Bill Text: NY A00972 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Relates to certain deadlines for voter registration; changes the amount of time required with respect to certain deadlines for voter registration procedures.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-03-01 - substituted by s1327 [A00972 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A00972-Introduced.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                           972

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    January 11, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by M. of A. CARROLL -- read once and referred to the Commit-
          tee on Election Law

        AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to certain  deadlines  for
          voter registration

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 5-208  of  the  election  law,  as
     2  added by chapter 659 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
     3    3.  If such a notice is received at least [twenty] fifteen days before
     4  a primary, special or general election, such change of address  must  be
     5  completed before such election.
     6    §  2.  Section 5-210 of the election law, as amended by chapter 179 of
     7  the laws of 2005, subdivision 3 as amended by a chapter of the  laws  of
     8  2022  amending  the  election  law  relating  to  voter registration, as
     9  proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 2951-A and A. 8858-A,  subdivi-
    10  sion  4  as amended by chapter 490 of the laws of 2019, paragraph (g) of
    11  subdivision 5 as amended by chapter 2 of the laws  of  2019,  paragraphs
    12  (k)  and  (l)  of subdivision 5 as amended by chapter 536 of the laws of
    13  2019, paragraph (m) of subdivision 5 as added by chapter 62 of the  laws
    14  of  2010, subdivision 9 as amended by chapter 44 of the laws of 2016 and
    15  subdivision 13 as amended by chapter 322 of the laws of 2021, is amended
    16  to read as follows:
    17    § 5-210. Registration and enrollment and  change  of  enrollment  upon
    18  application. 1. In addition to local registration and veterans' absentee
    19  registration as provided in this chapter, any qualified person may apply
    20  personally for registration and enrollment, change of enrollment by mail
    21  or  by  appearing  at the board of elections on any day, except a day of
    22  election, during the hours that such board  of  elections  is  open  for
    23  business.
    24    2.  (a)  Application  forms  for use pursuant to this section shall be
    25  furnished by a county board of elections to any person  requesting  such

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04307-01-3

        A. 972                              2

     1  form.  Application  forms sent outside of the United States to a country
     2  other than Canada or Mexico, shall be sent airmail. Each county board of
     3  elections shall also cause such application forms to be  as  widely  and
     4  freely distributed as possible.
     5    (b)  The board of elections shall mail an application for registration
     6  by mail and information on how the person may re-register to each person
     7  for whom it receives notice pursuant to the  provisions  of  subdivision
     8  four  of  section  5-402 of this article that such person has moved into
     9  such city or county unless such person is already  registered  from  the
    10  address listed in such notice.
    11    3.  Completed  application  forms,  when  received  by  any  board  of
    12  elections and, with respect to  application  forms  promulgated  by  the
    13  federal  election  commission,  when  received  by  the  state  board of
    14  elections, or showing a dated cancellation mark  of  the  United  States
    15  Postal  Service or contained in an envelope showing such a dated cancel-
    16  lation mark which is not later than the fifteenth day  before  the  next
    17  ensuing primary, general or special election, and received no later than
    18  the tenth day before such election, or delivered in person to such board
    19  of  elections  not  later than the tenth day before such election, shall
    20  entitle the applicant to vote in such election and to  have  the  appli-
    21  cant's  vote  canvassed  in accordance with this chapter, if [he or she]
    22  the applicant is otherwise qualified, provided, however, such  applicant
    23  shall  not vote on a voting machine until [his or her] their identity is
    24  verified. Any board of elections receiving an application  form  from  a
    25  person who does not reside in its jurisdiction but who does reside else-
    26  where in the state of New York, shall [forthwith] electronically forward
    27  such  application  form to the proper board of elections on the same day
    28  it is received.  Each board of elections shall make  an  entry  on  each
    29  such form of the date it is received by such board.
    30    4.  Any  qualified  person  who has been honorably discharged from the
    31  military after the twenty-fifth day before a general  election,  or  who
    32  has a qualifying condition, as defined in section three hundred fifty of
    33  the  executive  law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct
    34  or dishonorable from the military after the twenty-fifth  day  before  a
    35  general  election,  or  who  is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in
    36  section three hundred fifty of the executive law,  and  has  received  a
    37  discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from the military after
    38  the  twenty-fifth  day  before  a  general election, or who has become a
    39  naturalized citizen after the twenty-fifth day before a general election
    40  may personally register at the board of elections in the county of  [his
    41  or  her]  their residence and vote in the general election held at least
    42  ten days after such registration.
    43    5. Statewide application forms shall be designed by the state board of
    44  elections, which shall conform to  the  requirements  for  the  national
    45  voter  registration form in the rules and regulations promulgated by the
    46  federal election commission and the federal Help America Vote  Act,  and
    47  shall  elicit the information required for the registration poll record.
    48  The form shall include such other information  as  the  state  board  of
    49  elections  may  reasonably  require  to enable the board of elections to
    50  assess the eligibility of the applicant and to administer  voter  regis-
    51  tration  and  other parts of the election process and shall also include
    52  the following information:
    53    (a) Notice that those voters  currently  registered  do  not  need  to
    54  reregister unless they have moved outside of the city or county in which
    55  they were registered.

