Assemblyman Stirpe (D-Cicero) announced that he helped pass legislation that would strengthen the state’s electoral process by instituting early voting in all general, primary and special elections in New York (A.689-A). If made law, New York would join 32 other states and the District of Columbia in permitting an alternative to in-person voting on Election Day.

“Several other states have proven that early voting increases voter participation and it’s time for NY to enact early voting.” Assemblyman Stirpe said. “We need to make sure every voice is heard and early voting can help make this happen. The Assembly’s legislation would create more opportunities for voters to cast their ballots,”

Under the bill, early voting would begin on the third Thursday prior to a general election and go right up until the Thursday before Election Day, providing voters with a two-week time frame to cast their ballots. In the case of a primary or special election, early voting would run from the second Thursday before regular voting until the Thursday prior to the actual election date, giving voters up to a week of early voting. Early voting polls would be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. each weekday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.

Local boards of elections would designate at least five early voting sites in each county. The local board of elections would automatically be designated as a polling place in each county. Boards of elections would also be allowed to staff early voting sites with appointed inspectors or their own employees. Early votes would be secured throughout the early voting period and the results would not be released prior to the close of polls on Election Day. In addition, the names of each early voter would be recorded to ensure that early voters are properly removed from Election Day poll books.

“One of the main objectives of the League of Women Voters is to encourage people to exercise their right to vote. Our leagues all across the state are in support of legislation that makes voting easier and more convenient for our citizens,” said Joan Johnson, Public Relations Director of the Syracuse-Metro League of Women Voters. “We lag behind other states in voter reform and therefore have one of the lowest voter turnouts in the nation. Early voting will help to turn that trend around and increase voter turn-out in New York.”

“Early voting is a great way to get more people involved in our democracy,” Assemblyman Stirpe said. “Staying open through the weekend would give New Yorkers with an unconventional work schedule a better opportunity to vote.”