2023 New York Laws › ELN - Election › Article 17 - Protecting the Elective Franchise › Title 2 - John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York › 17-204 - Definitions.

§ 17-204. Definitions. For the purposes of this title:
1. "At-large" method of election means a method of electing members to
  the  governing  body of a political subdivision: (a) in which all of the
  voters of the entire political subdivision elect each of the members  to
  the  governing  body; (b) in which the candidates are required to reside
  within given areas of the political subdivision and all of the voters of
  the entire political subdivision  elect  each  of  the  members  to  the
  governing   body;   or   (c)   that  combines  at-large  elections  with
  district-based elections, unless the only member of the  governing  body
  of  a political subdivision elected at-large holds exclusively executive
  responsibilities. For the purposes of this  title,  at-large  method  of
  election  does  not include ranked-choice voting, cumulative voting, and
  limited voting.
2. "District-based" method of election  means  a  method  of  electing
  members  to  the  governing  body  of  a  political  subdivision using a
  districting or redistricting plan in which each member of the  governing
  body  resides  within a district or ward that is a divisible part of the
  political subdivision and is elected only by voters residing within that
  district or ward, except for a member of the governing body  that  holds
  exclusively executive responsibilities.
3. "Alternative" method of election means a method of electing members
  to  the  governing  body of a political subdivision using a method other
  than  at-large  or  district-based,  including,  but  not  limited   to,
  ranked-choice voting, cumulative voting, and limited voting.
4.  "Political  subdivision" means a geographic area of representation
  created for the provision of government  services,  including,  but  not
  limited to, a county, city, town, village, school district, or any other
  district organized pursuant to state or local law.
5.  "Protected class" means a class of eligible voters who are members
  of a race, color, or language-minority group.
5-a. "Language minorities" or "language-minority group" means  persons
  who  are  American Indian, Asian American, Alaskan Natives or of Spanish
  heritage.
6. "Racially polarized voting"  means  voting  in  which  there  is  a
  divergence  in the candidate, political preferences, or electoral choice
  of members in a protected class from the candidates, or electoral choice
  of the rest of the electorate.
7. "Federal voting rights act" means the federal Voting Rights Act  of
  1965, 52 U.S.C. § 10301 et seq., as amended.
8.  The  "civil  rights  bureau"  means the civil rights bureau of the
  office of the attorney general.
9. "Government enforcement action" means a denial of administrative or
  judicial preclearance  by  the  state  or  federal  government,  pending
  litigation  filed  by  a  federal  or  state entity, a final judgment or
  adjudication, a consent decree, or similar formal action.
10. "Deceptive or fraudulent device,  contrivance,  or  communication"
  means  one  that contains false information pertaining to: (a) the time,
  place,  and  manner  of  any  election;  (b)   the   qualifications   or
  restrictions  on voter eligibility for such election; or (c) a statement
  of endorsement by any specifically named  person,  political  party,  or
  organization.