S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
9043
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
September 5, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. TAGUE -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to voter identification
for absentee ballots
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 3 of section 8-400 of the
election law, as amended by chapter 63 of the laws of 2010, is amended
to read as follows:
(b) [A statement that] (I) THE APPLICANT'S DRIVER'S LICENSE OR DEPART-
MENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES NON-DRIVER PHOTO ID NUMBER. PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
THAT IF the applicant [is a qualified and registered voter] HAS NOT BEEN
ISSUED A DRIVER'S LICENSE OR ID FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES,
THE APPLICANT SHALL PROVIDE THE LAST FOUR DIGITS OF THEIR SOCIAL SECURI-
TY NUMBER.
(II) IN THE EVENT THAT AN APPLICANT HAS NEITHER AN ID NUMBER FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES NOR A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, THE APPLICANT
SHALL THEN PROVIDE A STATEMENT THAT SUCH APPLICANT IS QUALIFIED AND
REGISTERED TO VOTE.
§ 2. Section 8-700 of the election law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 6-a to read as follows:
6-A. (A) AN APPLICATION FOR EARLY MAIL VOTING SHALL INCLUDE THE APPLI-
CANT'S DRIVER'S LICENSE OR DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES NON-DRIVER PHOTO
ID NUMBER. PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT IF THE APPLICANT HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED
A DRIVER'S LICENSE OR NON-DRIVER PHOTO ID FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR
VEHICLES, THE APPLICANT SHALL PROVIDE THE LAST FOUR DIGITS OF THEIR
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.
(B) IN THE EVENT THAT AN APPLICANT DOES NOT HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE,
NON-DRIVER PHOTO ID ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES, OR A
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, THE APPLICANT SHALL PROVIDE A STATEMENT THAT
SUCH APPLICANT IS QUALIFIED AND REGISTERED TO VOTE.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13609-02-5
A. 9043 2
§ 3. Subdivision 6 of section 7-122 of the election law, as amended by
chapter 411 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
6. On the reverse side of such inner affirmation envelope shall be
printed the following statement:
AFFIRMATION
I do declare that I am a citizen of the United States, that I am duly
registered in the election district shown on the reverse side of this
envelope and I am qualified to vote in such district; that I will be
unable to appear personally on the day of the election for which this
ballot is voted at the polling place of the election district in which I
am a qualified voter because of the reason given on my application here-
tofore submitted; that I have not qualified nor do I intend to vote
elsewhere, that I have not committed any act nor am I under any imped-
iment which denies me the right to vote.
I hereby declare that the foregoing is a true statement to the best of
my knowledge and belief, and I understand that if I make any material
false statement in the foregoing statement of absentee voter, I shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor.
Date.................20........
...............................
VOTER'S DRIVER'S ID NUMBER ..........................
Signature or mark of voter
OR LAST 4 DIGITS OF VOTER'S
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER ..........................
(IF YOU DO NOT HAVE Signature of Witness
ID OR SOCIAL SECURITY (required only if voter
NUMBER YOU MUST ENCLOSE does not sign [his or her]
A STATEMENT STATING THEIR own name)
THAT YOU ARE QUALIFIED
AND REGISTERED TO VOTE
IN THE ENVELOPE)
.....................................
Address of Witness
§ 4. Subdivision 6 of section 7-119 of the election law, as added by
chapter 481 of the laws of 2023, is amended to read as follows:
6. On the reverse side of such inner affirmation envelope shall be
printed the following statement:
AFFIRMATION
I do declare that I am a citizen of the United States, that I am duly
registered in the election district shown on the reverse side of this
envelope and I am qualified to vote in such district; that I have not
qualified nor do I intend to vote elsewhere, that I have not committed
any act nor am I under any impediment which denies me the right to vote.
I hereby declare that the foregoing is a true statement to the best of
my knowledge and belief, and I understand that if I make any material
false statement in the foregoing statement of early mail voter, I shall
be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Date................. 20.................
.........................
A. 9043 3
VOTER'S DRIVER'S ID NUMBER ..........................
OR LAST 4 DIGITS OF VOTER'S Signature or mark of voter
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER ..........................
