New York State will allow most voters to cast their ballots by mail in the November general election, and participate in a growing list of states that have expanded mail-in-vote to spread the possible spread of coronavirus on polling stations to tackle.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a third-term Democrat, on Thursday signed a bill that would allow voters to cast an absentee ballot if they could not turn up at a polling station because of the risk of contracting or spreading a disease that could make the state more effective than 12 million registered voters to vote by mail.
But with only 10 weeks until election day, the challenges of administering an election primarily by post will be particularly pronounced in New York, following the uneven treatment of the state of its primary just two months ago.
Nearly 40 percent of voters cast ballots in the state’s primary June 23, compared to as many as 4 percent in previous elections, overwhelmed election officials and resulted in a weekly delay for results in many races.
Election officials expect more than five million absentee ballots in the November 3 presidential election, if four times the total number of post-vote votes received in the primary June, increasing the spectacle that final numbers will not be known for weeks.
“I do not think it is realistic to think that you have a quick count this November,” Peter S. Kosinski, co-chair of the New York State Board of Elections, warned at a state legislative hearing last week. .
To ease the blow of an influx of mail-in ballot papers, officials are urging voters to cast their personal ballots in person at early polling stations, which open statewide on Oct. 24.
Until a wave of changes was approved in 2019, New York had been behind other states in adopting measures such as early voting, which was underutilized during the June primary. More than 30 states allow voters to send in their ballots for whatever reason.
Receiving votes will not be automatically mailed to voters in New York, as will be the case in at least nine other states, including New Jersey and California. Instead, voters in New York should request a message online, over the phone, in person or by mail.
Voters could immediately apply for a job. The deadline to apply by mail is October 27, although officials are urging voters not to wait until the last minute. Ballots must be postmarked by election day.
The coronavirus breaks out>
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated August 17, 2020
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Why does standing six feet apart help others?
- The coronavirus spreads primarily by drips from your mouth and nose, especially when you cough or sneeze. The CDC, one of the organizations using this measure, bases its six-foot recommendation on the idea that most large droplets that expel people when they cough or sneeze fall within six feet to the ground. But six feet has never been a magic number that guarantees complete protection. Noses, for example, can launch drops much farther than six feet, according to a recent study. It’s a rule of thumb: you need to be the safest to stand six feet apart, especially when it’s windy. But always wear a mask, even if you think you are far enough apart.
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I have antibodies. Am I immune now?
- At the moment, that probably seems like at least several months. There have been horrific accounts of people suffering from what appears to be a second bolt of Covid-19. But experts say these patients may have a prolonged course of infection, with the virus taking a slow toll weeks to months after initial exposure. People infected with the coronavirus typically produce immune molecules called antibodies, which are protective proteins made in response to an infection. These antibodies may only last two to three months in the body, which may seem worrying, but that is perfectly normal after an acute infection progresses, said Dr. Michael Mina, an immunologist at Harvard University. It could possibly get the coronavirus back up, but it is highly unlikely that it would be possible in a short window of time from initial infection or the second time safe.
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I am a small business owner. Can I get relief?
- The incentive bills introduced in March provide assistance to the millions of American small businesses. Those eligible for support are non-profit companies and organizations with less than 500 workers, including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and freelancers. Some larger companies in some sectors are also eligible. The assistance provided, which is managed by the Small Business Administration, includes the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Damage Disaster Program. But many people have not seen payments yet. Even those who have received help are confused: the rules are draconian, and some are stuck on money they do not know how to use. Many small business owners get less than they expected or heard nothing at all.
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What are my rights if I am worried about returning to work?
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What will school look like in September?
- It is unlikely that many schools will return to a regular schedule this fall, requiring the grinding of online learning, easy childcare and stunted workdays to continue. The two largest public school districts of California – Los Angeles and San Diego – said on July 13 that instruction will be remote only in the fall, citing concerns that growing coronavirus infections in their areas pose too great a risk to students and teachers. Together, the two districts enroll about 825,000 students. They are the largest in the country to date to abandon plans for even a partial physical return to classes when they reopen in August. For other districts, the solution will not be an all-or-nothing approach. Many systems, including the nation’s largest, New York City, are creating hybrid plans that include some days attending classrooms and other days online. There is no national policy yet, so check regularly with your municipal school system to see what is happening in your municipality.
The move to New York comes in the face of repeated attempts by President Trump to undermine e-mail voting, which he has dismissed as a scam with fraud, and amid rising fears over the Postal Service’s ability to to handle large numbers of votes.
Election officials in New York are urging voters to vote online instead of by mail, to speed up the process of sending votes to voters, as New York City and Erie County did in June. The state election board is expected to release an online portal by the end of the month.
To reduce confidence in the Postal Service, some state lawmakers have proposed distributing safe drop-boxes across the state where voters can cast their ballots and election officials can collect them directly – an idea borrowed from other states but which Mr. Trump has strongly opposed it.
Some New York State election officials have argued that dropboxes can be redundant because voters already have the option to cast their post-ballots at early polling stations and at polling stations on election day. . However, Mr Cuomo appeared receptive to the idea this week.
