Erie County Safe Voting 2020
There are 3 ways to vote—Absentee, Early Voting and on Election Day. The deadline to register to vote is October 9! Here is some information to use as you determine the best and safest way to vote.
Countdown to the General Election
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Buffalo Jewish Community Relations Council and its partners, League of Women Voters Buffalo Niagara, NAACP Buffalo Chapter, National Federation for Just Communities of WNY, Inc., Network of Religious Communities, VOICE Buffalo and VIBE are dedicated to ensuring every American has the information and easy access to voter and election education. We embrace the opportunity to engage with our political system as a tool for pursuing justice, giving people choice, and repairing the world. In that spirit, we encourage you to get out and vote.
It is every citizen’s right to vote for candidates of their choice. Throughout history, many people have fought and sacrificed for the right to vote to ensure taxes are spent wisely, there is job security and workplace safety, sound education systems, healthcare, social security, highway improvements, and neighborhood safety. You can take action and vote to improve the lives of everyone around us.
Here is some information to help you get started.
Register to Vote
There are 3 ways to register to vote:
1. Visit the Erie County Board of Elections page HERE to find a PDF downloadable form (in English or Spanish). This form must be signed in ink and sent back to the Erie County Board of Elections via mail or in person.
2. Register to vote online HERE using the DMV Electronic Voter Registration Application.
3. Go to the Erie County Board of Elections office located at 134 W. Eagle Street, Buffalo, NY 14202
Once you’ve registered, you do not have to re-register unless you’ve moved, changed your name, would like to switch political parties, or if you haven’t voted in the past four years.
Registration Deadlines
You must register to vote 25 days before the election you are voting in.
For the New York State General Election, which takes place on Tuesday, November 3:
- October 9: Last day in-person applications can be received by the Erie County Board of Elections. This is also the last day mail-in applications can be post-marked (to be received no later than October 14)
- October 14: Last day to notify Erie County Board of Elections of change in address
Am I already registered to vote?
There are 3 easy ways to find out if you’re currently registered to vote
- Visit the NYS Board of Elections Website HERE to fill out a brief form
- Visit the Vote.org site HERE to fill out a brief form
- Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE
Who can vote in Erie County?
In order to register to vote, you must meet the following criteria:
- Citizen of the United States of America
- Resident of Erie County
- At least 18 years old on the date of the election
- Pre-Registration: You may submit a voter registration form if you are 16 or 17 years old for the purpose of pre-registering to vote. You will be eligible to vote upon turning 18
- Not in prison or on parole for a federal conviction (unless parolee pardoned or restored rights of citizenship)
- Provide a current New York State driver license number or identification card number.
- If you do not have a NYS driver’s license or ID card, you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security number
- If you do not have a NYS driver’s licence, ID card, or SSN, you can check the box indicated on the voter registration form which states “I do not have a New York DMV number or a Social Security number”
Registering for a Political Party
To register for a political party for the first time, or change your current affiliation, you must complete a new voter registration form using the methods listed above.
This is what a Voter Registration Form looks like.
Vote
There is a lot of information and disinformation about Voting in the General Elections on November 3. There are 3 ways to vote—Absentee, Early Voting and on Election Day. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all registered voters may request an Absentee Ballot.
Note: “Absentee Voting” and “Vote by Mail” are used interchangeably. This section also has information on in-person voting.
What, When and Where is early voting?
More than half of the states (including New York) allow early voting. It allows people who have inflexible hours or would have difficulty voting in person on Election Day to vote in person when it is more convenient for them. If you vote early, your vote still counts the same. Every state has different dates and times for early voting.
NYS has nine days of early voting – Saturday, October 24, 2020 – Sunday, November 1, 2020, M-F noon-9 p.m. Sat-Sun noon – 6 p.m. Erie County has the most number of early voting sites in NYS. Find a convenient location HERE, you can early vote in any of them.
COVID-19 changes to voting
Governor Cuomo Has Signed Into Law Absentee Voting Expansions In New York State
All New York State voters can now:
- Apply to vote by absentee ballot using the “temporary illness” cause;
- Apply to vote by absentee ballot more than 30 days ahead of the election; and;
- Boards of elections will now process absentee ballots received the day after the election that do not have a visible postmark date.
