State Assemblyman Anthony D’Urso sponsored an Assembly bill which will change the election law, allowing locations which have been designated as a polling place to decline to have voting there if they have a valid reason.
“There has been growing concern regarding public school buildings being used as polling locations,” D’Urso said. “When school buildings are used as polling locations they are open to the public and often it is difficult to track who comes in and where the person went. Many school districts have concerns about the amount of unfettered access, which is why I sponsored this bill.”
Under the current state laws, election law states that if a public school is designated as a polling (voting) place, the school must have polling in their building. If D’Urso’s bill becomes law, it would give school districts the right to decline to have a school as a designated polling place if they feel it would compromise children’s and staff safety and also disrupt the school day.
D’Urso’s bill is supported by the NYS School Boards Association.
