BILL NUMBER:S424

TITLE OF BILL:
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

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 establish 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
internet, 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

EFFECTIVE DATE:


This act shall take effect immediately.