What's happening
This bill allows New Yorkers to register to vote up to 10 days before an election, shortening the previous deadline.
Why it matters
Reduces New York’s voter registration deadline from 25 to 10 days before an election, making it easier for people to register closer to Election Day. This can help accommodate new residents, those who recently turned 18, or people who become more engaged late in the cycle.
Shortens processing deadlines for agencies and the DMV to transmit voter registration forms. Agencies now have to ensure applications are received by boards of elections no later than 5 days before the election, potentially speeding up and modernizing the registration process.
Eliminates special late registration exceptions for certain groups (e.g., newly naturalized citizens and recently discharged military personnel). Instead, everyone benefits from the overall shorter deadline, which can simplify processes and make the system fairer.
Could increase voter turnout and civic engagement by lowering one significant barrier to voting. The change aligns with efforts in other states to make voting more accessible and supports the principle that voting should be as easy as possible for eligible citizens.
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
Eligible New Yorkers seeking to register
The bill would move the registration cutoff from 25 days to 10 days before a primary, general or special election, with mailed applications due at election boards five days before the election.
State and local boards of elections
Boards would receive qualifying registration applications closer to Election Day while remaining responsible for determining eligibility and verifying identity before voting-machine use.
Department of Motor Vehicles and participating registration agencies
These agencies would accept qualifying applications through 10 days before an election and transmit them for receipt by election boards no later than five days before the election.
Military voters and special federal voters
Previously unregistered military voters would gain a 10-day primary application deadline, while special federal voters would generally gain a 10-day registration application deadline.
Headline styles
Allow Last-Minute Voter Registration
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 44
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to election law
- Referred to election law
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7085
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
April 5, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. CARROLL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to registering to vote within 10 days of a primary, general or special election
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivisions 3 and 4 of section 5-210 of the election law, subdivision 3 as amended by chapter 255 of the laws of 2015 and subdivision 4 as amended by chapter 179 of the laws of 2005, are 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] tenth day before the next ensuing primary, general or special election, and received no later than the [twentieth] fifth day before such election, or delivered in person to such board of elections not later than the tenth day before a special 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.
[4. Any qualified person who has been honorably discharged from the military after the twenty-fifth day before a general election or who has become a naturalized citizen after the twenty-fifth day before a general
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08576-01-9
A. 7085 2
election may personally register at the board of elections in the county of his or her residence and vote in the general election held at least ten days after such registration.]
§ 2. Subdivisions 11 and 12 of section 5-211 of the election law, subdivision 11 as amended by chapter 200 of the laws of 1996 and subdivision 12 as added by chapter 659 of the laws of 1994, are amended to read as follows:
11. The participating agency shall transmit the completed applications for registration and change of address forms to the appropriate board of elections not later than ten days after receipt except that all such completed applications and forms received by the agency between the thirtieth and [twenty-fifth] tenth day before an election shall be transmitted in such manner and at such time as to assure their receipt by such board of elections not later than the [twentieth] fifth day before such election.
12. Completed application forms, when received by a participating agency not later than the [twenty-fifth] tenth day before the next ensuing primary, general or special election and transmitted by such agency to the appropriate board of elections so that they are received by such board not later than the [twentieth] fifth day before such election shall entitle the applicant to vote in such election provided the board determines that the applicant is otherwise qualified.
§ 3. Subdivisions 6 and 7 of section 5-212 of the election law, subdivision 6 as amended by chapter 200 of the laws of 1996 and subdivision 7 as added by chapter 659 of the laws of 1994, are amended to read as follows:
6. The department of motor vehicles shall transmit that portion of the form which constitutes the completed application for registration or change of address form to the appropriate board of elections not later than ten days after receipt except that all such completed applications and forms received by the department between the thirtieth and [twentyfifth] tenth day before an election shall be transmitted in such manner and at such time as to assure their receipt by such board of elections not later than the [twentieth] fifth day before such election. All transmittals shall include original signatures.
7. Completed application forms received by the department of motor vehicles not later than the [twenty-fifth] tenth day before the next ensuing primary, general or special election and transmitted by such department to the appropriate board of elections so that they are received not later than the [twentieth] fifth day before such election shall entitle the applicant to vote in such election provided the board determines that the applicant is otherwise qualified.
§ 4. Subdivision 5 of section 10-106 of the election law, as amended by chapter 290 of the laws of 1991, is amended to read as follows:
5. The state board of elections shall forward to the appropriate board of elections all applications for military ballots received by it. An application from a military voter not previously registered must be received by the appropriate board of elections not later than ten days before a general or special election or [twenty-five] ten days before a primary election in order to entitle the applicant to vote at such election. An application from a military voter who is already registered must be received at least seven days before an election in order to entitle the applicant to vote at such election; except that an application from such a military voter who delivers his or her application to the board of elections in person, must be received not later than the day before the election.
A. 7085 3
§ 5. Subdivision 2 of section 11-200 of the election law, as amended by chapter 473 of the laws of 1992, is amended to read as follows:
2. Every person registered pursuant to this title shall continue to be eligible to vote in all elections in which special federal voters are eligible to vote except that in order to vote at a primary election of a party, a voter registered pursuant to this title must have been so registered [and] no later than ten days before the previous general election, and/or enrolled in such party before the previous general election; or, if such voter was not registered in New York state for the previous general election, such voter must so register [and] no later than ten days before such primary, and/or enroll in such party not later than twenty-five days before such primary[; or, if such voter was registered in New York state for the last general election, such voter must have had the same party enrollment with such registration as such voter sets forth on his application for registration and enrollment as a special federal voter].
§ 6. Paragraph a of subdivision 1 of section 11-202 of the election law, as amended by chapter 262 of the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows:
a. A person, who, pursuant to this title, is qualified to vote as a special federal voter may, by application received by the state board of elections or any local board of elections on or before the [twentyfifth] tenth day next preceding any election in which such person would be entitled to vote or the last day of local registration for such election, whichever is later, apply to the board of elections of the county in which he resided in person or by personal application by mail for registration and enrollment as a special federal voter. An application for registration and enrollment pursuant to this article shall be treated as an application for a special federal ballot for every election in which the applicant would be eligible to vote which is held through and including the next two regularly scheduled general elections held in even numbered years, including any run-offs which may occur.
§ 7. This act shall take effect immediately.
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.