Early voting in New York state for the upcoming general election begins tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 24, while Tuesday, Oct. 27, is the last day to request an absentee ballot.
Other important general election dates, according to Ballotpedia, include:
- Nov. 1: early voting ends;
- Nov. 3: Election Day, polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Nov. 3: absentee ballots must be postmarked;
- Nov. 4: last day for ballots received by the Board of Elections without a postmark to be counted; and
- Nov. 10: last day for ballots with postmarks demonstrating that they were mailed on or before Election Day to be counted.
For early voting, polls are required to be open a minimum of eight hours on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. and a minimum of five hours a day on weekends between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., according to voteearly.org. Details about polling places for early voting, in addition to in-person voting on Election Day, can be accessed by clicking here.
In addition to allowing absentee voting for those at risk or fear of contracting and illness, such as COVID-19, the Board of Elections states voters can vote absentee if they are:
- absent from their home county or, if a resident of New York City, they are absent from the five boroughs on Election Day;
- unable to appear at the polls due to temporary or permanent illness or disability;
- unable to appear because of being the primary care giver of one or more individuals who are ill or physically disabled;
- a resident or patient of a Veterans Health Administration Hospital; or
- detained in jail awaiting grand jury action or confined in prison after conviction for an offense other than a felony.
Individuals wishing to request absentee ballots should contact their County Board of Elections.
Read more about recent efforts taken in New York state to increase voter participation, as previously reported in the New York Minute.