        A. 972                              3

     1    (b)  Instructions  on how to fill out and submit the form and that the
     2  form must be received by any county board of elections at  least  [twen-
     3  ty-five] ten days prior to the election at which the applicant may vote,
     4  and  if  mailed,  must  be postmarked at least fifteen days prior to the
     5  election at which the applicant may vote.
     6    (c)  Notice that registration and enrollment is not complete until the
     7  form is received by the appropriate county board of elections.
     8    (d) Notice of a voter's right to register locally.
     9    (e) A warning that it is a crime to procure a false registration or to
    10  furnish false information to the board of elections.
    11    (f) Notice that political party enrollment is optional  but  that,  in
    12  order  to  vote in a primary election of a political party, a voter must
    13  enroll in that political party, unless state party  rules  allow  other-
    14  wise.
    15    (g)  Notice that the applicant must be a citizen of the United States,
    16  is at least sixteen years old when [he or she submits]  they  submit  an
    17  application  to  register  to vote which will be effective for elections
    18  occurring on or after the applicant turns eighteen years of  age  and  a
    19  resident of the county or city to which application is made.
    20    (h)  Notice  that  a  voter  notification  form will be mailed to each
    21  applicant whose completed form is received.
    22    (i) The telephone number of the county board of elections and  a  toll
    23  free  number  at  the  state  board  of elections that can be called for
    24  answers to registration questions.
    25    (j) A space for the applicant to indicate whether or not the voter  is
    26  willing to serve on election day for a board of elections as an election
    27  inspector, poll clerk, interpreter or in other capacities.
    28    (k)  The  form shall also include space for the following information,
    29  which must be contained on the inside of the form after it is folded for
    30  mailing:
    31    (i) A space for the applicant to indicate whether or not  [he  or  she
    32  has]  they  have ever voted or registered to vote before and, if so, the
    33  approximate year in which such applicant last voted  or  registered  and
    34  [his or her] their name and address at the time.
    35    (ii) The name and residence address of the applicant including the zip
    36  code and apartment number, if any.
    37    (iii)  A space for the furnishing of an e-mail address, the furnishing
    38  of which shall be optional, together with a notice stating  that  if  an
    39  e-mail  address  is  furnished, all notices and communications otherwise
    40  required to be sent by the state board of  elections  to  the  voter  by
    41  postal  mail  shall be sent by e-mail in addition to postal mail. County
    42  boards of elections and the board of elections of the city of  New  York
    43  shall  have  the  option of sending notices and communications otherwise
    44  required to be sent to the voter by postal mail by e-mail in addition to
    45  postal mail if the voter furnishes an email address.
    46    (iv) The date of birth of the applicant.
    47    (v) A space for the applicant to indicate [his or her] their  driver's
    48  license  or  department  of motor vehicles non-driver photo ID number or
    49  the last four digits of [his or her] their social security number or, if
    50  the applicant does not have either such number, a space for  the  appli-
    51  cant to indicate [he or she does] they do not have either.
    52    (vi)  A  space for the applicant to indicate whether or not [he or she
    53  is] they are a citizen of the United States and the  statement  "If  you
    54  checked "no" in response to this question, do not complete this form."
    55    (vii) A space for the applicant to answer the question "Will you be 18
    56  years  of  age  on  or  before  election day?" and the statement "If you

