New York, NY –Senator Luis Sepúlveda and Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz today introduced legislation that establishes a secure portal that allows voters to track the status of absentee ballots. The establishment of web and mobile-based applications increases transparency and allows individuals to see whether the Board of Elections has approved or rejected their ballot.

States across the country have seen a rise in voters preferring to vote-by-mail this year due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Growing apprehension around the potential for compromised elections has risen, as cyberthreats loom ahead of the November General Election. In New York City alone, more than 84,000 absentee ballots were deemed invalid due to technical flaws in the 2020 primaries.

"Every eligible voter should be able to cast their ballot freely, efficiently, safely, and most important, confidently. Confident that as they perform their civic duty, their voice will be heard and not disenfranchised. Unfortunately, this was not the case for tens of thousands of New York voters whose absentee ballots were not adequately counted for in the June 2020 primaries. As mail-in voting becomes more prevalent in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must protect and secure New Yorkers' right to exercise their vote and give them the peace of mind that their ballot has been received, approved or rejected, and counted. It is an honor to sponsor this legislation with Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz and stand with my colleagues to call for increased transparency and accessibility for absentee voters. Implementing an Absentee Ballot Tracker will play a massive role in upcoming elections,” said Senator Luis Sepúlveda.

“The fact that we continue to experience voter disenfranchisement in this day and age is outrageous. While the challenges of conducting an election during a public health crisis are understandable, the presence of widespread irregularities and incidents of voter suppression on Primary Day and in the counting of absentee ballots are extremely troubling. Further, nearly 30,000 New York City voters who requested absentee ballots by the request deadline did not receive them by Election Day. Voters must be assured that their vote counts and this bill is one step closer to ensuring this happens. I am proud to sponsor such an important bill that gives rights back to the voters,” said Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz.

“On behalf of my constituents and voters throughout New York State, I am proud to join with Senator Sepulveda and Assemblywoman Cruz in supporting the creation of this crucial safeguard for voters who choose to vote by absentee ballot," said Senator Julia Salazar. "We must take all steps possible to ensure the right to vote is protected and that there is transparency and accountability in our election system."

“New Yorkers deserve to have healthy, safe, and secure ways to exercise their right to vote this year. In what will be a historic turnout election we must do all we can to enfranchise every eligible voter. By creating a website where people can check the status of their absentee ballots we are taking steps to provide peace of mind and ensure every vote gets counted,”said Senator Rachel May.

“I want to applaud my colleagues for introducing legislation that will create a transparent process for voters to get information about their absentee ballot. Voting is a fundamental right in the USA and we must do everything we can to make it available to all voters,” said Assemblyman Harvey Epstein.

“Empire State Indivisible supports any measure that ensures every vote counts in the upcoming and all future elections. We urge the New York State legislature to return to session and pass senate bill S8949 to create a secure website and app that allows all New York voters to track the status of their absentee ballots. Everything is at stake in November. We must get it right,” said Empire State Indivisible.

“Voters across the state should be able to easily track their absentee ballots, not just those in New York City or Onondaga County. We urge the Legislature to take up Senator Sepulveda and Assembly Member Cruz' timely bill,” said Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause New York.

“As a record number of voters plan to vote by absentee ballot in November, lawmakers should do whatever possible to give these voters the peace of mind that their applications and ballots have been received and will be counted. Allowing voters a secure way to view the status of their applications and ballots is a common sense reform that voters will understand and welcome. We applaud Senator Sepulveda and Assembly Member Catalina Cruz for introducing this legislation and hope to see it passed and signed into law in time for the 2020 election,” said Laura Ladd Bierman, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of New York State.

“NYDLC is proud to support NYS Senate bill S8949. This presents another encouraging step in the modernization of New York's voting process and policy. Voters are empowered by information, and this bill establishes a much-need tool to allow them stay informed about where their vote is in the absentee process. This is a fantastic step forward in putting more powerful tools directly into the hands of voters to safeguard their vote,” said New York Democratic Lawyers Council.

While the New York City Board of Elections last week launched a similar web-based portal for the City of New York, the legislation introduced today would affect absentee ballots throughout the state. The bill further aims to have economic impact, as the applications would need to hire staff to develop, update, and monitor the portal.