Click HERE to request an absentee ballot. Make sure to check off the “Public Health Emergency (COVID-19)” box to indicate the reason why you are requesting the absentee ballot. In person early voting will still take place October 24 – November 1 and in person voting on November 3.”
How does absentee voting work?
You must qualify to vote by absentee ballot. The following persons all qualify:
- Unavoidably absent from Erie County
- Unable to appear at the polls due to illness or disability
- Temporary illness
- A patient in a Veterans’ Administration Hospital
- Detained in jail awaiting Grand Jury action or confined in prison after conviction for an offense other than a felony
- NEW – Public Health Emergency (COVID-19)
If you meet any of the qualifications, you may vote absentee by mail or in person. Unlike the Primaries, you MUST request the absentee ballot yourself since Cuomo has yet to issue an executive order that would send out applications. To determine the status of your Absentee Ballot Request, click here.
Apply for an absentee ballot:
You may vote absentee by mail or in person.
- To vote in person, go to the Erie County Board of Elections, pick up an application, and deliver it filled out to the County Board the day before the election.
- You can print this APPLICATION and mail it no later than 7 days before the election.
- Click HERE to apply for an absentee ballot online.
- You can send a letter to the Erie County Board of Elections and request an absentee ballot. Please include:
- Your name and date of birth
- The address where you are registered to vote
- The reason for your request
- If you’re out of the country, where you will be and the dates you will be gone
- An address where the ballot is to be sent
- Signature of the voter
Once you are approved to vote by absentee ballot, if you can not pick up your ballot or receive it through the mail, you can designate someone to pick it up for you.
If you are permanently ill or disabled, you have the right to vote by absentee ballot for every election without having to reapply.
If the deadline for requesting an absentee ballot has passed and you can not go to the polls on Election Day because of an accident or sudden illness, you can request an Emergency Absentee Ballot by sending a representative with an authorized letter to get an absentee ballot application AND the absentee ballot and return both items filled out to the Erie County Board of Elections by 9 pm on Election Day.
Additionally, if you applied for an absentee ballot but are now able to vote in person at the polls on Election Day, you may do so.
To determine the status of your Absentee Ballot Request, click here.
Absentee Ballot Deadlines for the November 3 General Election:
- Last day to apply for an absentee ballot by mail is October 27
- Last day to apply for an absentee ballot in person is November 2
- Last day to mail the absentee ballot back to the Erie County Board of Elections is November 2
- Last day to return an absentee ballot in person is November 3
What happens if I cannot go to the polls on election day and still want to vote?
You can either vote early (at dates and times set by local election officials) or by absentee ballot, which is a mailed in completed ballot in advance of an election (qualifications must be met to apply for an absentee ballot).
How do I vote?
For the NY General Election, voters will go to their assigned poll site on Tuesday, November 3, 6 am to 9 pm.
Plan ahead for transportation and figure out how to get to your designated polling place. Check if you need identification to vote and make sure you bring the proper ID. You will sign in at your polling place and cast a ballot with either pen and paper or an electronic machine. Read the instructions to make sure you fill out the ballot correctly.
Where do I vote?
Look up your polling site HERE.
What identification do I need to bring with me when I vote?
On voting day, most voters are not required to provide their ID at the polling site. However, if you did not provide the requested ID upon registering to vote, you will be required to provide it before voting for the first time.
How does a voting machine work?
There are multiple voting machines that New York State uses to scan ballots efficiently and accurately to ensure that your vote counts.
- ImageCast: This is a ballot marking device that allows voters with disabilities to privately vote on a paper ballot. It uses audio and touch interaction for voters with vision challenges. Voters can listen to selections over headphones, view an LCD screen with an image of the ballot, or utilize a “Sip-N-Puff” paddle device if they have limited hand movement.
- ES&S DS200 Ballot Scanner: This is a portable electronic voting system that uses an optical scanner to read marked paper ballots and tally results. It arranges the data at the voting site and notifies you of any voting errors.
- ES&S AutoMARK: This is a ballot marking device that provides privacy and accessibility to voters who are blind, vision impaired, or have a condition that does not allow them to mark a ballot. It also provides language assistance to voters who are more comfortable speaking an alternative language or have difficulty reading. Like ImageCast, it is equipped for “Sip-N-Puff” and paddle devices for voters with limited hand movement.
How do I vote if I have moved within New York State?
If you have moved since you last voted or registered to vote, you need to update your voter registration information.