        A. 972                              4

     1  checked "no" in response to this question, do  not  complete  this  form
     2  unless you will be 18 by the end of the year."
     3    (viii) A statement informing the applicant that if the form is submit-
     4  ted by mail and the applicant is registering for the first time, certain
     5  information or documents must be submitted with the mail-in registration
     6  form  in  order  to  avoid  additional  identification requirements upon
     7  voting for the first time. Such information and documents are:
     8    (A) a driver's license or  department  of  motor  vehicles  non-driver
     9  photo ID number; or
    10    (B)  the  last four digits of the individual's social security number;
    11  or
    12    (C) a copy of a current and valid photo identification; or
    13    (D) a copy of a  current  utility  bill,  bank  statement,  government
    14  check,  paycheck  or  other  government document that shows the name and
    15  address of the voter.
    16    (ix) The gender of the applicant (optional).
    17    (x) A space for the applicant to indicate [his or her] their choice of
    18  party enrollment, with a clear alternative provided for the applicant to
    19  decline to affiliate with any party.
    20    (xi) The telephone number of the applicant (optional).
    21    (xii) A place for the applicant to execute the form on a line which is
    22  clearly labeled "signature  of  applicant"  preceded  by  the  following
    23  specific form of affirmation:
    24    AFFIDAVIT: I swear or affirm that:
    25       * I am a citizen of the United States.
    26       * I will have lived in the county, city, or village for at least 30
    27         days before the election.
    28       * I  meet  all  the  requirements  to  register to vote in New York
    29         State.
    30       * This is my signature or mark on the line below.
    31       * All the information contained on  this  application  is  true.  I
    32         understand that if it is not true I can be convicted and fined up
    33         to $5,000 and/or jailed for up to four years.
    34  which  form of affirmation shall be followed by a space for the date and
    35  the aforementioned line for the applicant's signature.
    36    (xiii) A space for the applicant to register in  the  New  York  state
    37  donate life registry for organ and tissue donations established pursuant
    38  to section forty-three hundred ten of the public health law.
    39    (l)  The  mail  voter  registration  application form developed by the
    40  federal election commission pursuant to the provisions of  section  nine
    41  of  the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 42 USC 1973gg-7 shall be
    42  deemed to meet the requirements of this  section.  Any  application  for
    43  registration  received  on such an application form shall be accepted if
    44  the applicant is otherwise eligible to register to vote pursuant to  the
    45  provisions  of  this  article.  A  voter  whose registration is accepted
    46  pursuant to the provisions of  this  paragraph  shall  be  permitted  to
    47  furnish  an  e-mail  address to the board of elections, which furnishing
    48  shall carry the same notice and have the  same  effect  as  provided  by
    49  subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (k) of this subdivision.
    50    (m)  The  form of affidavit prescribed by the state board of elections
    51  for requests for affidavit  ballot  pursuant  to  subdivision  three  of
    52  section  8-302  of this chapter shall be deemed to meet the requirements
    53  of this section. Any application for registration received on  the  form
    54  of affidavit shall be accepted if the applicant is otherwise eligible to
    55  register to vote pursuant to the provisions of this article, however the

        A. 972                              5

     1  failure to complete the voter registration application appearing on such
     2  affidavit envelope shall not otherwise invalidate the affidavit ballot.
     3    6.  A  person  who  willfully  makes a material false statement in any
     4  application for registration and enrollment and/or transfer of registra-
     5  tion and enrollment or special enrollment  by  mail,  or  who  knowingly
     6  makes a false affirmation, or who offers or attempts to offer any appli-
     7  cation  for  registration and enrollment or transfer of registration and
     8  enrollment or special enrollment knowing that the applicant is not qual-
     9  ified to register or enroll, or transfer [his or her] their registration
    10  and enrollment or to specially enroll, shall be  guilty  of  a  class  E
    11  felony.
    12    7. Each county board of elections shall deliver a sufficient number of
    13  such uniform statewide application forms to each local post office with-
    14  in  its  county  and keep such post office so supplied, with the request
    15  that the postmaster thereof make them available to the  public  for  its
    16  use in participating in the electoral process.
    17    8. Upon its receipt by the county board of elections, each application
    18  form  shall  be  reviewed and examined by such board. If the application
    19  shall contain substantially all the required information indicating that
    20  the applicant is legally qualified to register and/or enroll  as  stated
    21  in  [his  or her] their application, the county board of elections shall
    22  transfer all information on such application to the  appropriate  regis-
    23  tration  records.  If requested by any member of the board, the applica-
    24  tion form of any voter, or group of voters, must be reviewed  and  exam-
    25  ined   by  two  such  board  members  or  two  employees  of  the  board
    26  representing different political  parties.  Such  members  or  employees
    27  shall  place  their  initials  or  other  identifying information on the
    28  registration poll record of such voter or on a computer  generated  list
    29  of such registrations. Such lists shall be preserved in the same manner,
    30  and  for the same time, as such registration poll records. If the appli-
    31  cation indicates that the voter does not  have  a  driver's  license  or
    32  department  of  motor  vehicles  non-driver  photo ID number or a social
    33  security number, the state board of elections  shall,  upon  the  trans-
    34  mission of voter information to the statewide voter registration list as
    35  required  by  section  5-614 of this article, assign such voter a unique
    36  identifier.
    37    9.  The county board of elections shall, [promptly] as soon as practi-
    38  cable and in any event, not later than  [twenty-one]  seven  days  after
    39  receipt  by it of the application, verify the identity of the applicant.
    40  In order to do so, the county  board  of  elections  shall  utilize  the
    41  information provided in the application and shall attempt to verify such
    42  information  with  the  information  provided by the department of motor
    43  vehicles, social security administration and any other lawful  available
    44  information source. If the county board of elections is unable to verify
    45  the  identity  of  the  applicant  within [twenty-one] seven days of the
    46  receipt of the application, it shall immediately take steps  to  confirm
    47  that  the  information provided by the applicant was accurately utilized
    48  by such county board of elections, was accurately  verified  with  other
    49  information  sources and that no data entry error, or other similar type
    50  of error, occurred. Following completion of  the  preceding  steps,  the
    51  county board of elections shall mail (a) a notice of its approval, (b) a
    52  notice  of its approval which includes an indication that such board has
    53  not yet been able to verify the identity of the applicant and a  request
    54  for  more information so that such verification may be completed, or (c)
    55  a notice of its rejection of the application to the applicant in a  form
    56  approved  by  the state board of elections. Notices of approval, notices

