What's happening
This bill changes the annual voter address check in New York from February to January using the National Change of Address System.
Why it matters
Earlier voter record updates may help keep registration lists more accurate before key election deadlines, potentially reducing confusion at the polls and improving election integrity.
Shifting the address check to January gives election officials more time to contact voters whose addresses have changed, allowing voters additional time to confirm or update their registration before primary and general elections.
This change could especially impact voters who have recently moved, ensuring their information is up to date and reducing the risk of being unable to vote due to outdated records.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Update Voter Address Check Timing
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to elections
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7983
IN SENATE
March 6, 2020
Introduced by Sen. MYRIE -- 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 changing the time period for the annual national change of address system check for registered voters
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph a of subdivision 5 of section 5-708 of the election law, as amended by chapter 5 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
a. At least once each year during the month of [February] January, each board of elections shall obtain through the National Change of Address System, the forwarding address for every voter registered with such board of elections for whom the United States Postal Service has such a forwarding address together with the name of each such voter whom the Postal Service records indicate has moved from the address at which he is registered without leaving a forwarding address.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15602-01-0
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 changing the time peri- od for the annual national change of address system check for registered voters
Purpose
Changes the time for the annual National Change of Address System check for all registered voters from February to January, reflecting the consolidated June Primary
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends Paragraph a of subdivision 5 of section 5-708 of the 2 election law, as amended by chapter 5 of the laws of 2019, changes the time for the annual National Change of Address System check from Febru- ary to January.
Section 2 sets forth the effective date.
Justification
As currently written, Election Law 5-708(5) (a) provides that the annual National Change of Address System (NCOA) check for registered voters be conducted during the month of February. This time period was selected with the enactment last year of the consolidated June Primary Election, However, even with this change, it still dramatically reduces the window that was contemplated when Section 5-708(5) (a), was originally enacted. It is even more critical in a Presidential Election year when the Presi- dential Primary is scheduled for a spring date.
Legislative history
New Bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.