What's happening
This bill requires absentee ballots in New York to include a return postage guaranteed envelope and updates certain terminology in the election law.
Why it matters
Guaranteeing return postage for absentee ballots reduces a key barrier to voting. , especially for voters with limited mobility, financial constraints, or those living in areas without easy access to postal services—potentially increasing voter participation and equity.
Standardizing the requirement for return postage ensures uniformity across all counties and election districts. , preventing confusion and disparities in how absentee ballots are processed and returned in different parts of New York.
Updating terminology from “chapter” to “title” in the law provides greater legal clarity and alignment with current legislative language. , minimizing misinterpretations that could affect how election rules are implemented or challenged.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Guarantee Return Postage for Absentee Ballots
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to election law
- Referred to election law
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1777
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 13, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. DINOWITZ, GOTTFRIED, ROSENTHAL, COOK, ABINANTI -read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to absentee ballots
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 8-406 of the election law, as amended by chapter 296 of the laws of 1988, is amended to read as follows:
§ 8-406. Absentee ballots, delivery of. If the board shall find that the applicant is a qualified voter of the election district containing his residence as stated in his statement and that his statement is sufficient, it shall, as soon as practicable after it shall have determined his right thereto, mail to him at an address designated by him, or deliver to him, or to any person designated for such purpose in writing by him, at the office of the board, such an absentee voter's ballot or set of ballots and [an] a return postage guaranteed envelope therefor. If the ballot or ballots are to be sent outside of the United States to a country other than Canada or Mexico, such ballot or ballots shall be sent by air mail. However, if an applicant who is eligible for an absentee ballot is a resident of a facility operated or licensed by, or under the jurisdiction of, the department of mental hygiene, or a resident of a facility defined as a nursing home or residential health care facility pursuant to subdivisions two and three of section two thousand eight hundred one of the public health law, or a resident of a hospital or other facility operated by the Veteran's Administration of the United States, such absentee ballot need not be so mailed or delivered to any such applicant but, may be delivered to the voter in the manner prescribed by section 8-407 of this [chapter] title if such facility is located in the county or city in which such voter is eligible to vote.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03597-01-7
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.