S 2586: Relates to providing translators at certain polling place locations if fifteen percent of the number of voting age citizens who speak the same language other than English at home reside in the district where such polling place is located.
The bill aims to provide language assistance at polling places in New York State. It requires election boards to determine the number of citizens who speak a language other than English at home in each district. If 15% or more of these citizens speak a language other than English, the board must provide at least one poll worker who speaks that language. Poll workers can be assigned based on the most recent census data. Voters can request translation services from their assigned poll worker in the language that led to their assignment. The bill takes effect immediately.
| Mar. 24, 2026 | PRINT NUMBER 2586A |
| Mar. 24, 2026 | AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO ELECTIONS |
| Jan. 07, 2026 | REFERRED TO ELECTIONS |
| Jan. 21, 2025 | REFERRED TO ELECTIONS |
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2586 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 21, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. MAYER -- 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 providing interpreters at certain polling place locations The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 4-100 of the election law is amended by adding a 2 new subdivision 6 to read as follows: 3 6. a. In creating, consolidating, dividing or altering any election 4 district, the board of elections shall determine the number of citizens 5 of voting age in the district who speak the same language other than 6 English at home using the most recent United States Census data. If 7 fifteen percent of the number of voting age citizens who speak the same 8 language other than English at home, the board of elections must provide 9 for at least one poll worker that speaks such language at polling places 10 in the district. 11 b. For any currently existing election district, the board of 12 elections shall determine the number of citizens of voting age who speak 13 the same language other than English at home using the most recent 14 United States Census data. If fifteen percent of the number of voting 15 age citizens who speak the same language other than English at home, the 16 board of elections must provide for at least one poll worker that speaks 17 such language at polling places in the district. 18 c. Upon voter request, the poll worker assigned to an election 19 district pursuant to paragraphs a and b of this subdivision, shall 20 provide translation services to the voter in the language that led to 21 their assignment to a given election district. 22 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD02721-02-5