What's happening
This bill allows New York voter registration forms to include an optional section for applicants to provide their email addresses.
Why it matters
Facilitates Modern Communication. Allowing voters to optionally provide an email address can enable boards of elections to communicate more quickly and efficiently, such as for reminders about upcoming elections, polling place changes, or issues with registration.
Potential for Faster Problem Resolution. With email on file, election officials can more promptly notify voters about problems (like incomplete forms or signature mismatches), giving voters a better chance to fix issues before deadlines.
Supports Digital Voter Engagement. Collection of email addresses lays groundwork for future digital initiatives—such as online ballot tracking, digital sample ballots, or voter education—potentially making the voting process more accessible and transparent.
Raises Privacy and Data Security Considerations. The inclusion of email addresses (even optionally) increases the need for strong protections against unauthorized use or data breaches, as voters may be concerned about privacy or unwanted communications.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Add Email to Voter Forms
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
16 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to elections
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.148
- Returned to assembly
- Died in senate
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.130
- Rules report cal.130
- Reported
Show 2 earlier actions
- Reported referred to rules
- 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.
Add Email to Voter Forms
In Senate Committee · Rules · Sponsor Fredrick J. Akshar II
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1949
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 17, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. MAYER, ARROYO, M. G. MILLER, MOSLEY, ROZIC, OTIS, ABINANTI, McDONALD, BLAKE, QUART, MONTESANO, HEVESI, SEAWRIGHT, BRABE- NEC, WEPRIN, KAVANAGH -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, HOOPER, PEOPLES-STOKES, RIVERA, SIMON, SOLAGES, THIELE, WRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to adding an optional section to voter registration forms to allow for email addresses
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (k) of subdivision 5 of section 5-210 of the election law is amended by adding a new subparagraph (xiii) to read as follows:
(xiii) The email address of the applicant (optional).
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02494-01-7
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.