S3252-2013 Actions

• Jan 31, 2013: REFERRED TO ELECTIONS

S3252-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S3252

TITLE OF BILL:  An act providing for the state board of elections to
undertake a study on the feasibility of permitting voting by mail, tele-
phone and/or the internet and to establish pilot projects relating ther-
eto

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:  This bill would require that the state
board of elections do a study of the feasibility of voting by mail,
telephone and/or over the internet. It would also empower it to estab-
lish pilot programs to evaluate the feasibility of any of these methods
of voting.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:;

Section 1 mandates that the state board of elections undertake a study
of the feasibility of voting by mail, telephone and/or over the inter-
net, that such a study may include pilot programs of each method, and
that it report to the legislature and the governor the results of the
study along with recommendations.

JUSTIFICATION:  One of the primary goals of any representative form of
government should be to have every eligible voter participate. While
attaining such a goal may be a practical impossibility, the legislature
must find ways to increase voter turnout. That is especially true given
the ominous decline in turnout Over the past four decades in New York
State. Since the 1956 election, the percentage of registered voters who
cast ballots has steadily fallen from over 93% to less than 64%.

In a recent nationwide study conducted for the League of Women Voters, a
majority of non-voters supported proposals which make voting more
convenient. Keeping the polls open longer and providing an opportunity
to vote by mail were both considered very helpful in getting them to
cast votes. This bill would require the board of elections to examine
the possibility of using mail, telephone and internet voting. In almost
all the tests of mail voting, it has significantly increased voter
participation. Recent elections in Oregon have been conducted by mail
with startlingly positive results and little or no fraud. According to
election officials in various parts of the country, including New York
State, the technology exists to use touch-tone phones to securely case
your vote. Given the constant decline in voter participation in the
electoral process, the state should examine these methods of increasing
turnout. The results of this study, when presented to the legislature,
will enable it to decide if this is a course that New York should
follow.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: Minimal.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  2009-2010: S.3590/A.6716 2011-2012: S.424/A.5204

EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act shall take effect immediately.

S3252-2013 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                         3252
 2013-2014 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 January 31, 2013
 
 Introduced  by  Sens. KRUEGER, HASSELL-THOMPSON, PERKINS, SERRANO, SQUA
 DRON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be commit
 ted to the Committee on Elections
 

AN ACT providing for the state board of elections to undertake  a  study
 on  the feasibility of permitting voting by mail, telephone and/or the
 internet and to establish pilot projects relating thereto
 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

Section 1. The state board of elections shall undertake a study on the
 feasibility of permitting voting by mail, telephone and/or the internet.
 Such study shall include but not be limited to evaluation of the ability
 of verifying votes by mail, telephone and/or the internet and the impact
 on the number of the electorate voting in primary and general elections.
 Notwithstanding  any  other  provision  of  law  to the contrary, at any
 primary or general election during the undertaking of  such  study,  the
 state  board  of elections may provide a pilot program permitting voting
 by mail, telephone and/or the internet.   The state board  of  elections
 shall  submit  such  study including recommendations to the governor and
 state legislature within twenty-four months of  the  effective  date  of
 this act.
 

S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD07423-01-3

*By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and Privacy Policy and verify you are over 13.

Discuss!