Voting by absentee ballot

This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew Cuomo has issued executive orders that New Tork State voters can vote in both the primary election (June 23) and the presidential election (November 3) OF 2020. If you are not sure you will be able to get to the polls, OR IF YOU ARE MAINTAINING SOCIAL DISTANCE FOR YOUR HEALTH OR THOSE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD, you can vote by absentee ballot.

It is important and it is an easy process. First you have to fill out the application for absentee ballot and mail it to the Greene County Board of Elections, 411 Main Street, Catskill NY, 12414. It must be postmarked at least 7 days before the election (October 29, 2019 at the latest by mail). If you are late the form can be hand delivered BY SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE VOTER to the board of elections up to the day before the election.

FROM THE GREENE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE:

(voter registration deadline information)

**Pursuant to Executive Order 202.15 issued April 9, 2020, voters may request and vote via an absentee ballot for any election held between June 23, 2020 and November 3, 2020 due to the potential to contract the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). To request an absentee ballot, voters may fill out an absentee ballot application and check “temporary illness or physical disability” as the reason they are requesting an absentee ballot. A voter may request an absentee ballot as follows:

• Applications for Absentee Ballots are available at your county board of elections.
• You may also download a PDF version of the New York State Absentee Ballot Application Form:
  • Download English Form ( 485KB)
  • Download Spanish Form ( 521KB)
• Upon completion, applications must be mailed, emailed or faxed to your county board no later than the seventh day before the election or delivered in person no later than the day before the election.
• • your name and date of birth
  • the address where you are registered
  • an address where the ballot is to be sent
  • the reason for the request.
  • You may also request an Absentee Ballot by sending a letter to your county board of elections. The letter must be received by your county board no later than seven days before the election. The letter must contain the following information:
  •  
  • The letter may be sent via mail, email or fax. Here is the contact and absentee information for all County Boards for you to email, mail or fax an application.
• If you are a voter with special needs, you may also apply for an accessible absentee ballot using the Accessible Absentee Ballot Application ( 119KB).

Next, the Board of Elections will send (or hand) your absentee ballot materials to you after your application is received and processed.

You will receive two envelopes in addition to the ballot. The first (outside) envelope will include identifying information so that the BOE can check that you did not sign in at the polls on election day.  In order to keep your ballot secret, there is a second envelope to contain the ballot. This envelope has no identifying information. The two are separated before the ballot envelope is opened.

The ballot must either be postmarked no later than the day before the election or personally delivered to the board of elections no later than the close of the polls on election day.

Detailed instructions, including options to make it more convenient for military or persons with disabilities are printed on the back of the absentee ballot application.

VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES

In order to accommodate voters with disabilities, several measures have been made to ensure that voters can apply for, and vote, with an absentee ballot in an independent and private manner. A screen readable and fillable absentee ballot application is available on the New York State Board of Elections website. Executive Order 202.15 allows voters to email, mail, fax or deliver in person the application to your local county board of elections. Per the Executive Order, there is no requirement for in-person signature or appearance to receive an absentee ballot. Additionally, ballot marking devices will be available at local boards of elections’ offices to ensure that voters will be able to vote their absentee ballot independently and privately without having to visit an Early Voting site or poll site. Executive Order 202.26 provides that, upon transmitting or mailing absentee ballots to voters, a local board of elections shall maintain a ballot marking device in its office. Further accommodations may be available upon request at your local county board. [See above for downloadable forms.]

2020 Voting by Absentee Ballot Deadlines