Sag Harbor Express: State Legislature Passes Measures Making It Easier to Cast Absentee Ballots, Register To Vote

The New York State Assembly and Senate have passed measures that could make it easier for voters to cast absentee ballots as well as register to vote, Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. announced this week. The legislation would still need to be signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo to be enacted.

One bill would allow voters, concerned about COVID-19, to use the pandemic as a reason to apply for an absentee ballot for the upcoming general election.

“I would expect the governor would sign that,” Mr. Thiele said, “because his executive order during the primary allowed voters to use the pandemic as an excuse” to obtain absentee ballots

In fact, during the Democratic primary, Governor Cuomo directed boards of election to send all voters registered as Democrats mail-in ballots, but Mr. Thiele said it remained to be seen if the governor would take that step for the general election.

Another measure would allow election boards to process absentee ballots earlier than 30 days before the election. Mr. Thiele said that allowing election boards more time to process what is expected to be a large number of absentee ballots cast in the November election would help them release results sooner. Another measure would allow election boards to count ballots that arrive the day after the election without a postmark. Currently, such ballots are automatically rejected [more]