Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 52, December 24, 2024
WHEREAS, it is a fundamental principle of our democracy
that every citizen's right to vote must be respected, and every vote must be
counted equally and accurately;
WHEREAS, the presidential election of November 2000 and its
aftermath exposed vulnerabilities in the methods that states use to elect
public officials;
WHEREAS, new technologies are available to improve the
process by which votes are cast and tabulated and elections are administered;
and
WHEREAS, it is necessary and appropriate to examine the
methods by which elections are conducted and administered in New York State for
the purpose of improving and modernizing our electoral system so that every New
Yorker's right to vote is honored, respected and upheld;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE E. PATAKI, Governor of the State
of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
Laws of the State of New York, do hereby establish the New York State Task
Force on Election Modernization (Task Force).
I. Membership
The Task Force shall consist of seven members appointed by
the Governor, two of whom shall be appointed on the recommendation of the
Temporary President of the State Senate and another two of whom shall be
appointed on the recommendation of the Speaker of the State Assembly. The
members of the Task Force shall receive no compensation but shall be entitled
to reimbursement for any necessary expenses incurred in connection with the
performance of their duties.
II. Responsibilities and Powers
A. The Task Force shall examine current and
alternative methods for conducting and administering elections in New York
State, including:
(1) Current and alternative
methods of casting and tabulating votes;
(2) Current and alternative methods of making
the polls accessible to all voters, including senior citizens, members of the
military and persons with disabilities;
(3) Current and alternative methods of
registering voters and maintaining and verifying voter registration
records;
(4) Current and
alternative methods of identifying voters at the polls;
(5) Current and alternative methods of
casting votes by absentee and overseas ballot;
(6) Current and alternative methods of
ensuring the security and integrity of elections; and
(7) Current and alternative methods of
recruiting, training and compensating election officials.
B. In carrying out its responsibilities, the
Task Force shall:
(1) Solicit the advice of
organizations representing election officials, local governments, racial and
ethnic minorities, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, bar associations
and other organizations with a demonstrated interest in election modernization;
and
(2) Participate, where
appropriate, in election modernization studies conducted by the Federal
government and use the results of such studies in formulating its
recommendations for New York State.
C. The Task Force shall issue an interim
report to the Governor no later than May 15, 2001 with recommendations on
electoral improvements that can be implemented prior to the November 2001
general election. The Task Force shall issue a final report, on or before April
15, 2002, with recommendations on the steps that New York State should take to
modernize and improve its electoral system.
D. The Task Force is authorized to:
(1) Conduct hearings in furtherance of the
performance of its duties under this Order; and
(2) Call upon any agency, department, office,
division, or public authority of this State to supply it with such data and
other resources, personnel and assistance as the Task Force deems necessary to
discharge the responsibilities conferred upon it by this Order.
E. Each agency, department,
office, division, and public authority of this State, including the State Board
of Elections, is hereby directed to cooperate with the Task Force and to
furnish the Task Force with such information, personnel, and assistance as the
Task Force deems necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Order.
Signed: George E. PatakiDated: February 16, 2001
[FN*] [Revoked by Executive Order No. 5 (Eliot Spitzer),
infra.]
[Revoked by Executive Order No. 9 (David A. Paterson),
infra.]
[Revoked by Executive Order No. 2 (Andrew M. Cuomo),
infra.]
