What's happening
This bill establishes an electronic system for military voters in New York to apply for and return ballots online using digital signatures.
Why it matters
Expands voting access for military personnel. By allowing military voters to apply for and return ballots online using their Department of Defense digital signature, this bill addresses logistical barriers that often delay or prevent overseas service members from voting.
Improves election security and verification. The use of certificate-based digital signatures (from military-issued Common Access Cards) adds a layer of security and authenticity, helping ensure that only eligible military personnel can access and use the electronic system.
Streamlines ballot processing. Local boards of elections are required to have systems in place to receive and process these digital applications and ballots, potentially speeding up the verification and counting process compared to traditional mail.
Establishes legal equivalence for electronic submissions. Ballots and applications submitted through this new system are legally considered filed on the date of electronic transmission, reducing the risk that late mail delivery will disenfranchise military voters.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Online Ballots for Military Voters
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
22 Co-sponsors
- Stephen Hawley
- Karl Brabenec
- Joe DeStefano
- Steve Stern
- Brian Manktelow
- Jo Anne Simon
- Albert A. Stirpe
- Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas
- Yudelka Tapia
- Pamela J. Hunter
- Catalina Cruz
- William Magnarelli
- David McDonough
- Mary Beth Walsh
- Joe Angelino
- Brian D. Miller
- Nader Sayegh
- Philip Ramos
- John Lemondes
- Rebecca Seawright
- Vivian Cook
- Marianne Buttenschon
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to election law
- Referred to election law
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1143
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 9, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. WOERNER, HAWLEY, BRABENEC, DeSTEFANO, STERN, MANKTELOW, SIMON, STIRPE, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, TAPIA, HUNTER, CRUZ, MAGNAR- ELLI, McDONOUGH, WALSH, ANGELINO, MILLER, SAYEGH, RAMOS, LEMONDES, SEAWRIGHT, COOK -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. TAGUE, ZINERMAN -read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to establishing an electronic military ballot application and military ballot transmittal system
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new section 10-110 to read as follows:
§ 10-110. Military voters; electronic military ballot application and military ballot transmittal system. 1. In addition to any other means of application for a military ballot and return of a marked military ballot provided for by this chapter, the state board of elections shall establish and maintain an electronic military ballot application and military ballot transmittal system through which applicants may apply for a military ballot and return a marked military ballot, online. The state board of elections shall electronically transmit such applications and marked ballots to the applicable board of elections of each county or the city of New York for filing, processing and verification consistent with this chapter. In accordance with technical specifications provided by the state board of elections, each board of elections shall maintain a system capable of receiving and processing military ballot application and marked military ballot information, including digital signatures, from the electronic voter registration transmittal system established by the state board of elections. Notwithstanding any other inconsistent provision of this chapter, applications and ballots filed using such system shall be considered filed with the applicable board of elections on the calendar date such application or ballot is initially transmitted
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01975-01-5
by the voter through the electronic military ballot application and military ballot transmittal system.
2. As used in this article, the term "digital signature" shall mean the certificate-based digital identification code issued to qualified personnel by the United States department of defense as part of the common access card or its successor.
§ 2. Subdivision 2 of section 10-107 of the election law, as added by chapter 104 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
2. Irrespective of the preferred method of transmission designated by a military voter, a military voter's original completed voter registration application, military ballot application and military ballot must be returned by mail, the electronic military ballot application and military ballot transmittal system established pursuant to section 10-110 of this article or in person notwithstanding that a prior copy was sent to the board of elections by facsimile transmission or electronic mail.
§ 3. Section 10-112 of the election law, as amended by chapter 104 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
§ 10-112. Military voter; voting. The military voter shall either:
1. mark the military ballot provided for in this article in the same manner as an absentee ballot. After marking the ballot, [he or she] such military voter shall fold such ballot and enclose it in the inner affirmation envelope bearing the military voter's affirmation on the outside of the envelope and seal the envelope. [He or she] Such military voter shall then sign the affirmation, with the blanks properly filled in. The inner affirmation envelope containing the military ballot shall then be inserted in the outer envelope addressed to the appropriate board of elections, which shall be mailed or personally delivered to such board of elections of [his or her] their county of residence within the time limits provided by this chapter; or
2. utilize the electronic military ballot application and military ballot transmittal system established pursuant to section 10-110 of this article to mark, sign with such military voter's digital signature and return the military ballot provided for in this article.
§ 4. 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.