What's happening
This bill shortens the voter registration deadlines in New York, allowing people to register closer to election day.
Why it matters
Shortening the voter registration deadline from 25 to 15 days before an election gives more people—especially those newly interested or moved—time to register and participate, making the process more accessible.
The deadline for boards of elections to receive registration forms is also reduced from 20 to 10 days before an election, potentially increasing last-minute registrations and requiring boards to process applications more quickly and efficiently.
This change may make it easier for campaigns and civic groups to register voters closer to Election Day, possibly increasing overall voter turnout and engagement, but it could also put added pressure on local election offices to verify and process registrations in a shorter window.
By updating deadlines for both mail-in and in-person registrations, the law aims to modernize the registration process and align New York’s practices more closely with other states that have adopted shorter or even same-day registration periods.
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Who cares
Eligible voters registering by mail
The bill would move the postmark deadline from 25 to 15 days before a primary, general or special election and the receipt deadline from 20 to 10 days before the election.
Eligible voters registering in person
The bill would extend the deadline of 10 days before an election for in-person registration to primary and general elections, rather than only special elections.
State and local boards of elections
The bill would require boards to accept qualifying registration applications closer to Election Day while retaining identity-verification, forwarding and receipt-date recording requirements.
Headline styles
Shorten Voter Registration Deadline
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to election law
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.
Speed Up Voter Registration
In Senate Committee · Elections · Sponsor Brian Kavanagh
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
10582
IN ASSEMBLY
May 7, 2018
Introduced by M. of A. BUCHWALD -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to voter registration
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 5-210 of the election law, as amended by chapter 255 of the laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:
3. Completed application forms, when received by any board of elections and, with respect to application forms promulgated by the federal election commission, when received by the state board of elections, or showing a dated cancellation mark of the United States Postal Service or contained in an envelope showing such a dated cancellation mark which is not later than the [twenty-fifth] fifteenth day before the next ensuing primary, general or special election, and received no later than the [twentieth] tenth day before such election, or delivered in person to such board of elections not later than the tenth day before [a special] such election, shall entitle the applicant to vote in such election, if he or she is otherwise qualified, provided, however, such applicant shall not vote on a voting machine until his or her identity is verified. Any board of elections receiving an application form from a person who does not reside in its jurisdiction but who does reside elsewhere in the state of New York, shall forthwith forward such application form to the proper board of elections. Each board of elections shall make an entry on each such form of the date it is received by such board.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03025-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.