        A. 972                              6

     1  of approval with requests for more information or notices  of  rejection
     2  shall be sent by nonforwardable first class or return postage guaranteed
     3  mail on which is endorsed such language designated by the state board of
     4  elections  to  ensure  postal  authorities  do not forward such mail but
     5  return it to the board of elections with forwarding information, when it
     6  cannot be delivered as addressed and which contains a request  that  any
     7  such  mail  received  for persons not residing at the address be dropped
     8  back in the mail. The  voter's  registration  and  enrollment  shall  be
     9  complete upon receipt of the application by the appropriate county board
    10  of  elections.  The  failure of a county board of elections to verify an
    11  applicant's identity shall not be the  basis  for  the  rejection  of  a
    12  voter's  application,  provided, however, that such verification failure
    13  shall be the basis for requiring county board of elections to  take  the
    14  additional verification steps provided by this chapter. The notice shall
    15  also advise the registrant of the date when [his] their registration and
    16  enrollment is effective, of the date and the hours of the next regularly
    17  scheduled primary or general election in which [he] such registrant will
    18  be  eligible  to  vote,  of  the  location  of  the polling place of the
    19  election district in which [he] such registrant is or will be  a  quali-
    20  fied voter, whether such polling place is accessible to physically hand-
    21  icapped  voters,  an  indication  that  physically handicapped voters or
    22  voters who are ill or voters who will be out of the city  or  county  on
    23  the  day  of  the  primary  or  general election, may obtain an absentee
    24  ballot and the phone number to call for  absentee  ballot  applications,
    25  the  phone  numbers  to  call  for location of polling places, to obtain
    26  registration forms and the phone number to call  to  indicate  that  the
    27  voter is willing to serve on election day as an inspector, poll clerk or
    28  interpreter. The notice of approval, notice of approval with request for
    29  more  information or notice of rejection shall also advise the applicant
    30  to notify the board of elections if there is any inaccuracy. The form of
    31  such mail notification  shall  be  prescribed  by  the  state  board  of
    32  elections  and  shall contain such other information and instructions as
    33  it may reasonably require to carry out the purposes of this section. The
    34  request for more information shall inform the voter that "THE FAILURE TO
    35  CONTACT THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS  AND  CORRECT  ANY  INACCURACIES  IN  THE
    36  APPLICATION  OR PROVIDE REQUESTED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY RESULT IN A
    37  REQUEST FOR IDENTIFICATION AT THE POLLS IN ORDER TO CAST  A  VOTE  ON  A
    38  VOTING  MACHINE."  If  such notice is returned undelivered without a new
    39  address, the board shall forthwith send such  applicant  a  confirmation
    40  notice  pursuant  to the provisions of section 5-712 of this article and
    41  place such applicant in inactive status. The state  board  of  elections
    42  shall  prepare uniform notices by this section as provided for in subdi-
    43  vision eight of section 3-102 of this chapter.
    44    10.  If the board of elections has been unable to verify the  identity
    45  of  the  applicant  within forty-five days of the application, the board
    46  shall mail a second request for more information to the applicant.  This
    47  notice  shall inform the voter that "THE FAILURE TO CONTACT THE BOARD OF
    48  ELECTIONS AND CORRECT ANY INACCURACIES IN  THE  APPLICATION  OR  PROVIDE
    49  REQUESTED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY RESULT IN A REQUEST FOR IDENTIFICA-
    50  TION  AT  THE POLLS IN ORDER TO CAST A VOTE ON A VOTING MACHINE." If the
    51  board of elections remains unable to verify the identity of the voter it
    52  shall so indicate with a notation next to the voter's name in the regis-
    53  tration list. Such a voter may provide information to assist the  county
    54  board  to  verify [his or her] their identity at any time and such nota-
    55  tion shall be removed by the board of elections upon such verification.

