2016 New York Laws
ELN - Election
Article 7 - ELECTION BALLOT
Title 1 - (7-100 - 7-130) FORM OF BALLOTS
7-106 - Election day paper ballots; form of.

 7-106.  Election day paper ballots; form of.  1. Paper ballots which
  are  to be counted by a ballot scanner may consist of two or more sheets
  which are divided into perforated sections which can be separated at the
  time the ballot is scanned. Such ballots shall be printed on paper of  a
  quality,  size,  color,  and  weight  approved  by  the  state  board of
  elections.
2. All paper ballots of the same kind for the same polling place shall
  be identical. A different, but in each case uniform style  and  size  of
  type,  shall be used for printing the names of candidates, the titles of
  offices, political designations, and the reading form of  all  questions
  submitted.  The  names of candidates shall be printed in capital letters
  in black-faced type.
3. Each ballot shall be printed on the sheet with a stub  which  shall
  be  separated  therefrom  by a line of perforations extending across the
  entire ballot. On the face of the stub shall be printed "No........" the
  blank to be filled with consecutive number  of  ballots  beginning  with
  "No. 1", and increasing in regular numerical order.
4.  On  such  ballot  shall  be printed the following indorsement, the
  blanks properly filled in:
 
  Official  Ballot  for  (General,  Primary   or   Special,   as
  applicable)
  Election
  County of ........................
  (Assembly    or    Legislative,    as   applicable)   District
  .....................
  (Ward   and    City    or    town    ..................,    as
  applicable)............
  Election District ...........................
 
  (Insert date of election.)
  (Insert names of election commissioners providing the ballot.)
 
5.  The  following ballot instructions shall be printed in heavy black
  type:
                            INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Mark only with a writing  instrument  provided  by  the  board  of
  elections.
(2)  To vote for a candidate whose name is printed on this ballot fill
  in the (insert oval or square, as applicable) above or next to the  name
  of the candidate.
(3)  To  vote  for  a  person whose name is not printed on this ballot
  write or stamp his or her name in  the  space  labeled  "write-in"  that
  appears  (insert  at  the bottom of the column, the end of the row or at
  the bottom of the candidate names, as applicable) for such office  (and,
  if  required  by  the  voting  system  in  use  at  such  election,  the
  instructions shall also include "and fill in the (insert oval or square,
  as applicable) corresponding with the write-in space in which  you  have
  written in a name").
(4)  To  vote  yes  or  no  on a proposal, if any, that appears on the
  (indicate where on the ballot the  proposal  may  appear)  fill  in  the
  (insert oval or square, as applicable) that corresponds to your vote.
(5)  Any  other  mark  or  writing, or any erasure made on this ballot
  outside the voting squares or blank spaces provided for voting will void
  this entire ballot.
(6) Do not overvote. If you select a greater number of candidates than
  there are vacancies to be filled, your ballot  will  be  void  for  that
  public office, party position or proposal.

(7) If you tear, or deface, or wrongly mark this ballot, return it and
  obtain  another.  Do  not  attempt  to correct mistakes on the ballot by
  making erasures or cross outs. Erasures or cross outs may invalidate all
  or part of your ballot. Prior to submitting your ballot, if you  make  a
  mistake  in completing the ballot or wish to change your ballot choices,
  you may obtain and complete  a  new  ballot.  You  have  a  right  to  a
  replacement ballot upon return of the original ballot.
(8)  After  completing  your ballot, insert it into the ballot scanner
  and wait for the notice that your ballot has been successfully  scanned.
  If no such notice appears, seek the assistance of an election inspector.
6. The instructions in subdivision five of this section may be printed
  on  the  front  or back of the ballot or on a separate sheet or card. If
  such instructions are not printed on the  front  of  the  ballot,  there
  shall be printed on the ballot, in the largest size type for which there
  is  room,  the following legend: "See instructions on the other side" or
  "See enclosed instructions", whichever is appropriate.
7. Each such  ballot  shall  be  printed  in  sections  in  which  the
  candidates'  names  and political designations, the ballot proposals and
  other  requisite  matter  shall  each  be  boxed  in  by   heavy   black
  perpendicular lines of equal width. In each such section shall be voting
  ovals  or  squares  which  voters  may  fill in. If applicable, ovals or
  squares shall be provided next to the blank spaces provided for a  voter
  to write in a name.
8.  The  space for the title of an office shall be three-eighths of an
  inch, and the name of a candidate or for writing in a  name,  one-fourth
  of  an  inch,  in  depth.  At  the  left  of the name of each designated
  candidate shall be an enclosed voting space, three-eighths of an inch in
  width and approximately one-fourth of an inch in depth,  bounded  above,
  below and to the right by black lines, heavier than those which separate
  the  spaces  containing  the  names of candidates. To the left of voting
  spaces which do not adjoin a vertical line  dividing  two  parts,  there
  shall be a heavy black vertical line approximately one-eighth of an inch
  in  width. No voting space shall be provided in the space for writing in
  names.  In such case, the space corresponding to a voting space shall be
  all black.
9. Below the names of the candidates for each office or position there
  shall be printed as many blank spaces, for writing in names  of  persons
  for whom the voter desires to vote, as there are persons to be nominated
  or elected.
10.  In  case  the sections shall be so numerous as to make the ballot
  unwieldy if they are printed in one column, they may be  printed  in  as
  many  columns  as  shall  be  necessary,  and  in that case, in order to
  produce a rectangular ballot, blank sections may be used.
11. The names of parties or independent bodies which contain more than
  fifteen letters may,  whenever  limitations  of  space  so  require,  be
  printed  on  the ballot in an abbreviated form. In printing the names of
  candidates whose full names contain more than fifteen letters, only  the
  surname  must be printed in full.  The officer or board charged with the
  duty of preparing the ballots  shall  request  each  such  candidate  to
  indicate,  in  writing,  the  shortened  form  in which, subject to this
  restriction, his name  shall  be  printed.  If  no  such  indication  is
  received  from  such candidate within the time specified in the request,
  such officer or board shall make the necessary determination. No  emblem
  shall  occupy  a space longer in any direction than the voting square to
  which it relates.