Albany, NY – Assemblymember Robert Carroll (D/WF-Brooklyn) announced that his “Golden Day” voter registration bill (A.6132) passed the New York State Assembly today.

This legislation is part of Assemblymember Carroll’s ongoing effort to modernize and improve New York’s voting system. In 2021, his bill (A.7931) which allowed the Board of Elections to count absentee ballots prior to election day, bringing New York in line with most other states was signed into law. In 2022, his “Wrong Church” bill (A.642), which prevents voters from having their ballots invalidated simply because they mistakenly appeared in the wrong polling place and filled out an affidavit ballot, was signed into law. Also in 2022, the Governor signed legislation sponsored by Assemblymember Carroll (A.8858) reducing the 25-day deadline for voter registration to the constitutional minimum of 10 days and creating a scenario where the voter registration deadline now overlaps with the first day of early voting.

Now A.6132 establishes a mechanism for enabling New Yorkers to register at an early voting site on the first day of early voting and then cast a ballot, all in one visit. Eligible people who appear on the first Saturday of early voting can use same-day voter registration procedures, without the need for additional steps. An unregistered eligible person must be offered the opportunity to complete a registration affidavit, and then can cast an affidavit ballot.

“I have been working since I first joined the Assembly to make it easier for New Yorkers to vote and improve our voting system and this bill represents another step forward in reforming New York's previously antiquated election laws,” said Assemblymember Robert Carroll. “Thanks to the success last year in getting my legislation passed reducing the 25-day deadline for voter registration to 10 days, voters now have a chance to both register and vote on the first day of early voting. This bill sets up the mechanism for that “Golden Day” and establishes a template for the future expansion of same day voter registration.”

The bill also adds protections for voters who register close to the new 10-day voter registration deadline to ensure their ballots are counted and are not rejected due to administrative error. If a person not on the voter rolls casts an affidavit ballot, the county board of elections must count the ballot, if otherwise valid, if the board has received a valid registration application for the person by the registration deadline.

This bill has also passed the State Senate and will now go to the Governor for signature.