Relates to ensuring that certain notification requirements are cost-effective and efficient

Title of bill

An act to amend the election law, in relation to ensuring certain notification requirements are cost-effective and efficient

Purpose or general idea of bill

To provide for a cost effective and efficient method for mailing election notifications.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 of the bill updates election law section 4-117 to provide the annual mail check notices sent by boards of elections be sent by mail with the necessary and current postal instructions to ensure undelivered notices are duly returned to the boards of elections, that the mail pieces are not forwarded in the mail but rather returned to the board of elections with all of the available forwarding information needed to update voter records.

Section 2 of the bill similarly updates section 5-210 of the election law to ensure notices mailed to voters pursuant to their application to register to vote are properly endorsed.

Section 3 is the effective date (immediately).

Justification

This bill accomplishes two things: it permits standard mail for the annual notice coupled with necessary postal endorsements to ensure "no forwarding" and the prompt return of updated address information to the local board of elections for mail that cannot be delivered as addressed. The bill also removes from two sections of the election law the mandated use of a postal endorsement that is no longer recognized by postal authorities.

The notice required by 4-117 annually informs voters of the dates of upcoming elections, the location of their poll site and other important information. This mailing must not be forwarded and the forwarding information needs to be return to boards of elections because the information is essential to update voter records, and if the mailing was forwarded to voters who have moved, those voters would be instructed to go to the wrong poll site or, in the case of those who moved out of the county or City of New York, falsely informed they are still registered to vote.

The change to election law 4-117 allows the annual informational mailing to New York's 10.7 million active voters to be accomplished by standard mail with postal endorsements ensuring the same "no forwarding" and return-mail features of a current first-class mailing that is properly endorsed for those services. This bill would save county boards of elections as much as $800,000 to $1 million annually, increase the informational value of the annual notice while sacrificing none of the list maintenance information generated by the mailing.

Fiscal implications to the state

None to the state. An estimated savings of $800,000 to $1 million for county boards of elections.

Legislative history

New bill.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.