The New York State Senate

                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  5256

                       2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                               May 3, 2011
                               ___________

Introduced  by Sen. CARLUCCI -- 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  ASSEM-
BLY, 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 chap-
ter 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?"
  S 2. The election law is amended by adding a new section 5-507 to read
as follows:
  S 5-507. VOTER PRE-REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION ON  VOTER  PRE-REGISTRA-
TION. 1. PRE-REGISTRATION.  A. 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.
  B. A PERSON WHO IS CURRENTLY (I) SEVENTEEN YEARS OF AGE ON THE DATE OF
A PRIMARY ELECTION, (II) WHO WILL BE EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE ON  THE  DATE
OF  THE  GENERAL  ELECTION, AND (III) WHO IS OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE,
MAY VOTE IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION.
  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

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD11301-01-1

S. 5256                             2

REGISTRATION  AND  PRE-REGISTRATION  IN  HIGH  SCHOOLS.  COMPLETION  AND
SUBMISSION  OF VOTER REGISTRATION OR PRE-REGISTRATION FORMS SHALL NOT BE
A COURSE REQUIREMENT OR GRADED ASSIGNMENT FOR STUDENTS.
  S  3. This act shall take effect January 1, 2013. Effective immediate-
ly, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any  rules  or  regulations
necessary  for  the implementation of this act on its effective date are
authorized to be made on or before such date.