        A. 972                              7

     1    11. If the county board of elections suspects or believes that for any
     2  reason the applicant is not entitled to registration and enrollment,  it
     3  shall make inquiry in reference thereto. If the board of elections shall
     4  find  that  the  applicant  is not qualified to register and enroll, the
     5  application  shall  be  rejected  and  the  applicant  notified  of such
     6  rejection and the reason therefor, no later than [ten] seven days before
     7  the day of the first primary or  general  election  occurring  at  least
     8  [twenty-five] ten days after the filing of the application.
     9    12.  Whenever  the  county board of elections is not satisfied from an
    10  examination of an application for registration and enrollment, or  after
    11  its initial inquiry, that the applicant is entitled to such registration
    12  or  enrollment,  it  may  order  an investigation through any officer or
    13  employee of the state or county  board  of  elections,  police  officer,
    14  sheriff or deputy sheriff.
    15    13.   An affidavit or a signed statement by any officer or employee of
    16  the state or county board of elections or any police officer, sheriff or
    17  deputy sheriff, that such person visited the  premises  claimed  by  the
    18  applicant  as [his or her] their residence and interrogated an incarcer-
    19  ated individual, house-dweller, keeper, caretaker, owner, proprietor  or
    20  landlord  thereof or therein as to such applicant's residence therein or
    21  thereat, and that [he or she was] they were informed by one or more such
    22  persons, naming them, that they knew  the  persons  residing  upon  such
    23  premises and that the applicant did not reside upon such premises as set
    24  forth  in  [his or her] their application, shall be sufficient authority
    25  for a determination by the board that the applicant is not  entitled  to
    26  registration  or  enrollment;  but this provision shall not preclude the
    27  board from making such other  determination,  as  the  result  of  other
    28  inquiry, as it may deem appropriate.
    29    14.  Notwithstanding the entry by the county board of elections on the
    30  registration poll record of the information contained on an  application
    31  form prescribed by this section, such entry shall not preclude the coun-
    32  ty  board of elections from subsequently rejecting the application if it
    33  is not satisfied that the applicant is entitled to register  and  enroll
    34  as  provided by this section, provided that the applicant is notified of
    35  such rejection and reasons therefor  no  later  than  [ten]  seven  days
    36  before  the  day  of  the first primary or general election occurring at
    37  least [twenty-five] ten days after the filing of such application form.
    38    15. a. The county board of elections shall keep a record  of  applica-
    39  tions  for  registration  as  they  are  received and at least once each
    40  month, shall, upon request of the chairman of a political party  in  the
    41  county, give such chairman a complete list of the persons whose applica-
    42  tions were approved together with their addresses and telephone numbers,
    43  and their election and assembly districts or wards, if any.
    44    b.  Not  more than four times a year, on dates determined by the state
    45  board of elections, the county board of  elections  shall  send  to  the
    46  chairman  of  each  political party in the county a complete list of the
    47  persons whose applications were approved together with their  addresses,
    48  their  election  and  assembly  districts  or wards, if any, their party
    49  enrollments and an indication of whether such persons  are  eligible  to
    50  vote in the primary elections to be held in that calendar year. Not more
    51  than  twice  a  year, in even numbered years, on dates determined by the
    52  state board of elections, the county board of  elections  shall  send  a
    53  copy  of  such list to the state board of elections. In counties of over
    54  one hundred thousand population, each such list shall be, and  in  other
    55  counties  each such list may be, cumulative and include the names of all
    56  such persons whose names do not appear in the  annual  enrollment  lists

