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Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Print number 873a
- Amend and recommit to elections
- Referred to elections
- Referred to elections
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Allows absentee voting for persons unable to vote due to duties, occupation, business, personal matters or studies
In Assembly Committee · Election Law · Sponsor Brian Kavanagh
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the election law, in relation to absentee voting qualifications
Purpose
Allows absentee voting for persons unable to vote due to duties, occupation, business, personal matters or studies.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Amends subdivision 1 of section 8-400 of the election law and adds a new subdivision 11 to extend absentee voting rights to any individual who for any reason is unable to vote in person; includes the category of "matters" in the list of acceptable reasons for absentee voting; eliminates the requirement that an individual applying for an absentee ballot be required to file a statement regarding the nature and reasons of their absence from the county of his or her residence; provides that no single agent may collect more than fifteen absentee ballots, except upon application and approval of both commissioners.
Section 2. Effective date.
Justification
By extending absentee voting rights to all individuals who are unable to vote in person on election day, we are enabling more eligible voters to vote in New York State and have that vote counted. This bill helps to ensure that as many eligible voters as possible exercise their right to vote on election day.
There are many instances where an individual voter may not be able to vote, for any number of personal reasons, but may not fall within one of the categories which exists in current law. This amendment would eliminate this problem. The existing application process is also amended, as it would no longer require an individual voter to provide a specific reason as to why they will be unable to vote in person on election day.
This bill helps codify the main focus of HAVA to ensure that as many people as possible are able to exercise their right to vote and do so in an appropriate manner. By eliminating the requirement that an individual provide an acceptable reason for their absence, the bill also eliminates a pitfall as to why an otherwise eligible voter may be deemed ineligible.
Additionally, this bill would limit the number of absentee ballots one agent may collect to fifteen, unless otherwise approved by both commis- sioners. This change eliminates the unseemly practice whereby one individual is able to collect an unlimited number of absentee ballots and turn them in. The potential for fraud in instances like that is too great to risk for such an important matter as the right to have your vote count.
Legislative history
2013-14: S6534/A2105 - Elections/Election Law
Fiscal implications
None.
Local fiscal implications
Negligible.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.