What's happening
This bill shortens the voter registration deadlines in New York, allowing people to register closer to election day.
Why it matters
Reduces the advance time required to register to vote. , making it easier for people who become engaged or aware of an election closer to Election Day to participate, potentially increasing voter turnout.
Modernizes New York’s election system. by bringing registration deadlines more in line with those of other states that allow for later or even same-day registration, which can make voting more accessible, especially for young, mobile, or newly eligible voters.
Could help address common barriers to voting. such as missed deadlines due to busy schedules, moving, or lack of information—by giving people more flexibility and time to register.
May require local boards of elections to update their systems and processes. to accommodate a higher volume of late registrations, potentially impacting administrative workload and the need for timely verification of voter identities.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Shorten Voter Registration Deadlines
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to election law
- 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 Assembly Committee · Election Law · Sponsor Brian Kavanagh
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
116
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
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.
LBD01062-01-9
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.