STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
149
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 9, 2013
___________
Introduced by M. of A. KAVANAGH, KELLNER, LENTOL, PAULIN, GABRYSZAK,
COLTON, LUPARDO, ROSENTHAL, MILLMAN, CAMARA, QUART -- 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 § 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.
LBD03456-01-3
A. 149 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 § 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.
