Bill Text: NY A02574 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Relates to the automatic voter registration process; amends certain voter registration processes and the agencies to be included as designated agencies.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)

Status: (Passed) 2021-02-16 - signed chap.37 [A02574 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-A02574-Introduced.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          2574

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    January 19, 2021
                                       ___________

        Introduced by M. of A. WALKER -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Election Law

        AN  ACT  to  amend  the election law, in relation to the automatic voter
          registration process

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  Title  9  of article 5 of the election law, as added by a
     2  chapter of the laws of 2020 amending the election law relating to estab-
     3  lishing an automatic voter registration process integrated within desig-
     4  nated agency applications, as  proposed  in  legislative  bills  numbers
     5  S.8806 and A.8280-C, is amended to read as follows:
     6                                  TITLE IX
     7                        AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION
     8  Section 5-900. Integrated   personal   voter   registration  application
     9                    required.
    10          5-902. Failure to receive  exemplar  signature  not  to  prevent
    11                   registration.
    12          5-904. Presumption of innocent authorized error.
    13          5-906. Forms.
    14    §  5-900. Integrated personal voter registration application required.
    15  1. In addition to any other method of voter registration provided for by
    16  this chapter, state and local agencies designated in subdivisions  thir-
    17  teen  and  fourteen  of this section shall provide to the state board of
    18  elections voter registration qualification information  associated  with
    19  each  person  who  submits  an application for services or assistance at
    20  such agency, including  a  renewal,  recertification,  or  reexamination
    21  transaction at such agency, and each person who [notifies the agency of]
    22  submits  a  change  of  address  or name form.   For the purposes of the
    23  department of motor vehicles, "application for services or assistance at
    24  such agency" refers only to an application for a motor vehicle  driver's
    25  license,  a  driver's  license renewal or an identification card if such

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD07188-01-1

        A. 2574                             2

     1  card is issued by the department of motor vehicles in its normal  course
     2  of  business.    For  purposes  of  the  New York city housing authority
     3  "application for services or assistance at such agency" refers  only  to
     4  applications that reach an eligibility interview and reexamination tran-
     5  sactions.  Such  designated  agencies  shall  ensure agency applications
     6  substantially include all of the elements required by section  5-210  of
     7  this  article,  including  the  appropriate attestation, so that persons
     8  completing such applications shall be able to also submit an application
     9  to register to vote through the electronic voter registration  transmit-
    10  tal  system. For purposes of this section, "agency" shall mean any state
    11  or local agency, department,  division,  office,  institution  or  other
    12  entity  designated in subdivision thirteen of this section or designated
    13  by the governor pursuant to subdivision fourteen of  this  section.  For
    14  purposes  of this section, registration shall also include pre-registra-
    15  tion pursuant to section 5-507 of this article.
    16    2. For each application submitted to  the  agency,  whether  electron-
    17  ically  or  on  paper,  the  agency shall transmit to the state board of
    18  elections through an interface with the  electronic  voter  registration
    19  transmittal  system  established  and  maintained  by the state board of
    20  elections that portion of the application that includes voter  registra-
    21  tion  information.  The  state  board  of elections shall electronically
    22  forward such application to the applicable board of  elections  of  each
    23  county  or  the city of New York for filing, processing and verification
    24  consistent with this chapter.
    25    3. An integrated voter registration form submitted  to  an  agency  in
    26  paper  format  shall  be  transmitted  to  the  state board of elections
    27  through an electronic voter registration transmittal system by  convert-
    28  ing  the  paper form to an image file or a portable document format file
    29  which shall thereafter be deemed the original form for  voter  registra-
    30  tion  and  enrollment  purposes.  The  agency  shall retain the complete
    31  original paper application for no less than two years.  The  transmittal
    32  of the converted paper application may include or be accompanied by data
    33  elements  and transmittal information as required by the rules and regu-
    34  lations of the state board of elections.
    35    4. An integrated voter registration application submitted to an agency
    36  in an electronic format shall be  transmitted  to  the  state  board  of
    37  elections  through  the electronic voter registration transmittal system
    38  and shall include all of the voter registration data elements, including
    39  electronic signature, as applicable, and record of  attestation  of  the
    40  accuracy of the voter registration information and any relevant document
    41  images.
    42    5. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no agency designated
    43  under  this  section  shall transmit to the state board of elections any
    44  application for registration for a person that indicates  on  the  inte-
    45  grated personal voter registration application that they do not meet one
    46  of the eligibility requirements.
    47    6.  The voter registration related portion of each agency's integrated
    48  application for services or assistance shall:
    49    (a) include a statement of  the  eligibility  requirements  for  voter
    50  registration  and  shall require the applicant to attest by [his or her]
    51  the applicant's signature that [he or she]  the  applicant  meets  those
    52  requirements  under  penalty  of  perjury and is applying to register or
    53  pre-register to vote unless such applicant declines such registration;
    54    (b) inform the applicant, in print  identical  to  that  used  in  the
    55  attestation section of the following:
    56    (i) voter eligibility requirements;

