Bill Text: NY S08139 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends section 5 of article 2 of the constitution relating to the registration of voters.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-05-14 - OPINION REFERRED TO JUDICIARY [S08139 Detail]

Download: New_York-2017-S08139-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          8139
                    IN SENATE
                                      April 6, 2018
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  Sen. KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary
                    CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY
        proposing an amendment to section 5 of article 2 of the constitution, in
          relation to the registration of voters
     1    Section 1. RESOLVED (if the Assembly concurs), That section 5 of arti-
     2  cle 2 of the constitution be amended to read as follows:
     3    § 5. Laws shall be made for ascertaining, by proper proofs, the  citi-
     4  zens  who shall be entitled to the right of suffrage hereby established,
     5  and for  the  registration  of  voters[;  which  registration  shall  be
     6  completed  at  least  ten  days before each election]. Such registration
     7  shall not be required for town and village elections except  by  express
     8  provision  of  law.  Any  qualified person who is not registered in this
     9  state may apply personally for registration and enrollment by  appearing
    10  at  the  appropriate polling place for the election district in which he
    11  or she resides on any day of election,  primary,  general,  or  special,
    12  during  the  hours  that  such  polling  place is open for voting. To be
    13  eligible to register, a person must provide acceptable  forms  of  iden-
    14  tification  containing  proof  of  residence,  as determined by relevant
    15  state law. Any person who so registers to vote shall execute the follow-
    16  ing instrument in substantially the following form: "I, (name), do here-
    17  by certify, under penalty of perjury, that, to the best of my knowledge,
    18  I am a qualified voter, having resided at (place of  residence)  for  at
    19  least  thirty  days  immediately  preceding this election, that I am not
    20  disqualified on any legal grounds from  voting,  and  that  I  have  not
    21  already  voted  at  this election." If a registrant is unable to provide
    22  valid proof of residence, such registrant may be allowed to register for
    23  and vote in any election by  affidavit  ballot.  Such  affidavit  ballot
    24  shall  not be counted until election officials can determine such regis-
    25  trant's residence and eligibility to vote. The board of elections  shall
    26  establish  a  procedure by which a person who registers pursuant to this
    27  subdivision may cast his or her vote at the appropriate polling place.
    28    § 2. RESOLVED (if the Assembly concur), That the  foregoing  amendment
    29  be referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the
    30  next  succeeding  general  election  of members of the assembly, and, in
    31  conformity with  section  1  of  article  19  of  the  constitution,  be
    32  published for three months previous to the time of such election.
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD89128-01-8