Early voting starts Oct. 24; mail-in ballots available to all
With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging, millions of Americans who normally vote in person on Election Day are expected to instead head to early polling sites or cast their ballots by mail.
In New York, early voting will be permitted between Oct. 24 and Nov. 1.
Ulster and Dutchess counties each will have five early voting locations, while Greene County will have one. Unlike voters who head to the polls on Election Day, those casting their ballots during the nine-day early voting period can vote at any of the sites available within their county.
This year’s election will be the third in New York since the state adopted laws in 2018 that allow voters to cast their ballots before the traditional Election Day. This year, Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
It is, though, the first presidential election since the new laws went into effect and comes in the midst of a pandemic that is causing many people to be wary of being in public and amid crowds.
“It will be interesting to see what happens with the presidential election,” said Ulster County Republican Commissioner of Elections Thomas Turco. “Generally we have a higher turnout for the presidential election. Add to that the pandemic, and it will be interesting.”
Turco said he expects more than 80,000 Ulster County voters
to cast ballots in the presidential election, although not all in person.
“We’ve been very busy, very busy with the absentee ballot requests,” he said. “It will be curious to see how much higher the absentee numbers are. They’re usually very high during presidential elections anyway; it will be interesting to see how much higher it goes based on everything going on with mailin voting [and] the rumors about the postal issues.”
Turco said he hasn’t done a formal analysis of the reasons voters are requesting absentee ballots, but said he’s noticed the majority have checked the “Temporary illness or physical disability” box on the application. On Aug. 20, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation allowing voters to check that box if they want an absentee ballot because they are concerned about contracting the coronavirus.
Mailed applications for absentee ballots must be postmarked by Oct. 27 (which also is the deadline for emailed or faxed applications). Voters also can apply in person for an absentee ballot — at the Ulster County Board of Elections office, 284 Wall St. in Uptown Kingston — until the close of business Nov. 2.
Turco said voters going to the polls can rest assured that elections officials have taken precautions to protect their health. He said the floors of all polling sites will be marked to ensure social distancing and all voters will be required to wear masks and to sanitize their hands upon entering the polling site. Gloves will be available for voters who request them, and all poll workers will wear masks and face shields. Also, there will only be one privacy booth per table, instead of the usual two, and each privacy booth and voting machine will be cleaned after each use.
“My message to all voters in Ulster County is to feel confident voting anyway you would like; we’ve done a lot of work to make our sites safe,” Turco said.
Absentee ballot applications can be downloaded at elections.ulstercountyny.gov/absentee-ballots. Anyone requesting an absentee ballot because of concerns about COVID-19 should check the “Temporary illness or physical disability” box on the application.
Completed applications can be mailed or brought to the Board of Elections office, emailed to absentees@ co.ulster.ny.us, or faxed to (845) 334-5434.
Absentee ballots will be mailed out starting on or about Sept. 18 and will continue to be sent as applications are received.
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Early voting locations are as follows:
Ulster County
• Mescal Hornbeck Community Center, 56 Rock City Road, Woodstock.
• Andy Murphy III Midtown Neighborhood Center, 467 Broadway, Kingston.
• New Paltz Community Center, 3 Veterans Dr, New Paltz.
• American Legion Post 193, 84 Grand St., Highland.
• Ellenville Public Library (Community Room), 40 Center St., Ellenville.
Polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday (Oct. 26, 28 and 30); noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday (Oct. 27 and 29); and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends (Oct. 24-25 and Oct. 31-Nov. 1).
Dutchess County
• Rhinebeck Town Hall, 80 E. Market St., Rhinebeck.
• Millbrook Firehouse 20 Front St., Millbrook.
• Dutchess County Board of Elections, 47 Cannon St., Poughkeepsie.
• Boardman Road Library 141 Boardman Road, Poughkeepsie.
• Fishkill Town Hall, 807 Route 52, Fishkill.
Polls will be open from
noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, and Sunday, Oct 25; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday (Oct. 26, 28 and 30); noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday (Oct. 27 and 29); 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1.
Greene County
• Greene County Office Building, 411 Main St., Catskill.
Polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday (Oct. 26 and 28); 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (Oct. 27, 29 and 30); and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends (Oct. 24-25 and Oct. 31-Nov. 1).