S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1028
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 6, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
 
 AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to absentee ballot  track-
   ing
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new  section  8-414
 to read as follows:
   §  8-414.  ABSENTEE  BALLOT TRACKING. 1.  THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS
 SHALL ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN  AN  ELECTRONIC  ABSENTEE  BALLOT  TRACKING
 SYSTEM BY WAY OF A SECURE WEBSITE OR WEB PORTAL THROUGH WHICH ANY REGIS-
 TERED  VOTER IN THE STATE WHO HAS SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR AN ABSEN-
 TEE BALLOT, OR WHO OTHERWISE HAS A RIGHT TO RECEIVE AN ABSENTEE  BALLOT,
 FOR  AN  UPCOMING ELECTION PURSUANT TO THIS CHAPTER MAY VIEW THE CURRENT
 STATUS OF THEIR ABSENTEE APPLICATION OR ABSENTEE  BALLOT.  SUCH  WEBSITE
 SHALL  NOT  REQUIRE USERS TO CREATE AN ACCOUNT. SUCH WEBSITE SHALL INDI-
 CATE FOR EACH SUCH VOTER WHETHER THE VOTER'S BOARD OF ELECTIONS HAS:
   A. RECEIVED SUCH VOTER'S REQUEST FOR AN ABSENTEE BALLOT,  IF  APPLICA-
 BLE;
   B. APPROVED OR REJECTED SUCH REQUEST, IF APPLICABLE, AND, IF REJECTED,
 A BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE REASON FOR REJECTION;
   C.  MAILED  OR  DELIVERED  AN  ABSENTEE  BALLOT TO SUCH VOTER FOR SUCH
 UPCOMING ELECTION;
   D. RECEIVED SUCH VOTER'S COMPLETED ABSENTEE BALLOT FOR  SUCH  UPCOMING
 ELECTION;
   E. COUNTED OR REJECTED SUCH VOTER'S COMPLETED ABSENTEE BALLOT FOR SUCH
 UPCOMING ELECTION, AND, IF REJECTED, A BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE REASON FOR
 REJECTION; AND
   F.  DETERMINED  THAT THE BALLOT ENVELOPE IS SUBJECT TO A CURE PURSUANT
 TO SUBDIVISIONS THREE AND THREE-A OF SECTION 9-209 OF THIS CHAPTER,  THE

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07485-01-1
              

 S. 1028                             2
 
 DEADLINE  TO  SUBMIT  THE  CURE, AND HOW TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THE
 CURE FROM THE APPLICABLE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, IF APPLICABLE.
   2.  EACH  COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL TRANSMIT ELECTRONICALLY IN A
 FORMAT AND TIMEFRAME TO BE DETERMINED BY THE STATE BOARD  OF  ELECTIONS,
 THE  DATA  REQUIRED  BY  THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS TO BE FURNISHED TO
 EFFECTUATE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION.
   3. THE ABSENTEE BALLOT TRACKING WEBSITE OR PORTAL PROVIDED FOR BY THIS
 SECTION SHALL BE USED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO A VOTER SEEKING INFORMA-
 TION ABOUT THE VOTER'S OWN BALLOT AND SHALL NOT BE USED TO PROVIDE  SUCH
 INFORMATION TO OTHERS.
   4.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER  PROVISION OF THIS SECTION, ANY COUNTY
 BOARD OF ELECTIONS OR THE BOARD OF THE ELECTIONS OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
 MAY ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN AN ELECTRONIC ABSENTEE BALLOT TRACKING SYSTEM
 BY WAY OF A SECURE WEBSITE OR WEB PORTAL FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT  APPLICANTS
 WHO ARE RESIDENTS OF THE RESPECTIVE COUNTY OR CITY OF NEW YORK.
   § 2.  This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
 ing  the date on which it shall have become a law.  Effective immediate-
 ly, the state board of elections shall be authorized to implement neces-
 sary rules and regulations and to take steps required to implement  this
 act;  and  the  county boards of elections or the board of elections for
 the city of New York may establish and maintain an  electronic  absentee
 ballot tracking system pursuant to section one of this act.