S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6610
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
March 27, 2015
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GANTT -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to automatic voter regis-
tration
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivisions 1, 14 and 15 of section 5-212 of the election
law, as added by chapter 659 of the laws of 1994, are amended to read as
follows:
1. In addition to any other method of voter registration provided for
in this article, any qualified person may apply for registration and
enrollment EITHER by application made simultaneously and integrated with
an application for a motor vehicle driver's license, a driver's license
renewal or an identification card if such a card is issued by the
department of motor vehicles in its normal course of business OR BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES PROVIDING THE APPROPRIATE BOARD OF
ELECTIONS WITH ELECTRONIC RECORDS OF EACH PERSON WHO QUALIFIES TO VOTE,
PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWELVE-A OF THIS SECTION.
14. The state board shall develop and distribute public information
and promotional materials relating to the purposes and implementation of
[this program] THESE PROGRAMS.
15. The state board shall prepare and distribute to the department of
motor vehicles written instructions as to the implementation of [the
program] THESE PROGRAMS and shall be responsible for establishing train-
ing programs for employees of the department of motor vehicles involved
in such [program] PROGRAMS.
S 2. Section 5-212 of the election law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 12-a to read as follows:
12-A. IN ADDITION TO COMPLETING AN APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION AND
ENROLLMENT BY APPLICATION, A PERSON MAY ALSO BE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN
THE FOLLOWING MANNER:
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10114-01-5
A. 6610 2
(A) THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES SHALL ESTABLISH A SCHEDULE BY
WHICH IT PROVIDES TO THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS ELECTRONIC RECORDS
CONTAINING THE LEGAL NAME, AGE, RESIDENCE AND CITIZENSHIP INFORMATION
FOR, AND THE ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE OF, EACH PERSON WHO IS QUALIFIED TO
VOTE UNDER SECTION 5-102 OF THIS ARTICLE.
(B) UPON RECEIVING THE ELECTRONIC RECORD FOR, AND ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE
OF, A PERSON DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE STATE
BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL PROVIDE THE INFORMATION TO THE APPROPRIATE
COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS IN WHICH THE PERSON MAY BE REGISTERED AS A
VOTER. THE APPROPRIATE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL SEND EACH PERSON
A NOTIFICATION DIRECTING HIM OR HER TO:
(I) DECLINE BEING REGISTERED AS A VOTER; OR
(II) ADOPT A POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION.
(C) IF A PERSON NOTIFIED UNDER PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION DOES
NOT DECLINE TO BE REGISTERED AS A VOTER WITHIN TWENTY-ONE CALENDAR DAYS
AFTER THE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS ISSUES THE NOTIFICATION, THE
PERSON'S ELECTRONIC RECORD AND ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE SUBMITTED UNDER
PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION WILL CONSTITUTE A COMPLETED REGISTRA-
TION APPLICATION FOR THE PERSON FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION. THE
PERSON SHALL BE REGISTERED TO VOTE IF THE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS
DETERMINES THAT THE PERSON IS QUALIFIED TO VOTE PURSUANT TO SECTION
5-102 OF THIS ARTICLE, AND THE PERSON IS NOT ALREADY REGISTERED TO VOTE.
(D) A COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS MAY NOT SEND A BALLOT TO, OR ADD TO A
VOTER REGISTRATION LIST, A PERSON WHO MEETS ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
UNTIL AT LEAST TWENTY-ONE CALENDAR DAYS AFTER THE COUNTY BOARD OF
ELECTIONS PROVIDED NOTIFICATION TO THE PERSON AS DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH
(B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
S 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law.