Bill Text: NY S01731 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Provides that the board of elections shall accept voter registrations electronically through its website.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-03 - REFERRED TO ELECTIONS [S01731 Detail]
Download: New_York-2017-S01731-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1731 2017-2018 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 10, 2017 ___________ Introduced by Sens. CARLUCCI, AVELLA, PARKER, PERKINS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections 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 § 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. 23 (d) shall require the applicant to submit at least one of the follow- 24 ing with his or her application: EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD01809-01-7S. 1731 2 1 (i) his or her social security number; or 2 (ii) his or her valid New York state department of motor vehicles 3 client identification number. 4 4. Included on the webpage shall be: 5 (a) the statement, "If you believe that someone has interfered with 6 your right to register or decline to register to vote, your right to 7 privacy in deciding whether to register or in applying to register to 8 vote, or your right to choose your own political party or other poli- 9 tical preference, you may file a complaint with the state board of 10 elections (address and toll free telephone number)." 11 (b) a toll free number at the state board of elections that can be 12 called for answers to registration questions. 13 5. Whenever an applicant supplies the board with his or her valid New 14 York state department of motor vehicles client identification number, 15 such applicant's identification shall be deemed verified. The board 16 shall import the applicant's signature from the department of motor 17 vehicles to be used for verification purposes at the time of casting a 18 ballot. 19 6. Electronic registrations made not later than the twentieth day 20 before an election shall entitle the applicant to vote in such election 21 provided the board determines that the applicant is otherwise qualified. 22 7. Electronic application forms shall be processed by the board of 23 elections in the manner prescribed by section 5-210 of this title or, if 24 the applicant is already registered to vote from another address in such 25 county or city, in the manner prescribed by section 5-208 of this title. 26 The board shall send the appropriate notice of approval or rejection as 27 required by either subdivision nine of such section 5-210 or subdivision 28 five of such section 5-208. 29 8. The state board shall adopt such rules and regulations as may be 30 necessary to carry out the requirements of this section. The board 31 shall also adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary to 32 require county boards to provide the state board with such information 33 and data as the board deems necessary to assess compliance with this 34 section and to compile such statistics as may be required by the federal 35 elections commission. 36 9. The state board shall develop and distribute public information and 37 promotional materials relating to the purposes and implementation of 38 this program. 39 10. The department of motor vehicles shall cooperate with the state 40 board of elections in implementing the provisions of this section. 41 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after 42 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the amendment, addi- 43 tion, and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the timely 44 implementation of this act on its effective date are hereby authorized 45 to be made on or before such effective date.
