What you need to know about voting in New York's June 23 primaries
NEW YORK - Now that New York's June 23 primary election is definitely back on, the state Board of Elections is trying to make it as easy as possible for registered Democrats and Republicans to vote from home.
"If you're in a district that has a primary in your party, you should be mailed an absentee ballot application by your local board of elections," said John Conklin, a spokesperson for the New York State Board of Elections. Under an executive order from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, anyone who wants an absentee ballot to avoid a possible coronavirus exposure at the polls can get one, he said.
"Your main reason for applying for one is because you're concerned about contracting COVID-19 or just being exposed to it, on the absentee ballot on Part 2, you should check the box that says 'temporary illness,'" Conklin explained.
For example, on the absentee ballot application mailed to my house in Westchester County, important voter information on the instruction sheet clearly says, "Check the box for 'temporary illness or physical disability' as the reason if you are impacted by COVID-19." Then the ballot application itself has that box.
"In addition to the instruction sheet that goes out with the mailing, we have information on our website at the state," Conklin said. "Each county board should have information on their websites as well."
New York absentee ballot applications must be postmarked by June 16 or submitted in person by June 22. If you don't want to vote via an absentee ballot, you can vote either in person at your usual polling site on June 23 or at your district's early voting sites from June 13 to June 21.
IMPORTANT LINKS