Absentee Voting

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Early Voting Period is October 24,2020 - November 1, 2020

Qualifications to Vote by Absentee Ballot (Deadlines)

Absent from your county or, if a resident of New York City absent from the five boroughs, on Election Day. Unable to appear at the polls due to temporary or permanent illness or disability (temporary illness includes being unable to appear due to risk of contracting or spreading a communicable disease like COVID-19). Unable to appear because you are 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. Detained in jail awaiting Grand Jury action or confined in prison after conviction for an offense other than a felony.

How to Apply for an Absentee Ballot (Deadlines)

You may apply for an absentee ballot in any of the following ways:

When is it due?

You must apply online, postmark, email or fax a completed application or letter request for the General Election Absentee ballot no later than 7 days (October 27, 2020) before the election. You may apply in-person up to the day before the election (November 2, 2020). You may file an application at any time before the deadlines, but ballots will be mailed out beginning on or about September 18, 2020. (PLEASE BE AWARE THAT DESPITE THE ABOVE DEADLINES THE POST OFFICE HAS ADVISED THAT THEY CANNOT GUARANTEE TIMELY DELIVERY OF BALLOTS APPLIED FOR LESS THAN 15 DAYS BEFORE AN ELECTION.)

How to Cast an Absentee Ballot

Once your receive the ballot, mark the ballot according to your choices for each office following the instructions on the ballot

Once you have completed marking your ballot fold it up and place it in the Security Envelope. (This envelope will have a place for your signature.)

Sign and date the outside of the Security Envelope.

Seal the Security Envelope.

Place the Security Envelope in the Return Envelope. (This envelope will have the return address of your county Board of Elections on the outside and should have a logo that reads, “Official Election Mail”)

Seal the Return Envelope.

You may return the ballot in any of the following ways: Put it in the mail ensuring it receives a postmark no later than November 3rd. Bringing it to the County Board of Elections Office no later than November 3rd by 9pm. Bringing it to an early voting poll site between October 24th and November 1st Bringing it to a poll site on November 3rd by 9pm.



Mail Time Considerations When Returning an Absentee Ballot

When mailing your completed ballot, the USPS recommends that voters allow enough time for ballots to be returned to the Board, which is generally seven days ahead of the general election. New York State requires your ballot to be both postmarked by November 3, 2020 and received by our Board by November 10, 2020. Voters who mail in their ballots on Election Day must be aware of the posted collection times on collection boxes and at the Postal Service’s retail facilities, and that ballots entered after the last posted collection time will not be postmarked until the following business day.

You Can Still Vote in Person if You Request an Absentee Ballot

Even if you request or cast and return an absentee ballot, you may still go to the polls and vote in person. The Election Law recognizes that plans change. The Board of Elections is required to check the poll book before canvassing any absentee ballot. If the voter comes to the poll site, on Election Day or during early voting and votes in person, the absentee ballot is set aside and not counted.

