Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF, WE – Sag Harbor) announced the Assembly’s passage of a series of bills to modernize the state’s election process and make voting easier for more New Yorkers, including measures to allow online voter registration and voting by mail.

“Elections are the hallmarks of democracy, but sadly, far too few people vote in New York State and the country as a whole,” said Assemblyman Thiele. “It’s about time we make voting as easy and accessible as possible, and that starts with modernizing the process so that New Yorkers have a wider array of voting options. This is the 21st century after all, and there’s absolutely no reason for our voting system to be anything but convenient, practical and without barriers.”

One piece of the legislative package consolidates the state’s election calendar by combining the federal and state primary election dates to a single day in June A.3052. This move would save the state and taxpayers an estimated $25 million and means less hassle for county boards of elections. The bill also ensures that military members stationed overseas and their families have enough time to vote by mail by bringing New York State into compliance with the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act, which, among other statutes, mandates that states get ballots to military personnel no later than 45 days before the election.

Increasing access to early voting

County boards of elections would see significant savings by holding the state and federal primaries on the same day, and those savings could then be used to implement early voting. The Assembly legislation thus establishes early voting in New York State, which would take place during a seven-day period prior to an election A.2064. During the early voting period, polling locations would be required to be open for eight hours on weekdays and five hours on weekends and holidays, and to offer evening hours on at least two days.

Whether polls are open on Election Day or during the week prior, the election process can be particularly grueling for election inspectors. Under current law, these invaluable workers must work the entire time polls are open, which can be up to 16 hours. That’s why the Assembly is supporting a measure to allow election workers to split shifts and receive prorated compensation A.6907-A.

Voting by mail

To increase access to mail-in ballots at home, the legislative package includes a bill that would amend the New York State Constitution to allow any citizen to receive an absentee ballot upon request A.7623. Under current election law, residents can only receive absentee ballots if they expect to be absent from the county on the day of the election, or if they have an illness or physical disability. The amendment must be passed by both the Assembly and Senate in consecutive terms before it goes before voters as a ballot referendum.

“It’s simple – if we want more people to vote we need to expand voting options so that busy New Yorkers can still exercise their right,” said Assemblyman Thiele. “Voting by mail is a convenient way for New Yorkers to vote without having to trek to the polls on Election Day as they juggle work, caring for their families and everyday responsibilities.”

Modernizing voter registration

Further, the legislative package includes the Voter Enfranchisement Modernization Act of 2017, which establishes online voter registration in New York State A.5382. This will streamline the registration process and bring the state’s antiquated, paper-based application process into the 21st century.

To complement these efforts, another piece of legislation requires state and local agencies to include voter registration within their application process A.6283. Since agencies already get the relevant personal information needed to register to vote, this bill helps facilitate greater voter participation. The Assembly legislation also includes a measure instructing boards of elections to automatically transfer voter enrollment for New Yorkers who move from one county to another A.3411.

“If we truly value each and every vote, it’s crucial that we streamline our registration process so anyone who wants to register can do so in a timely fashion without unnecessary headaches,” said Assemblyman Thiele.

Encouraging young people to vote

Finally, the package includes a measure allowing voters who are 17 to vote in presidential primary elections if they will be 18 years of age at the time of the general election A.3549.