RITE and Rep. Tenney Request Records from New York State Board of Elections on Voter Registration Compliance

A watchdog group sent a letter to the New York State Board of Elections (NYSBOE) earlier this week. The letter requests comprehensive records and data to identify shortcomings in the state's voter registration system.

The group stated that the board failed to respond to a prior request. The prior request outlined several alleged violations of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), a federal law enacted in 2002 to improve election administration and voter access. HAVA requires states to collect specific identifying information on voter registration forms, including a driver's license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number, or a declaration that the applicant has neither.

According to the group, New York State's forms do not instruct applicants to provide driver's license information if available and continue to process registrations without this information. These issues have resulted in incomplete information from voters, according to the group.

The group also stated that the board did not conduct a requested audit to determine the number of incomplete applications processed.

Legal Action In the letter, the group wrote that the board's lack of response disregards the need to maintain accurate voter rolls as required by federal law.

They demanded compliance by May 2026 and stated they are prepared to pursue federal court action if the board does not provide the requested records. The group said that states may not accept registration forms lacking required identifying information under HAVA.

The organization is committed to obtaining answers on the scope of the issue and ensuring the state addresses it. Transparency and accurate voter rolls are essential to public trust in elections and that New York residents deserve compliance with HAVA.