WARREN COUNTY, NY -- Warren County Board of Elections is advising residents of a new online program that will allow voters who cast absentee ballots to check online to make sure their ballot was counted, as well as a change to state law that could affect some absentee voters.
The New York State Board of Elections this week unveiled a new statewide absentee ballot tracker to allow any voter in the state to monitor the status of their absentee ballot.
The new portal is integrated with the state’s existing Voter Registration and Poll Site Search tool which can be accessed at https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/. The tracking system will inform voters when their absentee ballot request has been received by their County Board of Elections, and whether a ballot has been sent, received, and counted. The portal will also alert voters if their absentee ballot has a curable or non-curable defect.
Warren County voters can request an absentee ballot for the upcoming primary and general elections by utilizing the state’s online absentee request portal at https://absenteeballot.elections.ny.gov/ or by mailing a signed absentee request form to the Warren County Board of Elections. The application must be received by the Warren County Board of Elections no later than June 13 to be eligible to vote by absentee in the June 28th primary election.
Absentee ballots can be returned by mail or in person to the County Board of Elections or at any Early Voting or Election Day poll site in the county by June 28th. Voters can print an application from the state website at www.elections.ny.gov/VotingAbsentee.html.
In addition, voters who are planning to vote by absentee ballot should know that a New York State law change will mean they no longer have the option to vote in person on a machine if an absentee ballot has been issued to them. Instead, voters who have been issued an absentee ballot and later decide to cast their ballot in person will be required to vote via affidavit ballot. Those who have permanent absentee ballots have been sent a letter advising them of the changes.
During the canvassing process to count votes, the Warren County Board of Elections will determine whether the voter’s absentee ballot has already been counted. If the absentee ballot was counted, the affidavit will be set aside and not counted.
If the absentee ballot has not arrived and been counted, the voter’s affidavit ballot will be counted. The tracking tool will allow voters to see whether their absentee or affidavit ballot was counted for that election.
Those with questions can call Warren County Republican Elections Commissioner William VanNess at 518-761-6458, Warren County Democratic Elections Commissioner Beth McLaughlin at 518-761-6459 or email boe@warrencountyny.gov.
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