        A. 2574                             3

     1    (ii) penalties for submission of a false registration application;
     2    (iii)  that  the  office  where the applicant applies for registration
     3  shall remain confidential and the voter registration  information  shall
     4  be used only for voter registration purposes;
     5    (iv) that if the applicant applies to register to vote electronically,
     6  such  applicant thereby consents to the use of an electronic copy of the
     7  individual's manual signature that is in the custody of  the  department
     8  of  motor vehicles, the state board of elections, or other agency desig-
     9  nated by this section, as the individual's voter  registration  exemplar
    10  signature  if  the individual voter's exemplar signature is not provided
    11  with the voter registration application;
    12    (v) if the applicant signs the application and does not check the  box
    13  declining  to  register  to vote, such applicant thereby consents to the
    14  use of any information  required  to  complete  the  voter  registration
    15  application;
    16    (vi)  if the applicant declines to register, such applicant's declina-
    17  tion shall remain confidential and be used only for  voter  registration
    18  purposes; and
    19    [(vi)]  (vii)  that  applying  to register or declining to register to
    20  vote will not affect the amount of assistance that the applicant will be
    21  provided by this agency;
    22    (c) include a box for the applicant to check to indicate  whether  the
    23  applicant  would  like  to  decline  to  register to vote along with the
    24  following statement in prominent type, "IF YOU DO NOT  CHECK  THIS  BOX,
    25  AND  YOU  PROVIDE  YOUR  SIGNATURE  ON  THE  SPACE  BELOW, YOU WILL HAVE
    26  [ATTESTED TO YOUR ELIGIBILITY TO REGISTER OR PRE-REGISTER  TO  VOTE  AND
    27  YOU WILL HAVE] APPLIED TO REGISTER OR PRE-REGISTER TO VOTE, AND YOU WILL
    28  HAVE ATTESTED TO YOUR ELIGIBILITY TO REGISTER OR PRE-REGISTER TO VOTE."
    29    (d) include the following warning statement in prominent type, "IF YOU
    30  ARE  NOT  A  CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES, YOU MUST CHECK THE BOX BELOW.
    31  NON-CITIZENS WHO REGISTER OR PRE-REGISTER TO  VOTE  MAY  BE  SUBJECT  TO
    32  CRIMINAL  PENALTIES  AND SUCH VOTER REGISTRATION OR PRE-REGISTRATION MAY
    33  RESULT IN DEPORTATION OR REMOVAL, EXCLUSION FROM ADMISSION TO THE UNITED
    34  STATES, OR DENIAL OF NATURALIZATION.";
    35    (e) include a space for the applicant to indicate  [his  or  her]  the
    36  applicant's  choice  of  party  enrollment,  with  a  clear  alternative
    37  provided for the applicant to decline to affiliate with  any  party  and
    38  the following statement in prominent type "[IF YOU DO NOT CHOOSE A PARTY
    39  YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN PRIMARY ELECTIONS FOR THAT PARTY]
    40  ONLY  ENROLLED  MEMBERS  OF  A  POLITICAL PARTY MAY VOTE IN THAT PARTY'S
    41  PRIMARIES".
    42    (f) include a statement that if an applicant is a victim  of  domestic
    43  violence  or  stalking,  [he or she] the applicant may contact the state
    44  board of elections before or after  registering  or  pre-registering  to
    45  vote in order to receive information regarding the address confidential-
    46  ity program for victims of domestic violence under section 5-508 of this
    47  article.
    48    7.  Information from the voter relevant to both voter registration and
    49  the agency application shall be entered by the voter only once  upon  an
    50  electronic application.
    51    8.  The  agency  shall  redact or remove from the completed integrated
    52  application to be transmitted to the state board of elections any infor-
    53  mation solely applicable to the agency application.
    54    9. Information concerning the citizenship status of individuals,  when
    55  collected  and  transmitted pursuant to subdivision one of this section,