        A. 972                              8

     1  last  published  by such board of elections, together with an indication
     2  of which such names did not appear on the previous list. Such lists  may
     3  also  include  the  names  of those persons whose names do appear in the
     4  annual enrollment lists. Such lists shall be arranged in the same manner
     5  as the annual enrollment lists. Additional copies of such lists shall be
     6  available  to  the public at a charge not exceeding the cost of publica-
     7  tion or reproduction.
     8    § 3. Subdivisions 11 and 12 of section  5-211  of  the  election  law,
     9  subdivision  11 as amended by chapter 200 of the laws of 1996 and subdi-
    10  vision 12 as added by chapter 659 of the laws of 1994,  are  amended  to
    11  read as follows:
    12    11. The participating agency shall transmit the completed applications
    13  for registration and change of address forms to the appropriate board of
    14  elections  not  later  than  ten days after receipt except that all such
    15  completed applications and forms received by the agency [between]  after
    16  the [thirtieth] twentieth day prior to an election and [twenty-fifth] by
    17  the  twelfth  day before [an] such election shall be transmitted in such
    18  manner and at such time as to assure their  receipt  by  such  board  of
    19  elections  as  soon  as  practicable  and not later than the [twentieth]
    20  tenth day before such election.
    21    12. Completed application forms,  when  received  by  a  participating
    22  agency  not  later  than  the [twenty-fifth] twelfth day before the next
    23  ensuing primary, general or special election  and  transmitted  by  such
    24  agency  to  the appropriate board of elections so that they are received
    25  by such board not later than  the  [twentieth]  tenth  day  before  such
    26  election  shall  entitle the applicant to vote in such election provided
    27  the board determines that the applicant is otherwise qualified.
    28    § 4. Subdivisions 6 and 7 of section 5-212 of the election law, subdi-
    29  vision 6 as amended by chapter 200 of the laws of 1996 and subdivision 7
    30  as added by chapter 659 of the laws of 1994,  are  amended  to  read  as
    31  follows:
    32    6. The department of motor vehicles shall transmit that portion of the
    33  form  which  constitutes  the  completed application for registration or
    34  change of address form to the appropriate board of elections  not  later
    35  than  ten days after receipt except that all such completed applications
    36  and forms received by the department  [between]  after  the  [thirtieth]
    37  twentieth day prior to an election and [twenty-fifth] by the twelfth day
    38  before  [an]  such  election  shall be transmitted in such manner and at
    39  such time as to assure their receipt by such board of elections as  soon
    40  as  practicable and not later than the [twentieth] tenth day before such
    41  election.  All transmittals shall include original signatures.
    42    7. Completed application forms received by  the  department  of  motor
    43  vehicles  not  later than the [twenty-fifth] twelfth day before the next
    44  ensuing primary, general or special election  and  transmitted  by  such
    45  department  to  the  appropriate  board  of  elections  so that they are
    46  received not later than the [twentieth] tenth day before  such  election
    47  shall  entitle the applicant to vote in such election provided the board
    48  determines that the applicant is otherwise qualified.
    49    § 5. Subdivision 3 of section 5-213 of the election law, as amended by
    50  chapter 200 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows:
    51    3. The board of elections shall restore the registration of  any  such
    52  voter  to  active  status  if such voter notifies the board of elections
    53  that [he resides] they reside at the address from which [he is] they are
    54  registered, or the board finds that such  voter  has  validly  signed  a
    55  designating  or  nominating petition which states that [he resides] they
    56  reside at such address, or if such voter casts a ballot in an  affidavit

        A. 972                              9

     1  envelope  which states that [he resides] they reside at such address, or
     2  if the board receives notice that such voter has voted  in  an  election
     3  conducted with registration lists prepared pursuant to the provisions of
     4  section  5-612 of this article.  If any such notification or information
     5  is received [twenty] ten days or  more  before  a  primary,  special  or
     6  general election, the voter's name must be restored to active status for
     7  such election.
     8    § 6. Subdivisions 4 and 5 of section 5-302 of the election law, subdi-
     9  vision  4 as amended by chapter 91 of the laws of 1992 and subdivision 5
    10  as amended by chapter 164 of the laws of 1985, are amended  to  read  as
    11  follows:
    12    4.  Registration  poll  records  of voters whose registrations are not
    13  rejected by the board of elections shall forthwith be placed in the poll
    14  ledger or such voters' names shall forthwith be entered in the  computer
    15  files from which the computer generated registration lists are prepared,
    16  except that the registration poll record of an otherwise qualified voter
    17  who  registers  after  the  [twenty-fifth]  tenth  day  before a primary
    18  election shall not be placed in such poll ledger or such  voters'  names
    19  shall  not  appear  on such a computer generated registration list until
    20  after such primary and except further that the registration poll  record
    21  of  a  voter  whose  previous registration was cancelled pursuant to the
    22  provisions of this chapter after the previous general election  and  who
    23  registers  pursuant to the provisions of this chapter after such cancel-
    24  lation shall not be placed in such poll ledger  or  such  voters'  names
    25  shall  not  appear  on such a computer generated registration list until
    26  after the fall primary election, unless such voter has enrolled with the
    27  same party as the enrollment on the registration which was so cancelled.
    28    The registration poll record of a voter who is not eligible to vote in
    29  a primary election but who is eligible to vote  in  a  special  election
    30  held  before  such primary election shall be placed in its regular place
    31  in the poll ledger or in a special section of such poll ledger for  such
    32  special  election  as  the  board of elections, in its discretion, shall
    33  provide, or such name shall appear in its regular place on the  computer
    34  generated  registration  list prepared for use in such special election.
    35  Such poll record shall be removed from  such  poll  ledger  or  computer
    36  generated registration list immediately after such special election.
    37    5. During the period preceding the ensuing primary election, the board
    38  of elections shall maintain as a public record a list of all enrollments
    39  entered,  transferred  or  corrected,  and  not  contained  in  the last
    40  published enrollment  list.  Such  supplemental  enrollment  list  shall
    41  contain the same information and shall be distributed in the same manner
    42  as the original enrollment list not later than the [fifteenth] tenth day
    43  before the primary election.
    44    § 7. Subdivision 3 of section 5-306 of the election law, as amended by
    45  chapter 90 of the laws of 1991, is amended to read as follows:
    46    3.  A  voter may correct [his] their enrollment pursuant hereto on any
    47  of the days the board is open for registration. A correction made during
    48  the [twenty-five-day] nine-day period preceding a primary election shall
    49  not be effective for such election.
    50    § 8. Subdivision 4 of section 5-308 of the election law, as amended by
    51  chapter 37 of the laws of 2021, is amended to read as follows:
    52    4. If a voter appears at a primary election  and  votes  by  affidavit
    53  ballot  indicating  the  intent  to enroll in such party, such affidavit
    54  ballot shall be cast and counted if the board  of  elections  determines
    55  that  the voter registered (or pre-registered) to vote at least [twenty-

