The primary election will be held on June 28, 2022. The early voting period is June 18-26, 2022.
General Election Day will be held on November 8, 2022. The early voting period is from October 29 to November 6, 2022.
WHO QUALIFIES FOR ABSENTEE VOTING?
- A registered voter who is outside of their county or the five boroughs of New York City.
- Being unable to appear at the polls due to temporary or permanent illness or disability (temporary illness includes being unable to appear due to the risk of contracting or spreading a communicable disease such as COVID-19).
- You cannot come because you are the primary caregiver for one or more people who are ill or physically disabled.
- You are a resident or patient of a Veterans Health Administration Hospital.
- You are being held in jail pending Grand Jury action or confined in prison after a conviction for a crime other than a felony.
HOW TO REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT
You can go in person to Election Board of your county or designate another person to deliver your application in person to your county Board of Elections and receive your ballot.
here you can download a PDF version of the form in Spanish New York State absentee ballot application form.
If you are unable to pick up your ballot, you have the right to designate someone to pick it up for you. Only the person designated on your application can pick up and drop off your ballot.
If you are permanently ill or disabled, you are entitled to receive an Absentee Ballot for each subsequent election without further request. Simply file an application with your county board of elections indicating permanent illness or physical disability.
You will then automatically receive an absentee ballot for each election until your registration is cancelled.
You can apply through the online absentee ballot application portal: https://absenteeballot.elections.ny.gov/.
If you are visually impaired and need a ballot with accessible features, you can apply through the online accessible absentee ballot request portal: https://absenteeballot.elections.ny.gov/home/accessible.
THE DEADLINES
Requests to receive an absentee ballot by mail must be received by your county board of elections no later than fifteen days before the election. In order for absentee ballots to be received in person, applications must be received by the board no later than the day before the election.
HOW TO CAST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT
- Once you receive the ballot, mark it according to your elections for each office by following the instructions on the ballot.
- Once you have finished marking your ballot, fold it 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.
- Put the security envelope in the return envelope. (This envelope will have your County Board of Elections return address on the outside and should have a logo that says “Official Election Mail”)
- Seal the return envelope.
You can return the ballot in any of the following ways:
FOR THE JUNE PRIMARY ELECTION:
- Put it in the mail making sure you receive a postmark no later than June 28.
- Bringing it to the County Board of Elections Office no later than June 28 at 9 pm
- Take it to an early voting site in your county between June 18 and June 26.
- Take it to a polling place in your county on June 28 at 9 pm
FOR THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION:
- Put it in the mail making sure you receive a postmark no later than November 8th.
- Bring it to the County Board of Elections Office no later than November 8 at 9 pm
- Take it to an early voting site in your county between October 29 and November 6.
- Take it to a polling place in your county on November 8 at 9 pm
MAILING TIME CONSIDERATIONS WHEN RETURNING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT
When mailing in their completed ballot, the USPS recommends that voters allow ample time for ballots to be returned to the Board, which is generally seven days before the general election. Voters mailing in their ballots on Election Day should be aware of the posted pickup times at drop boxes and Postal Service retail facilities, and that ballots returned after the last posted pickup time will not receive the postmarked by the next business day.
There are certain errors or problems that can occur when a voter fills out an absentee ballot envelope. Many of these errors or problems can be remedied by filing a cure with the board of elections. If your ballot envelope has a correctable defect, you will receive a notice from the board of elections. The process is described here.
NEW ABSENTEE BALLOT PROCEDURE
Due to a recent change in the law, New York State voters are no longer allowed to cast their ballot on a voting machine if they have already been issued an absentee ballot for that election. Voters who have already been issued an absentee ballot can still vote in person using an affidavit ballot. The affidavit ballot will be kept separate until the election is complete. Election officials will verify that the voter’s absentee ballot has been received. If the voter’s absentee ballot has been received, the affidavit ballot will not be counted. If the voter’s absentee ballot has not been received, the affidavit ballot will be counted.
If a voter requests a second absentee ballot, any previously cast absentee ballot that is returned by the voter will be set aside unopened to provide the voter an opportunity to return the second absentee ballot, unless the first has already been opened. If both ballots are received by the return deadline, the ballot postmarked later is accepted and any other ballots received are rejected, unless the first ballot has already been opened. If a voter files more than one absentee ballot on time and casts an affidavit ballot, the last ballot received will be reviewed, whether it was filed in person during the election or by mail within the ballot return deadline. in absence.
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