As already noted, the New York Assembly recently passed two important election law bills. AB 2064 authorizes early voting (also called “no excuse absentee voting”). AB 3052 moves the independent candidate petition deadline from August to May, and moves the primary for state and local office from September to June.

Although the Assembly passed both bills on the same day, the Senate is treating the two bills differently. AB 2064 has been sent to the Senate Elections Committee, but AB 3052 was sent to the Veterans, Homeland Security & Military Affairs Committee.