Bill Text: NY A09014 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Authorizes online facilitation of voter registration.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-12 - referred to election law [A09014 Detail]
Download: New_York-2017-A09014-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 9014 IN ASSEMBLY January 12, 2018 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. ABINANTI -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Election Law AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to authorizing online facilitation of 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 5-205 2 to read as follows: 3 § 5-205. Online voter registration. a. The state board of elections 4 shall provide a secure website and mobile application that allows any 5 individual qualified to vote in the state to confidentially submit to 6 his or her county board of elections through such website and mobile 7 application the information collected on a voter registration applica- 8 tion form pursuant to section 5-210 of this title for the purpose of 9 registering to vote or updating such individual's voter registration. 10 Such website and mobile application shall allow such individual to elec- 11 tronically provide a signature of a quality and likeness comparable to a 12 signature written with ink, consistent with subdivision c of this 13 section. The website and mobile application shall also allow such indi- 14 vidual to view the notices contained on or accompanying a printed voter 15 registration application form. 16 b. Such website and mobile application shall also conspicuously set 17 forth information concerning the timeframes and deadlines for applying 18 to register to vote or updating registration, to assist such individual 19 in ascertaining whether the registration or update will take effect for 20 the next election. Such website and mobile application shall also 21 conspicuously set forth information concerning how a voter may confirm 22 his or her registration information. 23 c. The website and mobile application provided pursuant to this 24 section shall permit the submission of an individual's signature through 25 one or more methods determined by the state board of elections to result 26 in a signature of a quality and likeness comparable to a signature writ- 27 ten with ink. Methods to be considered by the state board of elections 28 shall include, but not be limited to: (i) the uploading of an electronic EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD13996-02-7A. 9014 2 1 file; and (ii) direct input through a touch or stylus interface. In 2 addition to any other method or methods utilized pursuant to this subdi- 3 vision, a county board of elections may, with the consent of an individ- 4 ual, utilize a signature previously provided by such individual to an 5 agency or to the department of motor vehicles, if the county board of 6 elections determines that such signature otherwise meets the require- 7 ments of this section and may be used consistent with the applicable law 8 governing the use of the signature provided. 9 d. To the extent practicable and consistent with the privacy of users, 10 data security and applicable law, the state board of elections shall 11 make available to the public a web application program interface that 12 permits programs approved by such board to directly transmit voter 13 registration application form information to such board and to county 14 boards of election in a manner equivalent to the submission authorized 15 by subdivision a of this section. 16 § 2. The opening paragraph of paragraph (b) of subdivision 4 of 17 section 3-212 of the election law, as amended by chapter 79 of the laws 18 of 1992, is amended to read as follows: 19 Said annual report, as required by paragraph (a) of this subdivision, 20 shall include a detailed description of existing programs designed to 21 enhance voter registration, including the number of voter registration 22 application forms received and transmitted to the New York state board 23 of elections during the preceding calendar year pursuant to section 24 5-205 of this chapter, both in total and disaggregated for the website 25 and mobile application. Such report shall include a voter registration 26 action plan which details the various activities and programs of each 27 board, including a description of those steps which shall be taken in 28 the future to increase registration opportunities, especially for those 29 identifiable groups of persons historically underrepresented on the 30 rolls of registered voters; and coordinate voter education programs with 31 school districts, colleges and universities within the board's jurisdic- 32 tion including voter registration of qualified applicants and instruc- 33 tional or extracurricular activities promoting participation in the 34 electoral process. 35 § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after 36 it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediate- 37 ly, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation 38 necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are 39 authorized to be made by the New York state board of elections on or 40 before such effective date.
