BILL NUMBER: S7689A
SPONSOR: SKOUFIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the election law and the education law, in relation to
overseas military voters and special federal voters
 
PURPOSE:
To ease restrictions facing overseas voters related to the federal post
card application form ("FPCA").
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends section 8-400 of the election law to allow the board
of elections to mail an absentee ballot to every qualified voter who
makes a request via email.
Section 2: Amends section 8-408 of the election law to allow military
and special federal voters to apply for military and special federal
ballots using the electronic absentee ballot application transmittal
system or any other electronic means; states that applications submitted
electronically do not require a subsequent/redundant paper version to
also be submitted.
Section 3: Amends section 10-104 of the election law to allow for absen-
tee voting by military voters in primary elections to apply to the party
positions of members of the ward, town, city, or county committee.
Section 4: Amends section 10-106 of the election law to require boards
of elections to register on or before the tenth day preceding an
election all military voters who have filed applications for military
ballots by such day who were not already registered; allows such regis-
tration and application to be filed by electronic means and does not
require a subsequent/redundant paper version to also be submitted;
includes primaries within elections that boards of elections must send
military voters an application for a military ballot.
Section 5: Amends section 10-107 of the election law to allow electron-
ically submitted completed military ballot applications without requir-
ing a conforming paper submission to also be submitted.
Section 6: Amends section 10-108 of the election law to make conforming
changes for military voters.
Section 7: Amends section 11-202 of the election law to make conforming
changes for military and special federal voters.
Section 8: Amends section 11-203 of the election law to allow electron-
ically submitted completed special federal voter ballot applications
without requiring a conforming paper submission to also be submitted.
Section 9: Amends section 11-210 of the election law to allow ballots
for special federal voters to be distributed by the board of elections
not earlier than 90 days nor later than 75 days before a primary or
general election.
Section 10: Amends section 305 of the education law to authorize the
commissioner of education to require institutions of higher education to
provide all enrolled students participating in classes or educational
experiences while in another country during a primary or general
election with an electronic form for - or link to - a FPCA at least one
week prior to the start of such classes or educational experiences in
another country.
Section 11: Sets Effective Date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The FPCA registers a military or overseas citizen voter to vote and
simultaneously requests absentee ballots. However, state FPCA require-
ments may vary based on allowed return methods, whether the voter is
required to also mail a copy of their FPCA if their original FPCA was
submitted electronically, etc. This bill would generally simplify the
overseas voting process for eligible voters by eliminating certain
impediments related to returning the FPCA and completed military/special
federal voter ballot applications.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have
become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
on or before such effective date.

Statutes affected:
S7689: 8-408 election law, 8-408(2) election law, 10-107 election law, 10-107(2) election law, 10-108 election law, 10-108(1) election law, 10-112 election law, 11-203 election law, 11-203(2) election law, 11-210 election law, 11-210(1) election law, 305 education law
S7689A: 8-400 election law, 8-400(2) election law, 8-408 election law, 8-408(2) election law, 10-104 election law, 10-107 election law, 10-107(2) election law, 10-108 election law, 10-108(1) election law, 11-203 election law, 11-203(2) election law, 11-210 election law, 11-210(1) election law, 305 education law