Westchester Insider: Westchester County Legislator Ruth Walter 15th District: Absentee Ballot Information for Nov. 2nd General Election.

 

Election Day is almost upon us. Here is some important information for those who do not want to vote in person and want to obtain an absentee ballot:
 

HOW TO APPLY FOR AN ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION:

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What are the Qualifications to vote by Absentee Ballot?

• Absent from your County on Election Day.
• Unable to appear at the polls due to temporary or permanent illness or disability. Temporary illness includes being unable to appear due to risk of contracting or spreading a communicable disease like COVID-19.
• Unable to appear because you are the primary care giver of one or more individuals who are ill or physically disabled.
• A resident or patient of a Veterans Health Administration Hospital.
• Detained in jail awaiting Grand Jury action or confined in prison after conviction for an offense other than a felony.

What is the deadline for applying for an absentee ballot application?

• Monday, Oct. 18, 2021 is the last day for the Board of Elections to receive an application or letter of application by mail, online portal, email, or fax for the General Election ballot
• Monday, Nov. 1, 2021 is the last day for applicant or agent to apply in person at the Board of Elections for the General Election absentee ballot
• Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021 is the last day to postmark the General Election absentee ballot by mail. The ballot must be received by the Board of Elections no later than November 9, 2021
• Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021 is the last day to deliver the General Election absentee ballot in person to the Board of Elections or at any poll site throughout the County, by the close of the polls at 9:00 p.m. on Election Day 

You may file an application at any time before the deadlines.

How do you obtain an absentee ballot application?

• Electronically through the New York State Absentee Ballot Application Portal
• By sending an email request to BOE-WestAbsentee@westchestergov.com
• By sending a fax request to (914) 995-7753 or (914) 995-3190
• By going in-person to the Westchester County Board of Elections, 25 Quarropas St., White Plains, NY 10601
• By mailing a paper application to the Westchester County Board of Elections, 25 Quarropas St., White Plains, NY 10601

You can download a PDF version of the New York State Absentee Ballot Application Form:

• Download English Form 
• Download Spanish Form 
• Download Military/Federal/UOCAVA Form

If you request an application by mail, send it to the Westchester County Board of Elections, 25 Quarropas St., White Plains, NY 10601. The letter must contain the following information:

• Name and date of birth of the voter
• The address where you are registered
• An address where the ballot is to be sent
• The reason for the request
• The signature of the voter

An application form will be mailed with your ballot. The application form must be completed and returned with your ballot.

If you cannot pick up your ballot, or will not be able to receive it through the mail: You have the right to designate someone to pick it up for you. Only that person designated on your application may pick up and deliver your ballot. Please note: The maximum amount any person can pick up is five (5) ballots including their own.

If you are permanently ill or disabled:  You have the right to receive an Absentee Ballot for each subsequent election without further application. Simply file an application with the Westchester County Board of Elections indicating permanent illness or physical disability. You will then automatically receive an absentee ballot for every election until your registration is cancelled.

If you are visually impaired or otherwise disabled, such that your disability requires you to use an accessible absentee ballot application: You have two accessible options to request a ballot on this page, either using the Accessible Electronic Ballot Application Portal or by filling out the Accessible Absentee Ballot Application.

• Access the Electronic Accessible Absentee Ballot Application Portal
• Download the Accessible Absentee Ballot Application
• Download the Spanish Accessible Absentee Ballot Application

 

HOW TO COMPLETE  AND RETURN YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT:

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Important: How do you cast an Absentee Ballot?

Please carefully review and follow the instructions below. Each step is important and required.

• Once you have received the ballot, mark the ballot according to your choices for each office following the instructions on the ballot.
• Once you have completed marking your ballot, fold it up and place it in the Security Ballot Envelope. This envelope will have a place for your signature.
• Sign and date the outside of the Security Ballot Envelope.
• Seal the Security Ballot Envelope.
• Place the Security Ballot Envelope in the Return Ballot Envelope. (This envelope will have the return address of the Westchester County Board of Elections on the outside and should have a logo that reads, “Official Election Mail”)
• Seal the Return Ballot Envelope.

You may return the ballot in any of the following ways:

• Put it in the mail ensuring it receives a postmark no later than Tuesday, Nov. 2
• Bring it to the Westchester County Board of Elections no later than Tuesday, Nov. 2 by 9:00 pm.
• Bring it to an Early Voting poll site within the County between Saturday, Oct. 23 - Sunday, Oct. 31
• Bring it to any Election Day poll site within the County on Tuesday, Nov. 2 by 9:00 pm.

Mail time considerations when returning an Absentee Ballot:
When mailing your completed ballot, the USPS recommends that voters allow enough time for ballots to be returned to the Board of Elections, which is generally seven days ahead of the General Election. New York State requires your ballot to be both postmarked by Nov. 2, 2021 and received by the BOE by Nov. 9, 2021. Voters who mail in their ballots on Election Day must be aware of the posted collection times on collection boxes and at the Postal Service’s retail facilities, and that ballots entered after the last posted collection time will not be postmarked until the following business day.

You can still vote in person if you request an Absentee Ballot
Even if you request or cast and return an absentee ballot, you may still go to the polls and vote in person. The Board of Elections is required to check the poll book before canvassing any absentee ballot. If the voter comes to the poll site, on Election Day or during early voting and votes in person, the absentee ballot is set aside and not counted.