ALBANY – Legislation to prohibit conflicts of interest at boards of elections awaits the governor’s signature. The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson (D, Newburgh) prohibits specific financial conflicts of interest for board employees and forbids them from working at the board of elections if they are candidates in an election run by that board.
The bill has three sections, noted the lawmaker.
First, board employees cannot work for or have a financial interest in a company that sells equipment to the Board of Elections, such as voting machines, printers and poll books.
Second, board employees cannot work for or have a financial interest in a company that provides services, such as mailing, printing, advertising, and consulting, to a candidate whose election is overseen by the board.
Third, board employees cannot remain paid employees if they are running for public office. Any board employee who runs for public office must take an unpaid leave of absence from the board. The leave of absence must begin as soon as an employee files petitions if there is a primary, or at least 90 days before the General Election in November if there is no primary.
Violations of the law can lead to disciplinary action from the board of elections, including the employee’s removal.
In the State Senate, the bill was sponsored by Senator Shelley Mayer (D, Westchester).
