Bills have been introduced in each house of the New York legislature to cut the number of signatures for district office, for the 2021 general election only. They are A4686 and S4380. They lower the number of signatures for independent candidates, for 2021 only, for district office. US House drops from 3,500 to 1,750; State Senate from 3,000 to 1,500; and Assembly from 1,500 to 750. It is odd that the bills do not lower the number of signatures for statewide office, which is 45,000 as a result of the 2020 bill that tripled statewide independent petitions.
The sponsors are Assembly member Kenny Burgos (D-Bronx) and Senator John Mannion (D-Syracuse). Thanks to Joe Burns for this news.
Another bill, A4447, would eliminate primary write-ins for 2021 only. It is by Assembly member Emily Gallagher (D-Brooklyn).
It seems to me that they might have avoided lowering the statewide requirements because either Cuomo told them not to, or perhaps they were afraid of opposing his statewide efforts to destroy minor parties. For all we know, even this modest effort to provide ballot access relief might be too much for King Cuomo.