        A. 972                             10

     1  five] ten days before that primary pursuant to title nine of this  arti-
     2  cle and such voter is otherwise qualified to vote in such election.
     3    § 9. Subdivision 1 of section 5-602 of the election law, as amended by
     4  chapter 659 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
     5    1.  After  the  last  day of local registration and before the [sixth]
     6  fifth day before the next ensuing general election  in  each  year,  the
     7  board  of elections shall cause to be published a complete list of names
     8  and residence addresses of  the  registered  voters  for  each  election
     9  district  over  which  the  board  has  jurisdiction. The names for each
    10  election district may be arranged according  to  street  and  number  or
    11  alphabetically.    Each  list  shall  be prepared in such a manner as to
    12  indicate the registrants whose names did  not  appear  on  the  list  of
    13  registered  voters  last  published  pursuant  to the provisions of this
    14  section and the registrants who are in inactive  status.  The  board  of
    15  elections,  in  its discretion, may publish the names of the registrants
    16  in inactive status as a separate list. In  lieu  of  publishing  such  a
    17  registration  list,  such board of elections may publish a complete list
    18  of the names and residence addresses  of  all  registered  voters  whose
    19  names  do  not  appear  in the annual enrollment lists published in such
    20  year by such board, in the same form as such  enrollment  lists,  and  a
    21  list  of the registered voters whose names appear in such annual enroll-
    22  ment lists but who have been placed in inactive status or  whose  regis-
    23  trations  have  been  cancelled  since  the  publication  of such annual
    24  enrollment lists. Lists for all election districts in a ward or assembly
    25  district may be bound together in one volume.
    26    § 10. Subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (e) of subdivision 3  of  section
    27  8-302 of the election law, as amended by section 8 of part XX of chapter
    28  55 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
    29    (ii)  [He or she] They may swear to and subscribe an affidavit stating
    30  that [he or she has] they have duly registered to vote, the  address  in
    31  such  election district from which [he or she] they registered, that [he
    32  or she remains] they remain a duly  qualified  voter  in  such  election
    33  district, that [his or her] their registration poll record appears to be
    34  lost  or  misplaced  or that [his or her] their name and/or [his or her]
    35  their signature was omitted from  the  computer  generated  registration
    36  list  or  such record indicates the voter already voted when [he or she]
    37  they did not do so or that [he or she has] they have  moved  within  New
    38  York  state  since  [he  or  she] they last registered, the address from
    39  which [he or she was] they were previously registered and the address at
    40  which [he or she] they currently [resides]  reside,  and  at  a  primary
    41  election,  the  party  in  which  [he  or she is] they are enrolled. The
    42  inspectors of election shall offer such an affidavit to each such  voter
    43  whose residence address is in such election district.  Each such affida-
    44  vit shall be in a form prescribed by the state board of elections, shall
    45  be  printed  on an envelope of the size and quality used for an absentee
    46  ballot envelope, and shall contain an acknowledgment  that  the  affiant
    47  understands  that any false statement made therein is perjury punishable
    48  according to law. Such form prescribed by the state board  of  elections
    49  shall  request  information  required  to register such voter should the
    50  county board determine that such voter is not yet registered  and  shall
    51  constitute  an application to register to vote. The voter's name and the
    52  entries required shall then be entered without delay and without further
    53  inquiry in the fourth section of the challenge report or  in  the  place
    54  provided  in the computer generated registration list, with the notation
    55  that the voter has executed the affidavit hereinabove prescribed, or, if
    56  such person's name appears in  such  registration  list,  the  board  of

