What's happening
This bill requires all electronic income tax preparation software in New York to include a prompt linking users to the state's voter registration website.
Why it matters
Expands voter registration access. By requiring a voter registration prompt in tax software, the bill leverages a moment when millions of residents are already engaged in a secure, identity-verified process, potentially making it easier for eligible but unregistered people to get on the rolls.
Targets underrepresented groups. Many people who use electronic tax software include younger adults, renters, and lower-income individuals—demographics historically less likely to be registered to vote—so this could help address participation gaps.
Increases civic engagement through digital government tools. Embedding voter registration within tax preparation software integrates two essential civic duties and normalizes the act of registering to vote as part of routine interactions with government services.
Potential for higher voter turnout. By reducing steps and barriers to registration, the bill aims to convert more tax filers into active voters, which could have downstream effects on election turnout and broader representation.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Add Voter Link to Tax Software
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to investigations and government operations
- Referred to investigations and government operations
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1265
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sen. PERSAUD -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations
AN ACT to amend the tax law and the election law, in relation to requiring tax preparation software to provide a link to voter registration websites
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 171 of the tax law is amended by adding a new subdivision twenty-ninth to read as follows:
Twenty-ninth. Require that all electronic income tax preparation software offered for sale or use in the state of New York include a prompt providing a link to users of such software to a New York state voter registration application website pursuant to section 5-231 of the election law.
§ 2. The election law is amended by adding a new section 5-231 to read as follows:
§ 5-231. Electronic income tax voter registration. The department of taxation and finance, in consultation with the state board of elections, shall require that all electronic income tax preparation software offered for sale or use in the state of New York include a prompt to users of such software which shall provide a link to a New York state voter registration application website.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03872-01-5
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the tax law and the election law, in relation to requir- ing tax preparation software to provide a link to voter registration websites
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill would be known as the "Representation through Taxation" bill. It would allow individuals the opportunity to register to vote on tax return software when doing their taxes. Pew York consistently ranks in the low 30 to 40 percent in voter turnout. This legislation would. give one more avenue for potential voters to register. This legislation would also place additional securities in cur election by registering with the information they must place on tax returns for proper identification.
Summary of provisions
Section. 1. Section 171 of the tax law is amended by adding a new subdi- vision twenty-nine which requires that all electronic income tax prepa- ration software offered for sale or use in the State of New York to include a prompt providing a link to users of such software to a New York State voter registration application website pursuant to section 5-231 of the election law.
Read the full memo (606 words)
Section 2. The election law is amended by adding a new section 5-231 to read as follows the department of taxation and finance, in consultation with the State Board of Elections, shall require that all electronic income tax preparation software offered for sale or use in the State of New York includes a prompt to users of such software which shall provide a link to a New York State voter registration application. website.
Justification
No voter registration process is perfect, but New York's process is riddled with flaws. "Representation through Taxation" would add a vital opportunity to increase voter rolls and participation in elections. The United States is one of only a few democracies in the world where the government does not take responsibility for registering voters. Instead, our government leaves the construction of voter registration processes to partisan and non-partisan voter registration organizations, political parties, election officials, and active citizens. It is not surprising that voter registration and turnout in New York State are some of the lowest in the country.
In contrast, the international norm is an orderly process of automatic registration of every citizen who reaches voting age and of every person who becomes a citizen. Citizens are automatically placed on voter rolls upon reaching voting age and/or government officials actively work to register all citizens. For example, in Iraq's first democratic elections, election officials automatically transferred the names of Iraqis from, ration lists to voter rolls.
Voter registration should be the mutual responsibility of citizens and their government. The government should facilitate registration and actively register adults eligible to vote as part of its responsibility to have accurate roles. 100'i voter registration should be the goal. Allowing voters to register through tax software has the potential to bring together conservatives who are concerned about fraudulent voter registrations and liberals who are concerned about anemic political participation.
In 2017, when Minnesotans tiled their taxes through state-approved elec- tronic filing systems, they saw a new prompt in the long series of tax return questions asking if they would like to register to vote. This message directs the taxpayer to the Minnesota Secretary of State's website, where any eligible voter with an email address can register online to vote.
Prior legislative history
2023/2024: S2375 Referred to Investigations and Government Operations
2021/2022: S935 Referred to Investigations and Government Operations
2019/2020: S1050 Referred to Investigations and Government Operations
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.