What's happening
This bill allows 16- and 17-year-olds in New York to pre-register to vote and requires schools to promote student voter registration.
Why it matters
Expanding pre-registration to 16- and 17-year-olds creates a longer runway for young people to engage in the democratic process. potentially leading to higher turnout rates among new voters as they age into eligibility.
By requiring schools to promote voter registration, the bill recognizes educational institutions as critical venues for civic engagement. and leverages their reach to help normalize participation in elections.
Automated transition from pre-registered to active voter status upon turning 18 reduces bureaucratic hurdles. , making it more likely that young voters will be ready to cast a ballot in their first eligible election without extra paperwork or delays.
The bill includes safeguards to ensure that student participation is voluntary, not mandatory or graded. , protecting students’ autonomy and preventing potential conflicts over compelled political activity in academic settings.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Allow Teen Voter Pre-Registration
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 38
History
- Referred to elections
- Referred to elections
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
138
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by Sens. CARLUCCI, ADDABBO, BAILEY, BRESLIN, HOYLMAN, KAVANAGH, KENNEDY, KRUEGER, PARKER, SAVINO, SEPULVEDA, SERRANO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to voter pre-registration
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph o of subdivision 4 of section 5-500 of the election law, as amended by chapter 659 of the laws of 1994, is amended and a new paragraph p is added to read as follows:
o. A space for "remarks" regarding other facts required by this chapter to be recorded or appropriate to identify the voter[.];
p. A space for pre-registering applicants to respond to the following question: "Are you at least 16 years of age and understand that you must be 18 years of age on or before election day to vote, and that until you reach the age of 18 your registration will be marked as 'pending' and you will be unable to cast a ballot in any election?".
§ 2. The election law is amended by adding a new section 5-507 to read as follows:
§ 5-507. Voter pre-registration and education on voter pre-registration. 1. Pre-registration. A person who is at least sixteen years of age and who is otherwise qualified to register to vote may pre-register to vote, and shall be automatically registered upon reaching the age of eligibility, following verification of the person's qualifications and address.
2. Encouragement of student voter registration and pre-registration. Local boards of education are required to adopt policies to promote student voter registration and pre-registration. These policies may include collaboration with county boards of elections to conduct voter registration and pre-registration in high schools. Completion and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04590-02-9
S. 138 2
submission of voter registration or pre-registration forms shall not be a course requirement or graded assignment for students.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the election law, in relation to voter pre-registration
Purpose
To allow those 16 and 17 years of age to pre-register to vote.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Amends paragraph o of subdivision 4 of section 5-500 of the election law and adds a new paragraph p that provide for the addition of a space on a voter registration form for pre-registering applicants.
Section 2. Adds a new section 5-507 to the election law to allow a person who is at least 16 years old and is otherwise qualified to regis- ter to vote, to pre-register to vote with that voter becoming automat- ically registered upon reaching the age of eligibility. This section also requires local boards of education to adopt policies to promote student voter registration and pre-registration.
Section 3. Effective date.
Justification
There are currently at least a dozen states that allow 16- and/or 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote. The age 16 is a sensible time for the DMV and high schools to collect information for voter pre-registra- tion, as it is the time when a significant amount of people have their first interaction with the DMV, and it is an age where school is still compulsory in New York. Pre-registration allows this information to be collected at a convenient time for the individual rather than making them return to the boards of elections or a state agency when they reach eligible voting age. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2010 only 46.6% of eligible New York voters between the ages of 18 and 24 were registered to vote (the most recent data available). This percentage is likely to increase when information is gathered to pre-register 16- and 17-year-olds, and then automatically registering young voters when they reach an eligible voting age. Getting young people involved in the election process allows them to form the habit of voting and contribute to civic life early.
Legislative history
2017-18: S1661/A9609 - ELECTIONS/advanced to third reading 2015-16: S845/A2529 - Elections/Reported to Ways and Means 2014: S1992-B/A2042-13 - Elections/Passed Assembly 2013: S1992-A/A2042-A - 3rd Reading Calendar/Passed Assembly 2011-12: S5256/A7440 - Elections/Election Law
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.