Good Question: Voting rules and key deadlines

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ROCHESTER N.Y. (WHEC) — Let’s answer some good questions about voting.

June is officially primary month. It’s turning out to be a longer and even more confusing election season than expected in New York for voters trying to keep track of it all

So let’s try to keep things simple. Here are the important deadlines and FAQs for the upcoming primaries and other elections, from the NYS Board of Elections:

June 28, 2022 Primary Election Deadlines

MAIL REGISTRATION (N.Y. Election Law Section 5-210(3))
Applications must be postmarked no later than June 3, 2022 and received by a board of elections no later than June 8, 2022 to be eligible to vote in the Primary.

IN PERSON REGISTRATION (N.Y. Election Law Sections 5-210, 5-211, 5-212)
You may register at your local board of elections or any state agency participating in the National Voter Registration Act, on any business day throughout the year but, to be eligible to vote in the State and Local Primary, your application must be received no later than June 3, 2022.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS (N.Y. Election Law Section 5-208(3))
Notices of change of address from registered voters received by June 8, 2022 by a county board of elections must be processed and entered in the records in time for the Primary.

CHANGE OF ENROLLMENT (N.Y. Election Law Section 5-304(3))
An application to change one’s party enrollment for any primary election in 2022 must be received by the board of elections no later than February 14, 2022.

August 23, 2022 Primary Election Deadlines

MAIL REGISTRATION (N.Y. Election Law Section 5-210(3))
Application must be postmarked no later than July 29, 2022 and received by a board of elections no later than August 3, 2022 to be eligible to vote in the Primary.

IN PERSON REGISTRATION (N.Y. Election Law Sections 5-210, 5-211, 5-212)

Here’s something else new this year. Remember the state made some changes during COVID to make it easier for anyone to vote absentee. You have to ask for one of those ballots. If you do that, you can’t change your mind and go to the polls and vote on a machine like everyone else. Instead, you’ll have to vote using an affadavit ballot. Whichever arrives first, absentee or affadavit, will count as your vote.

If you’ve got a good question, email us at goodquestion@whec.com

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