S 1844: Allows voters to take photographs of themselves and their ballot, or absentee ballot, while in a privacy booth, and to share and disseminate such photographs on social media.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1844 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE January 14, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. HOYLMAN-SIGAL -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to allowing voters to take photographs of themselves and their ballots while voting The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 8-300 of the election law is amended by adding a 2 new subdivision 4 to read as follows: 3 4. (a) A voter shall be allowed to take photographs of themselves and 4 their own ballot, or absentee ballot, while in a privacy booth. Such 5 voter shall also be allowed to share and disseminate such photographs on 6 social media. For purposes of this subdivision social media shall 7 include, but shall not be limited to forms of communication through 8 which users participate in online communities to share information, 9 ideas, personal messages, and other content. Social media shall also 10 include text messages and the transmission of images via electronic 11 forms of communication. 12 (b) Any person who interferes with a voter's photograph pursuant to 13 paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. 14 § 2. Subdivisions 10 and 11 of section 17-130 of the election law are 15 amended to read as follows: 16 10. [Shows his] Solicits a voter to show such voter's ballot after it 17 is prepared for voting, to any person so as to reveal the contents[, or 18 solicits a voter to show the same]; or, 19 11. Places any mark upon [his] such person's ballot, or does any other 20 act in connection with [his] such person's ballot with the intent that 21 it may be identified as the one voted by [him] such person, other than 22 what is allowed pursuant to subdivision four of section 8-300 of this 23 chapter; or, 24 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD02299-01-5