What's happening
This bill expands absentee ballot access and assistance for residents of nursing homes and senior citizen residences in New York.
Why it matters
Ensures on-site access to absentee ballots and applications. The bill requires that inspectors at nursing homes and senior residences bring not only absentee ballots addressed to residents, but also extra ballots, envelopes, and applications—making it easier for all eligible residents to participate, even if they hadn’t previously requested a ballot.
Mandates assistance for residents needing help with applications. Inspectors must actively assist any resident who requests help in completing their absentee ballot application, directly addressing barriers faced by seniors or those with disabilities.
Provides immediate absentee ballots for late requests. If a resident registers their request on-site, inspectors are required to deliver the appropriate ballot and envelope right away, minimizing the risk of voters being disenfranchised due to missed deadlines or overlooked paperwork.
Facilitates voting for out-of-district residents. The bill includes procedures for residents who are registered in a different election district than where the facility is located, requiring inspectors to promptly obtain and deliver the correct ballot—expanding access and ensuring every eligible resident can vote regardless of their registration address.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Expand Nursing Home Voting Access
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
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.
Easier Absentee Voting for Seniors
In Senate Committee · Elections · Sponsor Leroy Comrie
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3948
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 31, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to absentee voting in nursing homes and senior citizen residences
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 5 of section 8-407 of the election law, as added by chapter 296 of the laws of 1988, is amended and a new subdivision 10-a is added to read as follows:
5. The board of elections shall deliver to each board of inspectors all the absentee ballots in the custody of such board of elections which are addressed to residents of the facilities which such board of inspectors is assigned to attend, together with an additional supply of the appropriate absentee ballots for the election district in which the facility is located, absentee ballot envelopes, applications for absentee ballots, one or more portable voting booths of a type approved by the state board of elections and such other supplies as such board of inspectors will require to discharge its duties properly.
10-a. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 8-402 of this title, the board of inspectors shall deliver an application for an absentee ballot to any resident of such facility for whom it does not have an absentee ballot and who requests such an application. The board of inspectors shall assist any such resident who requests assistance to complete such application. Upon receiving a completed application from any resident who is registered to vote at the facility, the board of inspectors shall forthwith deliver an absentee ballot and ballot envelope to such voter in the manner prescribed by this section. With respect to the application of any resident of the facility who is registered to vote from an election district other than the one in which the facility is located, the board of inspectors, if it does not have a supply of the appropriate ballot, shall forthwith obtain the appropriate
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07439-01-9
A. 3948 2
ballot from the board of elections and deliver such ballot and envelope to such voter in the manner prescribed by this section.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
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.