Provides notice regarding the timeliness of the receipt by the board of elections of ballots capable of return by mail to advise voters that such ballot should be returned to the board of elections as soon as possible by any approved method, and further recommend the use of alternative methods of return besides domestic mail services if the voter will be returning their ballot within several days of the election.
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
11486
I N A S S E M B L Y
May 27, 2026
___________
Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Jacobson) --
read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to providing notice
regarding the timeliness of the receipt by the board of elections of
ballots capable of return by mail
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new section 7-127
to read as follows:
§ 7-127. NOTIFICATION TO ACCOMPANY ALL EARLY MAIL, ABSENTEE, AND
SPECIAL BALLOTS CAPABLE OF RETURN BY MAIL. 1. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER
PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, ANY BALLOT ISSUED PURSUANT TO THIS
CHAPTER THAT IS PERMITTED TO BE RETURNED BY MAIL SHALL BE ACCOMPANIED BY
A CONSPICUOUS WRITTEN NOTICE, IN A FORM PRESCRIBED BY THE STATE BOARD OF
ELECTIONS, INFORMING THE VOTER OF ALL THE METHODS BY WHICH SUCH BALLOT
MAY BE TIMELY RETURNED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING, AS APPLICABLE,
RETURN BY MAIL, EXPRESS DELIVERY SERVICES, DELIVERY BY THE VOTER OR
AGENT TO THE APPROPRIATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, OR APPROPRIATE EARLY VOTING
SITE OR POLL SITE ON ELECTION DAY, AND DEPOSIT IN A BALLOT DROP BOX
ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION 8-416 OF THIS CHAPTER.
2. SUCH NOTICE SHALL ADVISE THE VOTER THAT, TO ENSURE TIMELY RECEIPT,
SUCH BALLOT SHOULD BE RETURNED TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE BY ANY APPROVED METHODS, AND FURTHER RECOMMEND THE USE OF
ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF RETURN BESIDES DOMESTIC MAIL SERVICES IF THE
VOTER WILL BE RETURNING THEIR BALLOT WITHIN SEVERAL DAYS OF THE
ELECTION. THE NOTICE SHALL ALSO INCLUDE A REMINDER OF THE IMPORTANCE OF
SEEKING A HAND CANCELLATION DATE FOR ANY BALLOT RETURNED BY DOMESTIC
POSTAL MAIL TO ENSURE THE DATE OF MAILING CAN ALWAYS BE DETERMINED. FOR
OVERSEAS VOTERS, SUCH NOTICE SHALL ADVISE VOTERS TO CONSULT THE ANTIC-
IPATED DELIVERY TIMES OF THEIR CHOSEN DELIVERY SERVICE TO ENSURE BALLOTS
WILL BE RETURNED TIMELY. SUCH NOTICE SHALL INCLUDE THE WEBSITE AND TELE-
PHONE NUMBER OF THE APPROPRIATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS FOR THE LOCATION AND
HOURS OF OPERATION OF BALLOT DROP-OFF LOCATIONS AND INFORMATION ABOUT
OTHER RETURN OPTIONS. THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, EACH COUNTY BOARD OF
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
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