2023 New York Laws › ELN - Election › Article 5 - Registration and Enrollment of Voters › Title 5 - Registration Records › 5-504 - Optional Discontinuation of Central File Registration Records.

§   5-504.  Optional  discontinuation  of  central  file  registration
  records.   1. Notwithstanding the provisions  of  this  article  to  the
  contrary, a board of elections may apply to the state board of elections
  for  permission  to  discontinue  preparation,  use  and  maintenance of
  central file registration records.
2. The state board of elections shall adopt  regulations  establishing
  the  requirements  which must be met by a board of election seeking such
  permission.
3. Such  requirements  shall  include,  but  not  be  limited  to  the
  following:
a.  The  board  of  elections  maintains  a complete, current computer
  record of all registered voters.
b. At least one copy of such record is kept in a building  other  than
  the one in which the offices of the board of elections are located.
c.  The  board  of  elections  maintains,  as  a public record, at the
  appropriate office of the board, a  complete  and  current  alphabetized
  list  of  all  registered  voters,  including voters in inactive status,
  which contains  next  to  each  voter's  name  at  least  the  following
  information: address, town or city, assembly district where appropriate,
  election district, registration serial number, party enrollment, date of
  registration,  gender,  date  of  birth and, if the voter is in inactive
  status, an indication of that fact.
d. A board of elections which has  discontinued  use  of  registration
  poll ledgers shall not be required to maintain such an alphabetized list
  of  all  registered  voters  if  it  has  available  for  public  use, a
  sufficient number of computer terminals from which such information  can
  be  obtained.  Such terminals must have the capacity to display a series
  of names arranged in such alphabetical order without an inquiry for each
  such name having to be entered into the computer separately.
4. After such inquiry as it deems  appropriate,  the  state  board  of
  elections  shall  approve  the applications of those boards of elections
  whose systems meet the requirements established by this section and  the
  regulations  of  the  state  board.  Such  boards  may  then discontinue
  preparation, use and maintenance of central file registration records.
5. If the state board of elections amends its regulations, a board  of
  elections  whose system was previously approved by the state board shall
  have a reasonable time to conform to the new regulation.
6. If the state board of elections determines on its  own  initiative,
  or  upon  investigation  of a complaint, that the system being used by a
  board of elections is not in compliance with the  requirements  of  this
  section  and  the  regulations  of  the state board, it shall order such
  board of elections to comply forthwith.
7. If such a board of elections does not comply with the provisions of
  subdivision six of this section, the state board shall  issue  an  order
  withdrawing  permission  to discontinue use of central file registration
  records and such board of elections shall be required to reinstitute use
  of such records on the first day of December following issuance of  such
  an order.