File #:

Int 0464-2014 Version:

Name:

Dept of Correction promoting absentee voting among jailed individuals.

Type:

Introduction Status: Enacted

Committee:

Committee on Governmental Operations

On agenda:

8/21/2014

Enactment date:

11/16/2016

Law number:

2016/138

Title:

A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to the department of correction promoting absentee voting among jailed individuals

Sponsors:

Ruben Wills, Inez D. Barron, Rosie Mendez, Ydanis A. Rodriguez, I. Daneek Miller, Carlos Menchaca, Ben Kallos, Helen K. Rosenthal, Brad S. Lander, James G. Van Bramer, Stephen T. Levin, Jumaane D. Williams

Council Member Sponsors: 12

Summary:

Int. No. 464 would require the city Department of Correction (DOC) to implement a program to assist eligible jailed individuals to vote by absentee ballot. Specifically, it directs DOC to administer a program that offers absentee ballot applications to eligible individuals and a means to complete the applications. After the applications have been submitted and DOC receives the requested absentee ballots, the agency is to distribute the ballots and provide assistance in completing them upon request. DOC is also required to transmit completed applications and ballots to the New York City Board of Elections, if requested by the applicable inmate.

Bill text:

Int. No. 464-A

By Council Members Wills, Barron, Mendez, Rodriguez, Miller, Menchaca, Kallos, Rosenthal, Lander, Van Bramer, Levin and Williams 

A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to the department of correction promoting absentee voting among jailed individuals

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Section 1057-a of the New York city charter is amended by adding a new subdivision 9 to read as follows:
9. In addition to the other requirements of this section, the department of correction shall implement and administer a program of distribution and submission of absentee ballot applications, and subsequently received absentee ballots, for eligible inmates. Such department shall offer, to all inmates who are registered to vote, absentee ballot applications, and a means to complete them, during the period from sixty days prior to any primary, special, or general election in the city of New York until two weeks prior to any such election. Such department shall subsequently provide any absentee ballot received from the board of elections in response to any such application to the applicable inmate, as well as a means to complete it. Such department shall provide assistance to any such inmate in filling out such application or ballot upon request. Such department shall, not later than five days after receipt, transmit such completed applications and ballots from any inmate who wishes to have them transmitted to the board of elections for the city of New York. The provisions of this subdivision shall not apply in any specific instance in which the department deems it unsafe to comply therewith.
§2. This local law takes effect 90 days after it becomes law.

Dss/bjr
LS 1806/2014
10/19/16