Voting by absentee ballot is a great option for those who are unable to get to their polling sites on Election Day. Whether you are away at college, living with a disability or traveling on Election Day, voting absentee is a good choice to make sure your vote is counted.
There is a two-step process to vote by absentee ballot in New York State. First, fill out an application to get a ballot; it can be downloaded at elections.ny.gov. Once you receive the ballot in the mail, fill it out and mail it to the Putnam or Dutchess county board of elections.
The deadline for mail requests for the primary election is Sept. 6 (or Sept. 12 if brought to your county board of elections office), and for the general election, it’s Oct. 30 or Nov. 5.
It is important for all citizens to participate in every election. In 2016, only 57 percent of eligible voters in New York State voted. Please make sure your voice is heard by voting this fall.
Sandy Galef, Albany
Galef represents Philipstown in the state Assembly.
