A 1606: Establishes compulsory voting, with some exceptions, for general elections held in this state.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1606 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY January 10, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. GLICK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to establishing compulsory voting in this state The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 5-100 of the election law, as amended by chapter 2 373 of the laws of 1978, is amended to read as follows: 3 § 5-100. Registration; required. 1. A person shall not be entitled to 4 vote in any election held pursuant to this chapter unless [he] such 5 person shall be registered, and if required, enrolled pursuant to the 6 provisions of this article unless [he] such person shall present a court 7 order directing that [he] such person be permitted to vote at such 8 election. 9 2. All persons eligible to vote or who will be eligible by the date of 10 a general election, not including a primary or school district election, 11 shall register before the date specified under section 5-210 of this 12 article. 13 3. Where a specific provision of law relating to the registration of 14 voters exists in any other statute, which is inconsistent with the 15 provisions of this article, such provision shall apply and the 16 provisions of this article not inconsistent therewith shall apply. 17 § 2. The election law is amended by adding a new section 8-310 to read 18 as follows: 19 § 8-310. Voting; required. 1. All eligible voters shall vote at each 20 election in person or by absentee ballot; provided however that the 21 requirement to vote shall not apply to a primary or school board 22 election. 23 2. The sole duty imposed under this section shall be to return a 24 ballot. No person shall be compelled to cast a valid vote. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD04202-01-5 
 A. 1606 2 1 3. An eligible voter who fails to cast a ballot shall be subject to a 2 ten dollar fine. The state board of elections may waive the fine for any 3 person who submits timely proof of a valid excuse. Any funds recovered 4 pursuant to this section shall be utilized for the improvement of the 5 election process. 6 § 3. The state board of elections shall promulgate such rules and 7 regulations as it deems appropriate to carry out the purposes of this 8 act. Such rules and regulations may include, but are not limited to, a 9 process for waiving the fine in the event of a valid excuse, and what 10 constitutes a valid excuse. 11 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.