New York State High School Voter Registration Guidance

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Cover Note

NEW YORK STATE HIGH SCHOOL VOTER REGISTRATION GUIDANCE

April 12, 2024

New York State Election Law §5-507 requires high schools and boards of education throughout the State to adopt policies and procedures by July 1, 2024, to promote voter registration by providing students with voter registration and preregistration access, information and assistance during the school year.

In the three documents that follow, the New York City Bar Association, Civic Education Task Force:

1. Answers questions high schools and school boards may have about this law and offers guidance on building and implementing a voter registration program that complies with the law by promoting non-partisan voter registration and preregistration.
2. Provides a Model Voter Registration Policy designed in compliance with the New York Election Law.  The policy affords schools flexibility in establishing voter registration procedures and programs such as the Model High School Voter Registration Program included in these materials.
3. Provides a Model High School Voter Registration Program that high schools and boards of education may wish to consider implementing, customizing to their own local circumstances, or otherwise using as a starting point, tool, or guide in framing their own program.

MODEL VOTER REGISTRATION POLICY

IN ACCORDANCE WITH NY STATE ELECTION LAW §5-507

Recognizing the importance of voting and civic engagement [Name of School or District] supports and encourages student voter registration and pre-registration during the school year. Under New York Election Law, a 16 or 17 year-old who preregisters to vote will automatically be registered to vote upon reaching 18. Students 18 years and over who are qualified, can register to vote.

[Name of School or District] promotes student voter registration and preregistration through a program designed to:

1. Support collaboration with county boards of elections to conduct voter registration and preregistration for students 16 and over;
2. Provide access to online and paper voter registration and preregistration applications and materials;[1]
3. Provide assistance to students in completing voter registration and preregistration applications;
4. Provide students with information about New York State and local requirements for voter registration and preregistration;
5. Encourage voter registration and preregistration drives at school events that take place prior to voter registration deadlines for federal, state and local elections; and
6. Inform students of all voting methods, including early voting, voting by mail and election day voting and suggest that students “make a plan to vote.”

The completion and submission of voter registration or pre-registration forms will not be a course requirement or graded assignment for [Name of School or District] students.

Note that this policy is designed for New York high schools and districts to allow compliance with the New York Election Law and to afford significant flexibility in developing and implementing programs and procedures to encourage civic engagement through voter registration and preregistration activities.

 “Download the entire packet here.