If it is on or before the voter registration deadline, you can simply register to vote at your new address (see information above on Registering to Vote).
If you moved after the voter registration deadline, you have a few options depending on where you moved:
- If you moved within the same voting district and you polling place remained the same, provide the poll worker with your new address. You should be able to vote using a regular ballot.
- If you moved within the same county, go to your new polling place and cast an affidavit ballot. An affidavit ballot is given if your name does not appear in the poll book. The ballot should be counted and your address changed in voter registration records.
- If you moved to a different county or out of state, you are only eligible to vote for president and vice president, not a full ballot. You can do this by applying for a special presidential ballot from where you used to live. You can do this by mailing your application to the county board no later than 7 days before the election or by in-person delivery of the application on or before Election Day.
How do I vote if I am in the military?
Persons serving in the military, along with their spouses and dependent(s), may register as a military voter in New York. This means they can receive an absentee ballot for all federal, state, and local races they are entitled to vote in based on their New York residence.
To register as a new military voter and request an absentee ballot, you must complete this FORM. This application will register you to vote and serve as your absentee ballot application for 2 federal general election cycles.
The application is also available from your Voting Assistance Officer on base and the Federal Voting Assistance Program. There are multiple ways you can receive your ballot and you can state your preference on the application.
Regardless of how you receive your ballot, you must return your ballot to your local county board of elections by postal mail.
For more information on Military and Overseas voting, click HERE.
How do I vote if I have a felony conviction?
After completing your prison and/or parole sentence, you may register to vote.
If a citizen has been convicted of a felony and is currently serving a sentence of imprisonment or parole, they can not vote in New York. However, in May 2018, Governor Cuomo began to restore voting rights to people successfully completing the terms of state parole. Click HERE for more information.
Citizens who are on probation retain their right to vote.
If you are detained awaiting Grand Jury action or are confined in prison after conviction for an offense that is not a felony, you may obtain an absentee ballot.
If you were previously registered to vote and lost your right to vote due to a felony conviction, you must re-register to vote by the registration deadline (see above on Registering to Vote).
2020 Elections
NYS Democratic and Libertarian Primary occurred on Tuesday, June 23, 2020
New York’s Congressional District Special Election occurred on Tuesday, June 23, 2020
United States General Election will occur on Tuesday, November 3, 2020
To see what candidates will appear on your ballot, you can enter your address in one of these online tools:
Click HERE to view all offices being elected in Erie County
Click HERE to view the Presidential Primary candidate list
Click HERE to see what your ballot will look like.
Primary Elections
The Primary Election is a nominating election. Voters can indicate their preference for their party’s candidate for the upcoming general, especially presidential, election.
New York State Primaries are closed, meaning one must be affiliated with a political party to vote. If you have affiliated with a party and have met the state’s requirements to vote, you are eligible to vote in the Primary Election.
Note: The Presidential Primary Amendment (2016) allows a person who will be 18 years old at the time of a General Election for President to vote in the preceding primary election. Therefore, a 17 year old may vote in the primary as long as they pre-register and turn 18 by the General Election.
General Elections
The General Election is a regular election of candidate for office, both statewide and national. This election makes the final choice among the various candidates who have been nominated by their political parties in the Primary Election, or who are running as Indepedents, or write-in candidates.
This election elects US senators and representatives to Congress every 2 years, as well as state and local officials every year. Every 4 years, the General Election elects the President.
If you meet the criteria to vote and register by the deadlines, you can vote in the General Election.
Find out more about the candidates and their proposals
There are many resources on the internet to find out more about candidates and proposals. When searching, make sure you have a reliable source that is not biased. Here are a few to start with:
Vote 411
Head Count
Politico
Become a Poll Inspector
A poll inspector is someone who works at the polling site on election day. Their duties include registering voters, handing out ballots, monitoring the voting equipment, explaining how to mark the ballot, using the voting equipment, and/or counting votes. You are eligible to be a poll worker if you are a registered voter and a resident of Erie County.
If you are interesting in serving as a Poll Inspector for the Erie County Board of Elections, click HERE for the online application. You can also call 716-858-8891 for more information.
Resources & Partners
Erie County Board of Elections
134 West Eagle Street, Buffalo, NY 14202
Hours: Monday – Friday 9 AM – 5 PM
General Inquiries: 716-858-8891
Absentee Department: 716-858-7818
