Bill > A04973

This bill establishes a comprehensive program to support voting rights for incarcerated individuals in New York state correctional facilities. The legislation changes existing election law to ensure that incarcerated individuals can maintain their voter registration and voting rights while in custody. Specifically, the bill stipulates that an incarcerated person will be considered a resident of the county, city, town, and/or village they resided in prior to incarceration, preventing their voter registration from being cancelled solely due to their imprisonment. The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision must now collaborate with state and county election boards to create a program that facilitates voter registration and voting for incarcerated individuals, which includes providing access to voter registration forms and mechanisms for voting, such as absentee ballots. Prior to release, correctional facilities must provide individuals with voter registration applications, offer assistance in completing these forms, and provide informational materials about voting. The bill removes previous restrictions that automatically cancelled voter registration for individuals convicted of felonies, thereby expanding voting access for incarcerated people. The new provisions will take effect 90 days after the bill becomes law, marking a significant shift in voting rights for incarcerated individuals in New York.

Government Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A4973