N.Y. Town Law § 213-a: Registration for voters and preparation of the voter register

§ 213-a. Registration for voters and preparation of the voter

register. 1. The board of commissioners of any improvement district in

which commissioners are elected may provide by resolution that a

proposition be submitted at any annual improvement district election

providing that additional personal registration of voters not registered

with the board of elections shall be permitted for all elections in such

improvement district.

2. Registration for all improvement district elections shall be

conducted as follows:

(a) Only those persons registered with the board of elections on or

before the twenty-third day before such election and those persons whose

names are placed on the improvement district register pursuant to the

provisions of this section shall be entitled to vote in such district.

(b) In improvement districts in which there is additional personal

registration, the board of commissioners shall publish a resolution at

least twenty-seven days prior to election day, which shall designate the

dates prior to registration day on which the inspectors of election

shall meet to commence the preparation of the register; the place in

each district where such meetings, registration, if any, and election

shall be held; the hours for such meetings, registration, if any, and

election; but in no event shall the hours for registration be less than

the hours from six o'clock in the evening until nine o'clock in the

evening. Such resolution shall be adopted at least thirty days prior to

election day.

(c) In an improvement district whose electors have approved additional

personal registration, such registration shall be held on the

seventeenth day prior to the annual district election, except in those

districts which provide by resolution adopted at least thirty-seven days

prior to the date of the first election for which it shall be effective,

for an additional day of registration to be held on the nineteenth day

prior to the annual district election. Such resolution shall remain in

effect for subsequent annual elections, unless amended, modified or

repealed.

3. The register for the annual improvement district election shall be

prepared in each district by the inspectors of election thereof on the

days prior to registration day, if any, designated therefor, on the

registration day, if any, at the times and places designated by the

resolution of the board of commissioners. In preparing such register,

the inspectors of election shall comply with the following procedure:

(a) They shall adopt, use or copy from, the registration list

certified and supplied by the county board of elections the names

appearing thereon of all persons residing in the improvement district

and qualified to vote in such forthcoming annual district election. Such

register shall be completed by adding thereto the names of the persons

personally appearing before them and providing to their satisfaction to

then be or at the time of election qualified to vote.

(b) The register for each district shall include as a minimum the

space for the name of the voter, his address within the improvement

district and a space for his or her signature to be signed by the voter

on election day. Such register shall also contain a space for the

signature of the voter to be signed by such voter on registration day.

If the register shall contain only space for the name, address and

signature of the voter, the improvement district secretary shall furnish

a printed certificate to be signed by the voter who appears personally

before the inspectors of election on registration day if his name does

not already appear on the register. Such certificate shall contain a

statement that the person possesses all the necessary qualifications for

voting in improvement district elections. Such certificate shall be

accepted for all purposes as the equivalent of an affidavit, and if it

contains a material false statement, shall subject the person signing it

to the same penalty as if he had been duly sworn, and such provision

shall be printed in bold type directly above the signature line of the

certificate holder.

4. The improvement district secretary shall furnish the inspectors of

election, at district expense, with all necessary registration books,

papers, equipment and supplies.

5. In lieu of the provisions for designating the election inspectors

and ballot clerks, as set forth in section two hundred twelve of this

chapter, in improvement districts where additional personal registration

is permitted, the board of commissioners shall, by resolution adopted at

least forty days prior to the annual district election, designate a

resident improvement district elector to act as chairman of any election

of said district and shall designate not less than two nor more than

four resident district electors to act as election inspectors and ballot

clerks in such election. Such resolution shall fix the compensation of

the chairman and inspectors and, in addition, the board of commissioners

may provide for alternate inspectors who shall assume the office of

inspector upon the inability or refusal of an inspector to assume or

perform his duties and for any clerical help which they may deem

necessary. Such clerical help shall perform their duties under the

direction and control of the chairman and inspectors of election.