Permits political parties to perform certain functions without forming county committees

Parties gain tools to challenge voter enrollment

Effective immediately, New York political parties can handle party-enrollment challenges in counties where they have no county committee. The state party committee elects one or more people by majority vote at a regular or special meeting with a quorum. Those people can receive complaints, hold hearings, decide whether voters support party principles, and start court proceedings. A challenge requires a written complaint from an enrolled party member in the county alleging that a voter does not support those principles. The voter must receive at least two days’ notice of the hearing, personally or by mail. A court case must be started by an enrolled voter at least ten days before a primary election. The New York Supreme Court in the judicial district must cancel the voter’s party enrollment if it finds the determination justified.