        A. 972                             11

     1  elections  may  provide  a place to make such entry next to [his or her]
     2  their name in such list. The voter shall then, without further  inquiry,
     3  be  permitted  to vote an affidavit ballot provided for by this chapter.
     4  Such ballot shall thereupon be placed in the envelope containing [his or
     5  her]  their affidavit, and the envelope sealed and returned to the board
     6  of elections in the manner provided by this chapter for protested  offi-
     7  cial ballots, including a statement of the number of such ballots.
     8    §  11. Paragraph (h) of subdivision 7 of section 9-209 of the election
     9  law, as added by chapter 763 of the laws of 2021, is amended to read  as
    10  follows:
    11    (h) If the central board of canvassers finds that the voter registered
    12  or  pre-registered  to vote for the first time pursuant to title nine of
    13  article five of this chapter at least [twenty-five] ten  days  before  a
    14  primary, appeared at such primary election, and indicated on the affida-
    15  vit  ballot  envelope  the intent to enroll in such party, the affidavit
    16  ballot shall be cast and canvassed if the voter is  otherwise  qualified
    17  to vote in such election.
    18    §  12. Subdivision 5 of section 10-106 of the election law, as amended
    19  by chapter 290 of the laws of 1991, is amended to read as follows:
    20    5. The state board of elections shall forward to the appropriate board
    21  of elections all applications for military ballots received  by  it.  An
    22  application  from  a  military  voter  not previously registered must be
    23  received by the appropriate board of elections not later than  ten  days
    24  before  a  general,  primary,  or  special election [or twenty-five days
    25  before a primary election] in order to entitle the applicant to vote  at
    26  such  election.  An  application  from  a  military voter who is already
    27  registered must be received at least seven days before  an  election  in
    28  order  to entitle the applicant to vote at such election; except that an
    29  application from such a military voter who delivers [his] their applica-
    30  tion to the board of elections in person, must  be  received  not  later
    31  than the day before the election.
    32    §  13. Subdivision 2 of section 11-200 of the election law, as amended
    33  by chapter 473 of the laws of 1992, is amended to read as follows:
    34    2. Every person registered pursuant to this title shall continue to be
    35  eligible to vote in all elections in which special  federal  voters  are
    36  eligible to vote except that in order to vote at a primary election of a
    37  party,  a  voter  registered  pursuant  to  this title must have been so
    38  registered and enrolled  in  such  party  before  the  previous  general
    39  election; or, if such voter was not registered in New York state for the
    40  previous  general  election,  such  voter must so register and enroll in
    41  such party not later than [twenty-five] ten days  before  such  primary;
    42  or,  if such voter was registered in New York state for the last general
    43  election, such voter must have had the same party enrollment  with  such
    44  registration  as  such  voter  sets forth on [his] their application for
    45  registration and enrollment as a special federal voter.
    46    § 14. Paragraph a of subdivision 1 of section 11-202 of  the  election
    47  law,  as  amended by chapter 262 of the laws of 2003, is amended to read
    48  as follows:
    49    a. A person, who, pursuant to this title, is qualified to  vote  as  a
    50  special federal voter may, by application received by the state board of
    51  elections  or  any  local  board  of elections on or before the [twenty-
    52  fifth] tenth day next preceding any election in which such person  would
    53  be  entitled  to  vote  or  the  last day of local registration for such
    54  election, whichever is later, apply to the board  of  elections  of  the
    55  county  in  which  [he  resided]  they  resided in person or by personal
    56  application by mail for registration and enrollment as a special federal

        A. 972                             12

     1  voter. An application for registration and enrollment pursuant  to  this
     2  article  shall be treated as an application for a special federal ballot
     3  for every election in which the applicant  would  be  eligible  to  vote
     4  which  is  held  through  and including the next two regularly scheduled
     5  general elections held in even numbered years,  including  any  run-offs
     6  which may occur.
     7    §  15.  This  act  shall  take effect on the same date and in the same
     8  manner as a chapter of the laws of 2022 amending the election law relat-
     9  ing to voter registration, as proposed in legislative bills  numbers  S.
    10  2951-A and A. 8858-A, takes effect; provided, however, that:
    11    (a)  section  eight of this act shall take effect on the same date and
    12  in the same manner as section 2 of chapter 37 of the laws of 2021, takes
    13  effect; and
    14    (b) section eleven of this act shall take effect on the same date  and
    15  in  the  same  manner  as  section 1 of chapter 763 of the laws of 2021,
    16  takes effect.
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