Yonkers Insider: News from Westchester County Legislator Kitley Covill.

 

Dear Friends and Neighbors,  Americans exercised their right to vote in unprecedented ways and numbers this year, including record early-voting and use of Absentee Ballots. This email will share more details about the process and timelines for counting Absentee Ballots, plus an important message for those voters who voted via Absentee. The process for counting absentee ballots is different than the process for counting in-person votes, and these processes differ from state to state. Counting these paper ballots will take some time and yes, there may also be recounts and other legal steps involved.  This is all part of the normal process of ensuring a complete and fair count. Under New York law, mailed-in Absentee Ballots may be received up to seven days after the election, as long as they are postmarked by Election Day. Absentee Ballots are not counted until after all in-person votes are cast so as to guarantee that no Absentee Ballot belonging to a voter who voted in-person is counted. This long standing process is the law and regular practice in our state, and ensures the safety of our voting system. This year saw a surge in Absentee Ballot use because of the pandemic, and many voters found the ballots confusing during the primary. Thanks to a new NY State Law, voters who make certain clerical-type errors on their absentee ballots are given a small window in which to fix or “cure” those clerical errors.  A typical error might be neglecting to sign or date the privacy envelope, or neglecting to include the privacy envelope altogether. If you made one of these errors, the BOE will reach out to you either by mail, email or phone, depending on which contact information they have on file. Depending on when the BOE received your ballot, you will have either seven days  (ballots received through 11/3) from the issue of the notice to submit your correction, or five days (ballots received after 11/3).  This paperwork must be properly submitted in order for your vote to be counted. I urge patience so we can make certain this important job is done correctly.  I also encourage everyone who voted via Absentee to check their mailbox, voicemail and emails regularly in case the Board of Elections is trying to reach out, so that you can make certain your vote counts. If you are contacted, your prompt reply will be critical.  Please forward this e-news to family and friends who may be interested in this information. If you need help fixing your ballot, or are confused by information you received from the Board of Elections, you can, as always, contact my office. Very truly yours, Kitley S. Covill