STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7009 2017-2018 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY March 29, 2017 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN, BLAKE, DINOWITZ, GALEF, JAFFEE, M. G. MILLER, ROSENTHAL, ZEBROWSKI, CROUCH, RAIA -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ABBATE, ENGLEBRIGHT, HEVESI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to mailing special ballots for victims of domestic violence The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 11-306 of the election law, as 2 amended by chapter 163 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as 3 follows: 4 1. A voter may deliver to the board of elections, in person or by 5 mail, at any time during the period in which absentee ballot applica- 6 tions may be delivered, a signed written statement swearing or affirm- 7 ing: 8 (a) that he or she is the victim of domestic violence; 9 (b) that he or she has left his or her residence because of such 10 violence; and 11 (c) that because of the threat of physical or emotional harm to 12 himself or herself or to family or household members, he or she wishes 13 to cast a special ballot in the next election. The statement must 14 include the voter's address of registration. The board of elections 15 shall mail a special ballot to every qualified voter eligible for such a 16 ballot who requests to cast such ballot by mail, whose statement is 17 received by the board of elections not earlier than the thirtieth day 18 nor later than the seventh day before the election for which the ballot 19 is requested and which states the address to which the ballot is to be 20 mailed. The board of elections shall permit such a voter to cast a 21 special ballot at an office of such board of elections [not earlier than 22 one week before the election and] not later than the close of the polls 23 on election day, or by mail within the same time and in the same manner EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD10727-02-7

A. 7009 2 1 in which absentee ballots may be cast. Such ballots shall be retained at 2 the board of elections and cast and canvassed pursuant to the provisions 3 of section 9-209 of this chapter. 4 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.