Governor Cuomo Signs Legislation Modernizing the Way Candidates and Committees File Campaign Finance Disclosures by Requiring Electronic Filing Directly With the New York State Board of Elections

Statement

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed legislation (S.3903/A.1641A) reducing confusion, increasing transparency and simplifying filing requirements by mandating all candidates and committees to electronically file their campaign finance information with the New York State Board of Elections. This bill removes the $1,000 fundraising minimum for campaigns to file with the State Board of Elections and also removes the requirement for filing campaign reports with County Boards of Elections. By centralizing and streamlining the reporting process, the legislation eases the reporting process by having all campaigns report their finances to one location and improves transparency for the public.

"Transparency throughout the election process is crucial to ensure voters are well-informed about candidates and have all the facts," Governor Cuomo said. "This law will not only provide voters with better access to relevant candidate information, but it will also make the reporting process more efficient and sensible for both campaigns and the Board of Elections."

Senator Zellnor Myrie said, "This was a historic year for campaign finance and election reforms. But in order to ensure these new laws are followed, we need modern and transparent methods of monitoring campaign contributions. By finally bringing electronic campaign finance filings to New York, this legislation will protect the integrity of our democracy."

Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright said, "Thank you to Governor Cuomo, the election law reform that I sponsored has been signed into law. It will bring greater transparency and accountability all across New York State, as we continue to strive for public access at all levels of the electoral process."

A key goal of the Governor's 2019 Justice Agenda is to modernize New York's voting laws to increase voter participation. On Saturday, October 26, early voting went into effect for the first time, making it easier for New York voters to participate in elections without logistical burdens. In addition to early voting, the reforms signed into law by Governor Cuomo earlier this year will allow for eight days of early voting before an election, synchronize federal and state primary elections, allow voter preregistration for teenagers, provide voter registration portability within the state, and close the LLC loophole.

Last month, Governor Cuomo also signed legislation expediting party enrollment changes to make it easier for voters to participate in the upcoming primary elections. This removed the October 11 deadline and gives voters until February 14 to make changes to party enrollment and still vote in the April presidential and June congressional and state primaries.

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