OSWEGO COUNTY – The Environmental Committee and the Access Committee of We the People of Oswego Indivisible are providing this follow-up information on the NYS voting options for the coming elections.
Please note that this information relates only to Oswego County. These have been revised since the April 23 article on voting and deadlines. Governor Cuomo and the Board of Elections have ensured that voters in NYS have new and safe voting options because of the Covid 19 pandemic. Three options are now available and apply to both the June 23 Primary and the November 3 General elections.
The first option is to vote as usual at your regular polling place on election days. Regular polling sites will be open with fewer workers. You will need to wear masks and adhere to distancing regulations if still required.
The second option is early voting, which is new this year in New York State. Early voting will take place at the Board of Elections Office, 185 E. Seneca. St., Oswego. The dates and times for early voting are listed below.
The third option is to vote by mail. Because of the COVID-19 distancing requirements and the health and safety of voters, anyone registered in Oswego County is eligible to vote by mail.
The Governor and the NYS Board of Elections have decreed that every eligible registered voter will receive an application in the mail. The application must be filled out and returned to your Board of Elections Office by the deadline indicated; the reason for requesting mail-in ballot should be “temporary illness or physical disability.”
Once that is mailed in, voters will receive two ballots, one for the presidential primary and one for the congressional primary. They must also be returned by the post-marked deadline date. Stamped, self-addressed envelopes will be included with the mailed applications.
Please note that if you have already requested an application for mail-in voting, you will NOT receive a second application. Applications are scheduled to be mailed beginning Monday, May 11.
Ballots will be mailed after receipt of applications at the appropriate time. Also note that if you have already submitted an application and requested mail-in ballots for both the June 23 and November 3 ballots, that application will honor only the June Primary.
YOU MUST FILL OUT AND RETURN ANOTHER APPLICATION FOR THE NOVEMBER 3 ELECTION, which will also be mailed to you. If there are updates and changes, they will be forthcoming
In the Oswego County 24th Congressional District, only Democrats will receive applications because two Democrats are running in the June 23rd Primary, Dana Balter and Fran Conole. The winner of the Primary will run against incumbent John Katko in the General election. Republicans will not receive applications in the 24th District; John Katko is running un-opposed in the Primary.
In the 22nd Congressional District in Oswego County, however, only Republicans will be mailed applications for the June 23 Primary. Republican Claudia Tenney is being challenged by Republican George Phillips. Therefore Democrat Anthony Brindisi is running un-opposed in the 22nd District.
Deadline dates from the Board of Elections are listed below for the congressional state and local primaries on
June 23:
Friday, May 29 is the deadline to register for the June 23 primary election. Application to receive mail-in ballot for the June 23 primary election deadline is June 16; ballot must be postmarked by June 22.
Early voting for primaries is scheduled from June 13 to June 21:
Saturday, June 13: 9-2 Thursday, June 18: 8:30-4:30
Sunday, June 14: 1-6 Friday, June 19: 8:30-4:30
Monday, June 15: 8:30-4:30 Saturday, June 20: 9-2
Tuesday, June 16: 12-8 Sunday, June 21: 9-2
Wednesday, June 17: 12-8
Deadline dates for the general election on November 3 are listed below:
Friday, October 9 is the deadline to register for the November 3 general election. Application to receive mail-in ballot for the November 3 general election deadline is October 27; ballot must be postmarked by November 22. Early voting for the general election is from October 24 to November 1, times TBA.
There may be other minor party candidates. If you belong to a third party and there is a Primary, you will also receive an application.
Past voting statistics are grim nationally as well as locally in Oswego County. In the Oswego 2016 elections, only 66 percent Democrats and 72 percent Republicans voted. Nationally, only 69 percent of both parties voted. Voting is essential to save our democracy. Voter turnout has been appallingly low, especially in Primaries. Comments for not voting range from “My vote won’t make a difference,” “They’re all crooked,” “I don’t trust our government,” and most often, “I don’t care and don’t follow politics.” These are not valid excuses, and inconvenience is no longer an issue in NYS. It’s time to get out and vote. Every vote does count. No more excuses.
Press release from Suzanne Stout, Environmental and Access Committees, We the People of Oswego Indivisible
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