Enacts the "voter empowerment act of New York" to streamline the process for registering to vote

Section 3 amends the election law, adding new Section 5-200 providing for automatic registration of voters

Section 4 amends subdivisions 1 and 6 of section 5-208 of the election law allowing easier transfer of registrations when a person moves within New York State

Section 5 amends subdivision 3 of section 5-208 of the election law providing a 10 day limit prior to elections to change an address, and provides a mechanism to vote by affidavit ballot if within 10 days of an election.

Section 6 amends subdivision 1 of section 4-117 of the election law allowing transfer of registration when a person moves within New York State.

Section 7 amends paragraph a of subdivision 1 of section 5-400 of the election law allowing transfer of registration when a person moves within New York State.

Section 8 amends paragraphs b, c, and d of subdivision 2 of section 5-400 of the election law allowing transfer of registration when a person moves within New York State.

Section 9 amends subdivision 3 of section 5-210 of the election law to allow registration up until ten days prior to an election, so long as it is received within 5 days before the election, and provides that everyone automatically registered to vote shall receive such notification within ten days of the registration information by the board of elections.

Section 10 amends paragraphs g and k of subdivision 5 of section 5-210 of the election law allowing 16 and 17 year olds to pre-register to vote.

Section 11 amends subdivisions 9, 11 and 14 of section 5-210 of the election law provides for implementation of 10 day advance voter registration

Section 12 amends section 5-211 of the election law providing that SUNY, CUNY, all public housing authorities, the department of corrections and community supervision and the division of military and

naval affairs are included as agencies for the purposes of voter registration.

Section 13 amends subdivisions 11 and 12 of section 5-211 of the election law ensuring registration up to 10 days prior to an election.

Section 14 amends subdivision 14 of section 5-211 of the election law and adds new subdivisions 18 and 19 relating to providing colleges and universities with voter registration forms.

Section 15 amends section 5-212 of the election law changes the motor voter law to provide for automatic registration of all drivers license and nondriver id card holders.

Section 16 amends subdivisions 6 and 7 of section 5-212 provides for the timing of automatic voter registration.

Section 17 amends subdivision 3 of section 5-213 of the election law providing for reactivation of voter status.

Section 18 amends subdivision 3 of section 5-304 of the election law provides change in party enrollment deadlines to be moved.

Section 19 amends the opening paragraph of paragraph (e) of subdivision 3 of section 8-302 of the election law relating to affidavit ballots and poll location.

Section 20 amends section 8-302 of the election law adding a new section 3-d to provide for a mechanism for affidavit voting.

Section 21 amends subdivision 11 of section 5-614 of the election law establishes an online voter information system.

Section 22 amends subdivision 3 of section 8-510 of the election law includes affidavit ballots in the information to be sealed in a ledger by election inspectors.

Section 23 amends the election law adding a new section 17-138 provides anti-harassment and anti-discrimination requirements for the voter registration process.

Section 24 amends subdivision 1 of section 3-220 of the election law provides that no information submitted as part of the automatic voter registration process shall be considered a public record.

Section 25 amends subdivision 4 of section 3-212 of the election law adding new paragraphs c and d requires an annual report of voter registration.

Section 26 amends section 17-104 of the election law provides that no person shall be liable for an error in the voter registration list without knowingly and willfully making a false statement.

Section 27 amends and renumbers subdivision 17 of section 3-102 and adds new subdivisions 17, 18, 19 and 20 to provide a process for opting out of the voter registration list.

Justification

New York's antiquated voter registration system is in dire need of repair. It is time for New York to join states like Oregon in making registration automatic to remove one major impediment from citizen participation in the political process. Additionally, making it easier to transfer registrations when a person moves around the state and allowing minors to pre-register to vote will help make New York one of the most voter-friendly states in the country. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2014: S0619B (Gianaris) - Elections; A00187B (Kavanagh) - Election Law 2013: S0619A (Gianaris) - Elections; A00187A (Kavanagh) - Election Law 2012: S1974D (Gianaris) - Elections; A01712D (Kavanagh) - Election Law 2011: S1974 (Gianaris) - Elections; A01712 (Kavanagh) - Election Law 2010: No Senate Bill; A05265 (Gianaris) - Election Law 2009: No Senate Bill; A05265 (Gianaris) - Election Law 2008: No Senate Bill; A04346 (Gianaris) - Election Law 2007: No Senate Bill; A04346 (Gianaris) - Election Law 2006: No Senate Bill; A03480 (Gianaris) - Election Law 2005: No Senate Bill; A03480 (Gianaris) - Election Law 2004: No Senate Bill; A09346 (Gianaris) - Election Law

Fiscal impact on the state

Projected cost savings from a decrease in costs required to administer voter registration, in an amount to be determined.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however that sections two, three, four, six, seven, eight, ten twelve, fifteen, seventeen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, and twenty-four shall take effect January 1, 2017, sections five, nine, eleven, thirteen, sixteen, and eighteen take effect on January 1, 2018.