Election Day 2020: What you need to know about early, absentee and in-person voting

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The election of 2020 will be conducted amid unprecedented circumstances as the coronavirus (COVID-19) has the country reeling and restrictions alter the way Americans would normally cast their ballots.

A record number of voters are expected to register their ballots by mail as President Donald Trump makes repeated unsubstantiated claims that mail-in voting could lead to voter fraud. Meanwhile, those looking to avoid potentially long lines and exposure to the virus have options in New York to avoid heading to a polling site on Nov. 3.

Here’s what you need to know about voting in the 2020 general election.

DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE

For those who are not yet registered to vote in New York, applications must be postmarked no later than Oct. 9 and received by a board of elections no later than Oct. 14 to be eligible to vote in the upcoming election.

You can also register to vote at a local board of elections or any state agency participating in the National Voter Registration Act, but any application must still be received by the Oct. 9 deadline, according to the New York State Board of Elections.

Click here to check if you are registered to vote.

ABSENTEE BALLOTS

New Yorkers hoping to vote absentee in the November election can request a ballot application now that Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a series of laws in late August, the Advance/SILive.com reported, joining most states in the country that allow for this form of voting.

The three-bill package signed by Cuomo gives voters the ability to request the application, to do so because of coronavirus fears, and gives assurances that ballots postmarked before or on the Nov. 3 Election Day will be counted if they’re received by Nov. 10.

Nearly a quarter of the ballots were cast by mail in the 2016 election, according to the Pew Research Center.

The deadline to apply online, by email, fax or to postmark an application or letter of application by mail for an absentee ballot is Oct. 27. However, the Post Office has advised those seeking an absentee ballot not to wait until the end of October to apply — saying it cannot guarantee the timely delivery of ballots applied for less than two weeks before an election.

Once a ballot is received and completed, it can be returned by mail as long as it is postmarked by the Nov. 3 deadline, dropped off at an early voting poll site between Oct. 24 and Nov. 1, dropped off at a poll site on Nov. 3 by 9 p.m. or dropped off at a County Board of Elections Office starting Sept. 8 until no later than Nov. 3 at 9 p.m.

Here’s how to complete your absentee ballot.

EARLY VOTING

Voting before Election Day is also a possibility for New Yorkers.

Early voting starts on Oct. 24 and runs until Nov. 1.

While the New York City Board of Elections website has not yet listed where early voting will be held on Staten Island, nine locations were used in 2019, the Advance/SILive.com previously reported.

Here’s a list of times early voting will take place during the aforementioned span.

IN-PERSON VOTING

Election Day in-person voting, the most common way ballots are cast in elections around the country, will take place on Nov. 3.

Face coverings and social distancing measures will be required at polling sites.

For those who have voted in New York before, an ID is generally not needed to vote. If you are a first-time voter who registered by mail and did not provide a copy of your ID with your registration, then you may have to show your ID to cast a ballot.

Click here to find your polling site.