File #: Res 1251-2008    Version: * Name: State Legislature to amend the State election law to permit electronic voter registration.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Governmental Operations
On agenda: 2/13/2008
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling upon the State Legislature to amend the State election law to permit electronic voter registration.
Sponsors: Simcha Felder, Gale A. Brewer, Letitia James, Melissa Mark-Viverito, Darlene Mealy, Larry B. Seabrook, Kendall Stewart, Bill De Blasio, Robert Jackson, Daniel R. Garodnick
Council Member Sponsors: 10
Attachments: 1. Committee Report, 2. Hearing Testimony, 3. Hearing Transcript

Res. No. 1251

 

Resolution calling upon the State Legislature to amend the State election law to permit electronic voter registration.

 

By Council Members Felder, Brewer, James, Mark-Viverito, Mealy, Seabrook, Stewart, de Blasio, Jackson and Garodnick

 

                     Whereas, Voting is a fundamental right of all citizens and every citizen’s eligibility is protected by the Constitution of the State of New York; and

                     Whereas, A significant barrier to New York State residents’ ability to vote in New York is New York State’s antiquated voter registration system; and

                     Whereas, Currently in New York, although the voter registration application is available online, an applicant must print and complete the application and mail it to a local Board of Elections or deliver it in person to a local Board of Elections in order for the registration to become effective; and

                     Whereas, Other states such as Washington and Arizona allow electronic voter registration through information obtained when seeking a State identification or a driver’s license; and

                     Whereas, According to an article titled “Washington starts up online voter registration,” by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, in the first three days that Washington state made an online voter registration application available, the system recorded 1,634 online applications; and

                     Whereas, Additionally, in Arizona, more than six out of ten new voter registrations are filed online; and

                     Whereas, More people are using the Internet to conduct their business, including paying bills, registering for classes and filing their income taxes; and

                     Whereas, The ability to register to vote online would make registering much easier for many people, including military personnel serving overseas, college students and people with disabilities; and

                     Whereas, The ability to register electronically would make it easier to register to vote and might therefore encourage people to vote and increase voter turnout; and

                     Whereas, In addition, online voter registration is less costly than paper registrations; now therefore, be it

                     Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the State Legislature to amend the State election law to permit electronic voter registration.

 

 

 

IR

LS# 4609

2/7/08