(IF YOU DO NOT HAVE Signature of Witness
ID OR SOCIAL SECURITY (required only if voter
NUMBER YOU MUST ENCLOSE does not sign their
A STATEMENT STATING own name)
THAT YOU ARE QUALIFIED
AND REGISTERED TO VOTE
IN THE ENVELOPE)
.....................................
Address of Witness
§ 5. Section 8-410 of the election law, as amended by chapter 109 of
the laws of 2025, is amended to read as follows:
§ 8-410. Absentee voting; method of. The absentee voter shall mark an
absentee ballot as provided for paper ballots or ballots prepared for
counting by ballot counting machines. Such absentee voter shall make no
mark or writing whatsoever upon the ballot, except as above prescribed,
and shall see that it bears no such mark or writing. Such absentee voter
shall make no mark or writing whatsoever on the outside of the ballot.
In cases where the express intent of the voter is unambiguous, any stray
marks or writing shall not be a basis for voiding a ballot. After mark-
ing the ballot or ballots such absentee voter shall fold each such
ballot and enclose them in the envelope and seal the envelope. Such
absentee voter shall then take and subscribe the oath on the envelope,
with blanks properly filled in, AND PROVIDE EITHER THEIR DEPARTMENT OF
MOTOR VEHICLES ID NUMBER OR THE LAST FOUR DIGITS OF THEIR SOCIAL SECURI-
TY NUMBER IN THE SPACE PROVIDED . IF AN ABSENTEE VOTER HAS NOT BEEN
PROVIDED WITH AN ID NUMBER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES OR A
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, THE VOTER SHALL THEN PROVIDE A STATEMENT THAT
SUCH VOTER IS A QUALIFIED AND REGISTERED VOTER, ENCLOSE IT IN THE BALLOT
ENVELOPE, AND SEAL THE ENVELOPE. The envelope, containing the ballot or
ballots, shall then be mailed or delivered to the board of elections of
the county or city of such absentee voter's residence or deposited in a
ballot drop box established by the board of elections of the county or
city of the voter's residence.
§ 6. Section 8-708 of the election law, as amended by chapter 109 of
the laws of 2025, is amended to read as follows:
§ 8-708. Early voting by mail; method of. The early mail voter shall
mark an early mail ballot as provided for paper ballots or ballots
prepared for counting by ballot counting machines. They shall make no
mark or writing whatsoever upon the ballot, except as above prescribed,
and shall see that it bears no such mark or writing. They shall make no
mark or writing whatsoever on the outside of the ballot. In cases where
the express intent of the voter is unambiguous, any stray marks or writ-
ing shall not be a basis for voiding a ballot. After marking the ballot
or ballots they shall fold each such ballot and enclose them in the
envelope and seal the envelope. They shall then take and subscribe the
oath on the envelope, with blanks properly filled in, AND PROVIDE EITHER
THEIR DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES ID NUMBER OR THE LAST FOUR DIGITS OF
THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER IN THE SPACE PROVIDED. IF AN ABSENTEE
VOTER HAS NOT BEEN PROVIDED WITH AN ID NUMBER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF
MOTOR VEHICLES OR A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, THE VOTER SHALL THEN PROVIDE
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A STATEMENT THAT SUCH VOTER IS A QUALIFIED AND REGISTERED VOTER, ENCLOSE
IT IN THE BALLOT ENVELOPE, AND SEAL THE ENVELOPE. The envelope, contain-
ing the ballot or ballots, shall then be mailed or delivered to the
board of elections of the county or city of their residence or deposited
in a ballot drop box established by the board of elections of the county
or city of the voter's residence.
§ 7. Subdivision 2 of section 9-209 of the election law is amended by
adding a new paragraph (i) to read as follows:
(I) IF THE AFFIRMATION ENVELOPE FOR AN EARLY MAIL OR ABSENTEE BALLOT
DOES NOT CONTAIN A VOTER'S DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES ID NUMBER OR THE
LAST FOUR DIGITS OF THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, AND A STATEMENT THAT
SUCH VOTER IS QUALIFIED AND REGISTERED TO VOTE IS NOT ENCLOSED IN SUCH
ENVELOPE, THEN SUCH EARLY MAIL OR ABSENTEE BALLOT IS NOT VALID AND MUST
NOT BE CAST NOR CANVASSED BY THE BOARD OF CANVASSERS.
§ 8. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.