ABSENTEE BALLOTS
Purpose: to provide for those who are unable to get to polling places the opportunity to vote remotely.
Normally, voters must meet certain qualifications to be able to vote by absentee ballot. However, per Governor Cuomo's Executive Order 202.15, rules have been relaxed and amended to accommodate voters who do not want to go to polling places during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
To vote by absentee ballot, a registered voter must first obtain, complete and submit an APPLICATION. The Board of Elections then reviews it and determines whether or not the applicant is qualified to receive a ballot for a particular election. Submitting an application does NOT guarantee receipt of a ballot.
However, for the 2020 June Primaries, ALL eligible voters (i.e. those who have up-to-date registrations and meet political party affiliation requirements) have been invited to vote absentee (in the form of a specially-issued "New York State COVID-19 Absentee Ballot Application" which, when submitted, will allow them to receive an absentee ballot).
If you did not receive this mailed application (and you feel this is in error), you can apply using a standard absentee ballot application. On this form, remember to check off the boxes for "temporary illness" (section 1) and "Primary Election" (section 2). If the Board determines that you are NOT eligible to vote, then you will NOT receive a ballot.
For the June 23rd elections, the DEADLINE for mailing (i.e. postmarking) an absentee ballot APPLICATION is Tuesday, June 16th (e-mailing and faxing are also options for these elections ONLY). If you miss this deadline, you will have to hand-deliver the application (i.e. apply in-person) at the Suffolk County Board of Elections' headquarters in Yaphank no later than 4:30 PM on June 22nd.
The DEADLINE for mailing (i.e. postmarking) an absentee BALLOT is Monday, June 22nd. If this deadline is missed, you or someone else (on your behalf) can hand-deliver the ballot to the Suffolk County Board of Elections (at either their headquarters or at ANY polling place) no later than 9:00 PM on June 23rd.
For more information and instructions, visit the Board of Elections website.
EARLY VOTING
This supplementary means of in-person voting was first implemented in New York State with the November 2019 General Election.
Objectives: ease overcrowding and reduce wait times at polling places; give those with restrictive schedules more opportunities to vote; provide alternative locations for voting.
Allows for nine additional days of voting! Early voting dates for the upcoming 2020 Primary Elections are: Saturday, June 13th through Sunday, June 21st.
Early voting takes place at specially-designated polling places. For most voters, these will NOT be their regular election day polling places.
In Suffolk County, every township (except Shelter Island) has at least one early voting polling place.
The Town of Huntington now has TWO locations: Dix Hills Fire Department, 115 Deer Park Road (the same as last year) and Huntington Public Library - Station Branch, 1335 New York Avenue (added this year).
Ballots are printed on-demand - this means that Suffolk residents from any electoral district can vote at ANY early voting polling place in the county.
For other early voting locations and polling hours, consult this link.
Hal Mintz
Reference Librarian, Adult Services
Polling Inspector (D-Huntington), Suffolk County Board of Elections