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Order modifies petition process for candidates

In an effort to keep New Yorkers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo today signed an executive order temporarily modifying election procedures to help reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The executive order suspends the candidate petitioning process — effective at 5 p.m. Tuesday — for the June primaries for Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly and Judicial races.

The executive order also modifies the signature requirements for ballot access; candidates will only need to collect 30 percent of the statutory threshold. For Congress, candidates would need 375 signatures rather than 1,250. For State Senate, candidates would need 300 signatures rather than 1,000. For Assembly, candidates would only need 150 signatures rather than 500.

“Public health experts have been clear that one of the most common ways to communicate COVID-19 is through direct person to person contact, and we are doing everything in our immediate power to reduce unnecessary interactions,” Cuomo said. “This executive order modifies the election process in a way that both protects public health and ensures the democratic process remains healthy and strong regardless of the ongoing pandemic.”

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