Bill Text: NY A01555 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishes an electronic military ballot application and military ballot transmittal system through which applicants may apply for a military ballot and return a marked military ballot, online.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 17-11)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - referred to election law [A01555 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A01555-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          1555

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    January 17, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  WOERNER, HAWLEY, BRABENEC, DeSTEFANO, STERN,
          MANKTELOW, SIMON, STIRPE, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, TAPIA, HUNTER,  CRUZ,  DICK-
          ENS,   THIELE,   MAGNARELLI,   McDONOUGH,   WALSH,  ANGELINO,  MILLER,
          J. M. GIGLIO, SAYEGH, RAMOS, LEMONDES, SILLITTI,  SEAWRIGHT,  COOK  --
          Multi-Sponsored  by  --  M.    of  A. TAGUE, ZINERMAN -- read once and
          referred to the Committee on Election Law

        AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to establishing  an  elec-
          tronic  military  ballot  application  and military ballot transmittal
          system

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

     1    Section  1. The election law is amended by adding a new section 10-110
     2  to read as follows:
     3    § 10-110. Military voters; electronic military ballot application  and
     4  military ballot transmittal system. 1. In addition to any other means of
     5  application for a military ballot and return of a marked military ballot
     6  provided  for by this chapter, the state board of elections shall estab-
     7  lish and maintain an electronic military ballot application and military
     8  ballot transmittal system through which applicants may apply for a mili-
     9  tary ballot and return a marked military ballot, online. The state board
    10  of elections shall electronically transmit such applications and  marked
    11  ballots  to the applicable board of elections of each county or the city
    12  of New York for filing, processing and verification consistent with this
    13  chapter. In accordance with technical  specifications  provided  by  the
    14  state  board  of  elections,  each  board  of elections shall maintain a
    15  system capable of receiving and processing military  ballot  application
    16  and  marked  military  ballot information, including digital signatures,
    17  from the electronic voter registration transmittal system established by
    18  the state board of elections.  Notwithstanding  any  other  inconsistent
    19  provision  of  this  chapter,  applications and ballots filed using such
    20  system shall be considered filed with the applicable board of  elections

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04091-01-3
        A. 1555                             2

     1  on the calendar date such application or ballot is initially transmitted
     2  by  the  voter  through  the  electronic military ballot application and
     3  military ballot transmittal system.
     4    2.  As  used  in this article, the term "digital signature" shall mean
     5  the certificate-based digital identification code  issued  to  qualified
     6  personnel  by  the  United  States  department of defense as part of the
     7  common access card or its successor.
     8    § 2. Subdivision 2 of section 10-107 of the election law, as added  by
     9  chapter 104 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
    10    2.  Irrespective of the preferred method of transmission designated by
    11  a military voter, a military voter's original completed voter  registra-
    12  tion  application,  military ballot application and military ballot must
    13  be returned by mail, the  electronic  military  ballot  application  and
    14  military  ballot  transmittal  system  established  pursuant  to section
    15  10-110 of this article or in person notwithstanding that  a  prior  copy
    16  was  sent  to  the board of elections by facsimile transmission or elec-
    17  tronic mail.
    18    § 3. Section 10-112 of the election law, as amended by chapter 104  of
    19  the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
    20    § 10-112. Military voter; voting. The military voter shall either:
    21    1.  mark  the military ballot provided for in this article in the same
    22  manner as an absentee ballot. After marking the ballot, he or she  shall
    23  fold  such ballot and enclose it in the inner affirmation envelope bear-
    24  ing the military voter's affirmation on the outside of the envelope  and
    25  seal  the  envelope. He or she shall then sign the affirmation, with the
    26  blanks properly filled in. The inner affirmation envelope containing the
    27  military ballot shall then be inserted in the outer  envelope  addressed
    28  to  the  appropriate  board  of  elections,  which  shall  be  mailed or
    29  personally delivered to such board of elections of his or her county  of
    30  residence within the time limits provided by this chapter; or
    31    2.  utilize  the  electronic  military ballot application and military
    32  ballot transmittal system established pursuant to section 10-110 of this
    33  article to mark, sign with such military voter's digital  signature  and
    34  return the military ballot provided for in this article.
    35    § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.