        A. 2574                             4

     1  shall not be retained, used or shared for any other  purpose  except  as
     2  may be required by law.
     3    10.  A  voter  shall  be  able to decline to register to vote using an
     4  integrated application by selecting a single check box,  or  equivalent,
     5  which shall include the following statement: "I DECLINE USE OF THIS FORM
     6  FOR  VOTER REGISTRATION AND PRE-REGISTRATION PURPOSES. DO NOT FORWARD MY
     7  INFORMATION TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS."
     8    11. The voter shall be able to sign the voter registration application
     9  and the agency application by means of a  single  manual  or  electronic
    10  signature  unless  the agency requires more than one signature for other
    11  agency purposes.
    12    12. No application for voter registration shall be  submitted  if  the
    13  applicant declines registration or fails to sign the integrated applica-
    14  tion, whether on paper or online.
    15    13.  [Designated]  Beginning January first, two thousand twenty-three,
    16  designated agencies for purposes  of  this  section  shall  include  the
    17  department  of motor vehicles[,].  Beginning January first, two thousand
    18  twenty-four, designated agencies for the purposes of this section  shall
    19  also include the department of health, the office of temporary and disa-
    20  bility  assistance,  the  department of labor, [the office of vocational
    21  and educational services for individuals with disabilities,] the  office
    22  of adult career and continuing education services - vocational rehabili-
    23  tation, county and city departments of social services, and the New York
    24  city  housing  authority,  as well as any other agency designated by the
    25  governor. Beginning January first, two thousand twenty-five,  designated
    26  agencies  for  the purposes of this section shall also include the state
    27  university of New York. Each  designated  agency  shall  enter  into  an
    28  agreement  with  the  state board of elections finalizing the format and
    29  content of electronic transmissions required by this section.  The state
    30  board of elections shall prepare and distribute to  designated  agencies
    31  written  instructions  as to the implementation of the program and shall
    32  be responsible for  establishing  training  programs  for  employees  of
    33  designated  agencies listed in this section.  Such instructions and such
    34  training shall ensure usability of the integrated  application  for  low
    35  English  proficiency voters.   Any such designated agency shall take all
    36  actions that are necessary and proper for  the  implementation  of  this
    37  section,  including  facilitating  technological  capabilities  to allow
    38  transmission of data through an  interface  with  the  electronic  voter
    39  registration transmittal system in a secure manner.
    40    14.  [Each]  Every  other year, the governor shall conduct a review of
    41  each participating agency  under  section  5-211  of  this  article  not
    42  already designated as an automatic voter registration agency pursuant to
    43  this  subdivision in order to determine whether designation is appropri-
    44  ate.  The  governor  shall  designate  each  participating  agency  that
    45  collects  information or documents that would provide proof of eligibil-
    46  ity to vote unless the governor determines  that  there  are  compelling
    47  reasons  why automatic voter registration is not feasible at the agency.
    48  If the governor should determine that there are compelling  reasons  why
    49  automatic  voter registration is not feasible at an agency, the governor
    50  shall prepare a report explaining those reasons to  the  legislature  by
    51  the  end  of  the calendar year in which that determination is made. Any
    52  agency designated by the governor pursuant  to  this  subdivision  shall
    53  provide automatic voter registration upon the earlier occurrence of: (a)
    54  two  years after designation by the governor, or (b) five days after the
    55  date of certification by the state board of elections that the  informa-

