Relates to absentee ballot tracking

1 Co-sponsor

• Bill Perkins

BILL NUMBER:S5416

Title of bill

An act to amend the election law, in relation to absentee ballot tracking

Purpose

Require the Boards of Elections to provide a secure website through which New Yorkers could track their absentee ballot every step of the process from the moment the local board of elections receives the request for a ballot until the moment the vote is counted.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 amends election law by adding a new section 8-414 relating to setting up and maintain an absentee ballot tracking website and the required information to be available through that website.

Section 2 sets forth that this act is subject to appropriations for the cost to develop and maintain the website.

Justification

The legislation builds on the 2009 Military and Overseas Voters Empowerment (MOVE) Act, which required a similar system for overseas voters and members of the military who vote via absentee ballot. Some states, already tracking the ballots for those voters, opted to do so for everyone, including Massachusetts, Iowa and Florida. This legislation would provide a system for every voter who votes by absentee ballot to track the process and ensure that their vote is counted in the election.

Legislative history

This is a new bill.

Fiscal implications

There would be no fiscal cost to localities and the bill would be subject to an appropriation in a future state budget.

Effective date

This act shall take effect 120 days after it becomes law.