Sets forth provisions for absentee ballots for fire district elections and improvement district elections

Title of bill

An act to amend the town law, in relation to absentee ballots for fire district elections and improvement district elections

Purpose

The purpose of this legislation is to set forth provisions for absentee ballots for fire district elections and improvement district elections.

Summary of provisions

Section 1. Subdivision e of section 175-b of the Town Law as follows: A qualified voter may vote as an absentee voter under this section if during all the hours of voting on the day of a fire district election:

a. he or she will be absent from the county of his or her residence; or unable to appear at the polling place because of illness, physical disability, duties related to primary care of one or more individuals who are ill or physically disabled, or because he or she will be or is a patient in a hospital or an inmate or patient of a veteran's administration hospital, or detained in jail awaiting action by a grand jury or awaiting trial or confined in jail or prison after a conviction for an offense other than a felony, provided that he or she is qualified to vote in the election district of his or her residence; and

b. as long as the voter has made a written application, as prescribed by the state board of elections, with the district secretary; and

c. he or she filed an absentee ballot application containing the applicants full name, date of birth, residence address, mailing address, a statement that the applicant is a qualified and registered voter, and a statement that expects to be absent from the county of their residence; and

d. if the voter is permanently disabled and meets provisions required to receive the absentee; and

e. he or she has met the appropriate application deadlines; and

f. if the voter has met the absentee ballot deadlines.

Section 2. Amends Subdivision 2 of section 213 - of the Town Law to read as follows: A qualified voter may vote as an absentee voter under this section if during all the hours of voting on the day of an improvement district election:

a. will be absent from the country of his or her residence; or

b. each person entitled to vote as an absentee voter pursuant to this section and desirous of an absentee ballot shall make a written applications, as prescribed by the state board of elections, to the district secretary; and

c. he or she filed an absentee ballet application containing the applicants full name, date of birth, residence address, mailing address, a statement that the applicant is a qualified and registered voter, and a statement that he or she expects to be absent from the county of their residence; and

d. sets forth provisions regarding absentee ballots for those permanently disabled; and e. sets forth provisions regarding application deadlines; and f sets forth provisions regarding absentee ballot deadlines.

Section 3. Establishes the effective date.

Justification

Election Law was amended in 2010 simplifying the absentee ballot application for registered voters. The new simplified absentee ballot application needs to be enacted in Town Law so that the absentee ballot application for the fire district and improvement elections is the same.

Legislative history

A. 7365-A of 2013/2014 A. 2585-D and S. 7696 of 2011/2012

Fiscal implications

There are no fiscal implications to the State associated with the passage of this legislation.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.