        A. 2574                             5

     1  tion technology infrastructure to substantially implement the provisions
     2  of this section at the agency is functional.
     3    15.  The  state  board  of  elections shall promulgate rules and regu-
     4  lations for the creation and administration of an integrated  electronic
     5  voter registration process as provided for by this section.
     6    16.  Each  participating  agency  shall provide an opportunity through
     7  rulemaking for public notice and comment regarding the plans for  imple-
     8  mentation  in the agency. Such opportunity must be provided sufficiently
     9  in advance of implementation to allow for adjustment of agency plans  to
    10  take  public comment into account. Agency plans for implementation shall
    11  provide for sufficient testing of the process in  the  agency  prior  to
    12  implementation  in order to ensure the technology is functioning proper-
    13  ly, the process is usable and understandable for applicants  and  agency
    14  employees, and reasonable precautions have been put in place to minimize
    15  error  or  the  possibility  of  discouraging applications for services,
    16  assistance, or registration.
    17    § 5-902. Failure to receive exemplar signature not to  prevent  regis-
    18  tration. If a voter registration exemplar signature is not received from
    19  an applicant who submits a voter registration or pre-registration appli-
    20  cation  pursuant to this title and such signature exemplar is not other-
    21  wise available from the statewide voter registration database or a state
    22  or local agency, the local board  of  elections  shall,  absent  another
    23  reason  to  reject  the application, proceed to register or pre-register
    24  and, as applicable, enroll  the  applicant.  Within  ten  days  of  such
    25  action, the board of elections shall send a standard form promulgated by
    26  the state board of elections to the voter whose record lacks an exemplar
    27  signature, requiring such voter to submit a signature for identification
    28  purposes.  The  voter  shall  submit  to  the board of elections a voter
    29  registration exemplar signature by any one of the following methods:  in
    30  person,  by  mail  with  return  postage  paid  provided by the board of
    31  elections, by electronic mail, or by electronic upload to the  board  of
    32  elections  through the electronic voter registration transmittal system.
    33  If such voter does not provide the required exemplar signature, when the
    34  voter appears to vote the voter shall be entitled to vote  by  affidavit
    35  ballot.
    36    § 5-904. Presumption of innocent authorized error.  1. Notwithstanding
    37  subdivision six of section 5-210 of this article or any other law to the
    38  contrary,  a  person  who  is ineligible to vote who fails to decline to
    39  register or pre-register to vote in accordance with  the  provisions  of
    40  this  section  and  did  not willfully and knowingly seek to register or
    41  pre-register to vote knowing that [he or she] the person is not eligible
    42  to do so:
    43    (a) shall not be guilty of any crime as the result of the  applicant's
    44  failure to make such declination;
    45    (b)  shall  be  deemed  to have been registered or pre-registered with
    46  official authorization; and
    47    (c) such act may not be considered as evidence of a claim to  citizen-
    48  ship.
    49    2. Notwithstanding subdivision six of section 5-210 of this article or
    50  any  other  law  to the contrary, a person who is ineligible to vote who
    51  fails to decline to register or pre-register to vote in accordance  with
    52  the  provisions  of  this  section, who then either votes or attempts to
    53  vote in an election held after  the  effective  date  of  that  person's
    54  registration,  and  who did not willfully and knowingly seek to register
    55  or pre-register to vote knowing that [he  or  she]  the  person  is  not

