Bill Text: NY A08632 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Provides that the board of elections shall accept voter registrations electronically through its website.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 20-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-04 - referred to election law [A08632 Detail]

Download: New_York-2011-A08632-Introduced.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         8632
                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                  September 21, 2011
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  KAVANAGH,  KELLNER, LANCMAN, LENTOL, PAULIN,
         GABRYSZAK, SPANO, REILLY, LUPARDO, COLTON, ROSENTHAL,  MENG,  MILLMAN,
         CASTRO,  P. RIVERA,  CAMARA -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BRENNAN,
         CAHILL, GOTTFRIED, PERRY -- read once and referred to the Committee on
         Election Law
       AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to authorizing  electronic
         voter registration
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new  section  5-209
    2  to read as follows:
    3    S  5-209.  ELECTRONIC  VOTER REGISTRATION. 1. IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER
    4  METHODS OF VOTER REGISTRATION PROVIDED FOR IN THIS ARTICLE,  ANY  QUALI-
    5  FIED  PERSON  MAY  APPLY  FOR REGISTRATION AND ENROLLMENT BY APPLICATION
    6  MADE ELECTRONICALLY THROUGH THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE.
    7    2. THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL DESIGN A WEBPAGE THAT SERVES  AS
    8  AN  ELECTRONIC  APPLICATION  FOR  REGISTRATION AND ENROLLMENT FORM, OR A
    9  REGISTRATION FORM NECESSITATED BY A CHANGE OF RESIDENCE.
   10    3. THE VOTER REGISTRATION WEBPAGE:
   11    (A) SHALL REQUIRE ONLY SUCH INFORMATION AS WILL ENABLE ELECTION  OFFI-
   12  CIALS TO ASSESS THE APPLICANT'S ELIGIBILITY TO REGISTER TO VOTE, PREVENT
   13  DUPLICATE  REGISTRATION  AND  TO ADMINISTER VOTER REGISTRATION AND OTHER
   14  PARTS OF THE ELECTION PROCESS.
   15    (B) SHALL INCLUDE A STATEMENT  OF  THE  ELIGIBILITY  REQUIREMENTS  FOR
   16  VOTER  REGISTRATION  AND SHALL REQUIRE THE APPLICANT TO ATTEST BY HIS OR
   17  HER SIGNATURE THAT HE OR SHE MEETS THOSE REQUIREMENTS UNDER  PENALTY  OF
   18  PERJURY.
   19    (C) SHALL INFORM THE APPLICANT, IN PRINT IDENTICAL TO THAT USED IN THE
   20  ATTESTATION SECTION OF THE FOLLOWING:
   21    (I) VOTER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS; AND
   22    (II) PENALTIES FOR SUBMISSION OF FALSE REGISTRATION APPLICATION.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD00675-01-1
       A. 8632                             2
    1    (D)  SHALL REQUIRE THE APPLICANT TO SUBMIT AT LEAST ONE OF THE FOLLOW-
    2  ING WITH HIS OR HER APPLICATION:
    3    (I) HIS OR HER SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER; OR
    4    (II)  HIS  OR  HER  VALID  NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES
    5  CLIENT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.
    6    4. INCLUDED ON THE WEBPAGE SHALL BE:
    7    (A) THE STATEMENT, "IF YOU BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE  HAS  INTERFERED  WITH
    8  YOUR  RIGHT  TO  REGISTER  OR DECLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE, YOUR RIGHT TO
    9  PRIVACY IN DECIDING WHETHER TO REGISTER OR IN APPLYING  TO  REGISTER  TO
   10  VOTE,  OR  YOUR  RIGHT TO CHOOSE YOUR OWN POLITICAL PARTY OR OTHER POLI-
   11  TICAL PREFERENCE, YOU MAY FILE A  COMPLAINT  WITH  THE  STATE  BOARD  OF
   12  ELECTIONS (ADDRESS AND TOLL FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER)."
   13    (B)  A  TOLL  FREE  NUMBER AT THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS THAT CAN BE
   14  CALLED FOR ANSWERS TO REGISTRATION QUESTIONS.
   15    5. WHENEVER AN APPLICANT SUPPLIES THE BOARD WITH HIS OR HER VALID  NEW
   16  YORK  STATE  DEPARTMENT  OF MOTOR VEHICLES CLIENT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER,
   17  SUCH APPLICANT'S IDENTIFICATION SHALL  BE  DEEMED  VERIFIED.  THE  BOARD
   18  SHALL  IMPORT  THE  APPLICANT'S  SIGNATURE  FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR
   19  VEHICLES TO BE USED FOR VERIFICATION PURPOSES AT THE TIME OF  CASTING  A
   20  BALLOT.
   21    6.  ELECTRONIC  REGISTRATIONS  MADE  NOT  LATER THAN THE TWENTIETH DAY
   22  BEFORE AN ELECTION SHALL ENTITLE THE APPLICANT TO VOTE IN SUCH  ELECTION
   23  PROVIDED THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT THE APPLICANT IS OTHERWISE QUALIFIED.
   24    7.  ELECTRONIC  APPLICATION FORMS SHALL   BE PROCESSED BY THE BOARD OF
   25  ELECTIONS IN THE MANNER PRESCRIBED BY SECTION 5-210 OF THIS TITLE OR, IF
   26  THE APPLICANT IS ALREADY REGISTERED TO VOTE FROM ANOTHER ADDRESS IN SUCH
   27  COUNTY OR CITY, IN THE MANNER PRESCRIBED BY SECTION 5-208 OF THIS TITLE.
   28  THE BOARD SHALL SEND THE APPROPRIATE NOTICE OF APPROVAL OR REJECTION  AS
   29  REQUIRED BY EITHER SUBDIVISION NINE OF SUCH SECTION 5-210 OR SUBDIVISION
   30  FIVE OF SUCH SECTION 5-208.
   31    8.  THE  STATE  BOARD SHALL ADOPT SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS AS MAY BE
   32  NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THE REQUIREMENTS OF  THIS  SECTION.    THE  BOARD
   33  SHALL  ALSO  ADOPT  SUCH  RULES  AND  REGULATIONS AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO
   34  REQUIRE COUNTY BOARDS TO PROVIDE THE STATE BOARD WITH  SUCH  INFORMATION
   35  AND  DATA  AS  THE  BOARD DEEMS NECESSARY TO ASSESS COMPLIANCE WITH THIS
   36  SECTION AND TO COMPILE SUCH STATISTICS AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL
   37  ELECTIONS COMMISSION.
   38    9. THE STATE BOARD SHALL DEVELOP AND DISTRIBUTE PUBLIC INFORMATION AND
   39  PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS RELATING TO THE  PURPOSES  AND  IMPLEMENTATION  OF
   40  THIS PROGRAM.
   41    10.  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF MOTOR VEHICLES SHALL COOPERATE WITH THE STATE
   42  BOARD OF ELECTIONS IN IMPLEMENTING THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   43    S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
   44  it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the amendment,  addi-
   45  tion,  and/or  repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the timely
   46  implementation of this act on its effective date is hereby authorized to
   47  be made on or before such effective date.
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