BILL NUMBER: S923
SPONSOR: SKOUFIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the election law, in relation to changing party enroll-
ment of voters where the enrolled party contained the word "Independ-
ence" or "Independent"
 
PURPOSE:
To automatically change the voter enrollment of individuals who are
currently enrolled in a political party that includes the words 'Inde-
pendence' or `Independent.' Said individuals will be unenrolled from any
political party.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends the election law by adding section 5-312 which states
that any person enrolled in a party which includes the words 'Independ-
ence' or `Independent' shall have their voter enrollment changed so that
they are not enrolled in any party.
Section 2: Sets the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Chapter 671 of 2022 prohibits a state party from using the word "Inde-
pendent" or "Independence" in its name. Evidence suggested that many
voters who were registered as members of the Independence Party did not
realize they were registered in the Party; they intended to register as
independent (i.e. unaffiliated) voters but were confused by the name of
the Independence Party.
This new bill will move all voters who remain enrolled in the now-de-
funct Independence Party or other defunct party with "Independent" or
"Independence" in its name to the unaffiliated/blank rolls.
It is important to note that unlike voters who remain registered in
parties such as the Libertarian party, Women's Equality Party, and
others that have lost ballot access, the Independence Party is unique
since it is now prohibited from regaining its ballot status, distin-
guishing it from other parties that still have the potential to restore
their ballot access.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.