S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  7440

                       2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               May 4, 2011
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. KAVANAGH -- read once and referred to the Commit-
  tee on Election Law

AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to voter pre-registration

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1.   Paragraph o of subdivision 4  of  section  5-500  of  the
election  law, as amended by chapter 659 of the laws of 1994, is amended
and a new paragraph p is added to read as follows:
  o. A space for "remarks" regarding other facts required by this  chap-
ter to be recorded or appropriate to identify the voter[.];
  P.  A SPACE FOR PRE-REGISTERING APPLICANTS TO RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING
QUESTION: "ARE YOU AT LEAST 16 YEARS OF AGE AND UNDERSTAND THAT YOU MUST
BE 18 YEARS OF AGE ON OR BEFORE ELECTION DAY TO VOTE, AND THAT UNTIL YOU
REACH THE AGE OF 18 YOUR REGISTRATION WILL BE MARKED  AS  'PENDING'  AND
YOU WILL BE UNABLE TO CAST A BALLOT IN ANY ELECTION?"
  S 2. The election law is amended by adding a new section 5-507 to read
as follows:
  S  5-507.  VOTER PRE-REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION ON VOTER PRE-REGISTRA-
TION. 1. PRE-REGISTRATION.  A. A PERSON WHO IS AT LEAST SIXTEEN YEARS OF
AGE AND WHO IS OTHERWISE QUALIFIED TO REGISTER TO VOTE MAY  PRE-REGISTER
TO  VOTE, AND SHALL BE AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERED UPON REACHING THE AGE OF
ELIGIBILITY, FOLLOWING VERIFICATION OF THE PERSON'S  QUALIFICATIONS  AND
ADDRESS.
  B. A PERSON WHO IS CURRENTLY (I) SEVENTEEN YEARS OF AGE ON THE DATE OF
A  PRIMARY  ELECTION, (II) WHO WILL BE EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE ON THE DATE
OF THE GENERAL ELECTION, AND (III) WHO IS OTHERWISE  ELIGIBLE  TO  VOTE,
MAY VOTE IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION.
  2.  ENCOURAGEMENT  OF STUDENT VOTER REGISTRATION AND PRE-REGISTRATION.
LOCAL BOARDS OF EDUCATION ARE REQUIRED  TO  ADOPT  POLICIES  TO  PROMOTE
STUDENT  VOTER  REGISTRATION  AND  PRE-REGISTRATION.  THESE POLICIES MAY
INCLUDE COLLABORATION WITH COUNTY BOARDS OF ELECTIONS TO  CONDUCT  VOTER

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD11301-01-1
              

A. 7440                             2

REGISTRATION  AND  PRE-REGISTRATION  IN  HIGH  SCHOOLS.  COMPLETION  AND
SUBMISSION OF VOTER REGISTRATION OR PRE-REGISTRATION FORMS SHALL NOT  BE
A COURSE REQUIREMENT OR GRADED ASSIGNMENT FOR STUDENTS.
  S  3. This act shall take effect January 1, 2013. Effective immediate-
ly, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any  rules  or  regulations
necessary  for  the implementation of this act on its effective date are
authorized to be made on or before such date.