        A. 2574                             6

     1  eligible  to  do  so,  and  did not subsequently vote or attempt to vote
     2  knowing that [he or she] the person is not eligible to do so:
     3    (a)  shall not be guilty of any crime as the result of the applicant's
     4  failure to make such declination and subsequent vote or attempt to vote;
     5    (b) shall be deemed to have been  registered  or  pre-registered  with
     6  official authorization; and
     7    (c)  such act may not be considered as evidence of a claim to citizen-
     8  ship.
     9    § 5-906. Forms. The state board of elections  shall  promulgate  rules
    10  and  regulations  to  implement this title. All agency forms and notices
    11  required by  this  title  shall  be  approved  by  the  state  board  of
    12  elections.  All applications and notices for use by a board of elections
    13  pursuant to this title shall  be  promulgated  by  the  state  board  of
    14  elections,  and  no  addition  or alteration to such forms by a board of
    15  elections  shall  be  made  without  approval  of  the  state  board  of
    16  elections.
    17    §  2.  Section 5-308 of the election law, as added by a chapter of the
    18  laws of 2020 amending the election law relating to establishing an auto-
    19  matic voter registration process  integrated  within  designated  agency
    20  applications,  as  proposed  in  legislative  bills  numbers  S.8806 and
    21  A.8280-C, is amended to read as follows:
    22    § 5-308. Enrollment; automatic voter registration.  1.  The  board  of
    23  elections  shall,  promptly  and  not  later  than twenty-one days after
    24  receipt of a voter registration or pre-registration application  submit-
    25  ted  pursuant  to  title  nine of this article by a voter registering or
    26  pre-registering for the first time, send any  such  voter  who  did  not
    27  enroll  in  a  party  a notice and a form to indicate party enrollment[,
    28  with return postage paid by the board of elections].  Such notice  shall
    29  offer  the voter the opportunity to enroll with a party or to decline to
    30  enroll with a party and contain the  following  statement  in  prominent
    31  type  "[IF YOU DO NOT CHOOSE A PARTY YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE
    32  IN PRIMARY ELECTIONS FOR THAT PARTY] ONLY ENROLLED MEMBERS  OF  A  POLI-
    33  TICAL PARTY MAY VOTE IN THAT PARTY'S PRIMARIES." Such form shall provide
    34  a  clear  alternative for the applicant to decline to affiliate with any
    35  party. [If the board of elections has not received  a  response  to  the
    36  party  enrollment notice and form within forty-five days of the applica-
    37  tion, the board shall mail a second  similar  notice  and  form  to  the
    38  voter.]
    39    2.  Notwithstanding subdivision two of section 5-304 of this title, if
    40  a voter who registered to vote for the first  time  (or  pre-registered)
    41  pursuant  to  title nine of this article responds to the notice required
    42  by subdivision one of this section and elects to enroll in a party, such
    43  enrollment shall take effect immediately. However, any  pre-registrant's
    44  registration  shall remain classified as "pending" until [he or she] the
    45  voter reaches the age of eligibility.
    46    3. If a voter appears at a primary election  and  votes  by  affidavit
    47  ballot  indicating  the  intent  to enroll in such party, such affidavit
    48  ballot shall cause the voter to be enrolled immediately in that party if
    49  the board of elections determines that the voter registered (or  pre-re-
    50  gistered)  to  vote  for  the  first time pursuant to title nine of this
    51  article.
    52    4. If a voter appears at a primary election  and  votes  by  affidavit
    53  ballot  indicating  the  intent  to enroll in such party, such affidavit
    54  ballot shall be cast and counted if the board  of  elections  determines
    55  that  the  voter registered (or pre-registered) to vote at least twenty-

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     1  five days before that primary pursuant to title nine of this article and
     2  such voter is otherwise qualified to vote in such election.
     3    §  3.  This  act  shall  take  effect on the same date and in the same
     4  manner as a chapter of the laws of 2020 amending the election law relat-
     5  ing to establishing an automatic voter registration  process  integrated
     6  within  designated agency applications, as proposed in legislative bills
     7  numbers S.8806 and A.8280-C, takes effect.
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