eighth avenue, West Twentieth street, and the Hudson river, to the place of beginning.

District number fourteen (14) shall consist of that part of the county of New York lying north of districts numbers twelve and thirteen, and within and bounded by a line beginning at East Fourteenth street and the East river, and running thence along East Fourteenth street, Irving place, East Nineteenth street, Third avenue, East Twenty-third street, Lexington avenue, East Fifty-third street, Third avenue, East Fifty-second street, and the East river, to the place of beginning.

District number fifteen (15) shall consist of that part of the county of New York lying north of district number thirteen, and within and bounded by a line beginning at the junction of West Fourteenth street and Sixth avenue, and running thence along Sixth avenue, West Fifteenth street, Seventh avenue, West Fortieth street, Eighth avenue, and the transverse road across Central park to Ninety-seventh street, Fifth avenue, East Ninety-sixth street, Lexington avenue, East Twenty-third street, Third avenue, East Nineteenth street, Irving place and Fourteenth street, to the place of beginning.

District number sixteen (16) shall consist of that part of the county of New York lying north of district number thirteen, and within and bounded by a line beginning at Seventh avenue and West Nineteenth street, and running thence along West Nineteenth street, Eighth avenue, West Twentieth street, the Hudson river, West Forty-sixth street, Tenth avenue, West Forty-third street, Eighth avenue, West Fortieth street and Seventh avenue, to the place of beginning.

District number seventeen (17) shall consist of that part of the county of New York lying north of district number sixteen, and within and bounded by a line beginning at the junction of Eighth avenue and West Forty-third street, and running thence along West Forty-third street, Tenth avenue, West Fortysixth street, the Hudson river, West Eighty-ninth street, Tenth or Amsterdam avenue, West Eighty-sixth street, Ninth or Columbus avenue, West Eightyfirst street and Eighth avenue, to the place of beginning.

District number eighteen (18) shall consist of that part of the county of New York lying north of district number fourteen, and within and bounded by a line beginning at the junction of East Fifty-second street and the East river, and running thence along East Fifty-second street, Third avenue, East Fifty-third street, Lexington avenue, East Eighty-fourth street, Second avenue, East Eighty-third street and the East river, to the place of beginning; and also Blackwell's island.

District number nineteen (19) shall consist of that part of the county of New York lying north of district number seventeen, and within and bounded by a line beginning at West Eighty-ninth street and the Hudson river, and running thence along the Hudson river and Spuyten Duyvil creek around the northern end of Manhattan island; thence southerly along the Harlem river to the north end of Fifth avenue; thence along Fifth avenue, East One Hundred and Twenty-ninth street, Fourth or Park avenue, East One Hundred and Tenth street, Fifth avenue, to transverse road across Central park at Ninetyseventh street, Eighth avenue, West Eighty-first street, Ninth or Columbus avenue, West Eighty-sixth street, Tenth or Amsterdam avenue and West Eighty-ninth street, to the place of beginning.

District number twenty (20) shall consist of that part of the county of New York lying north of districts numbers eighteen and fifteen, and within and bounded by a line beginning at East Eighty-third street and the East river, running thence through East Eighty-third street, Second avenue, East Eighty-fourth street, Lexington avenue, East Ninety-sixth street, Fifth avenue, East One Hundred and Tenth street, Fourth or Park avenue, East One Hundred and Nineteenth street to the Harlem river, and along the Harlem and East rivers, to the place of beginning; and also Randall's island and Ward's island.

All the above districts in the county of New York bounded upon or along the boundary waters of the county, shall be deemed to extend to the county line.

District number twenty-one (21) shall consist of that part of the county of New York lying north of districts numbers nineteen and twenty, within and bounded by a line beginning at East One Hundred and Nineteenth street and the Harlem river, and running thence along East One Hundred and Nineteenth street, Fourth or Park avenue, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth street, Fifth

avenue and the Harlem river to the place of beginning; and all that part of the county of New York not hereinbefore described.

District number twenty-two (22) shall consist of the county of Westchester. District number twenty-three (23) shall consist of the counties of Orange and Rockland.

District number twenty-four (24) shall consist of the counties of Dutchess, Columbia and Putnam.

District number twenty-five (25) shall consist of the counties of Ulster and Greene.

District number twenty-six (26) shall consist of the counties of Delaware, Chenango and Sullivan.

District number twenty-seven (27) shall consist of the counties of Montgomery, Fulton, Hamilton and Schoharie.

District number twenty-eight (28) shall consist of the counties of Saratoga, Schenectady and Washington.

District number twenty-nine (29) shall consist of the county of Albany.. District number thirty (30) shall consist of the county of Rensselaer. District number thirty-one (31) shall consist of the counties of Clinton, Essex and Warren.

District number thirty-two (32) shall consist of the counties of St. Lawrence and, Franklin.

District number thirty-three (33) shall consist of the counties of Otsego and Herkimer.

District number thirty-four (34) shall consist of the county of Oneida. District number thirty-five (35) shall consist of the counties of Jefferson and Lewis.

District number thirty-six (36) shall consist of the county of Onondaga. District number thirty-seven (37) shall consist of the counties of Oswego and Madison,

District number thirty-eight (38) shall consist of the counties of Broome, Cortland and Tioga.

District number thirty-nine (39) shall consist of the counties of Cayuga and Seneca.

District number forty (40) shall consist of the counties of Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler.

District number forty-one (41) shall consist of the counties of Steuben and Yates.

District number forty-two (42) shall consist of the counties of Ontario and Wayne.

District number forty-three (43) shall consist of that part of the county of Monroe comprising the towns of Brighton, Henrietta, Irondequoit, Mendon, Penfield, Perinton, Pittsford, Rush and Webster, and the fourth, sixth, seventh, eighth, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth wards of the city of Rochester, as at present constituted.

District number forty-four (44) shall consist of that part of the county of Monroe comprising the towns of Chili, Clarkson, Gates, Greece, Hamlin, Ogden, Parma, Riga, Sweden and Wheatland, and the first, second, third, fifth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, fifteenth, nineteenth and twentieth wards of the city of Rochester, as at present constituted.

District number forty-five (45) shall consist of the counties of Niagara, Genesee and Orleans.

District number forty-six (46) shall consist of the counties of Allegany, Livingston and Wyoming.

District number forty-seven (47) shall consist of that part of the county of Erie comprising the first, second, third, sixth, fifteenth, nineteenth. twentieth, twenty-first, twenty-second, twenty-third and twenty-fourth wards of the city of Buffalo, as at present constituted.

District number forty-eight (48) shall consist of that part of the county of Erie comprising the fourth, fifth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth and sixteenth wards of the city of Buffalo, as at present constituted.

District number forty-nine (49) shall consist of that part of the county of Erie comprising the seventeenth, eighteenth and twenty-fifth wards of the city