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GUEST COLUMN: VOTING EARLY OR BY ABSENTEE BALLOT ULTIMATELY BENEFITS EVERYONE

By Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz

Election Day is less than one month away. It is important for everyone to be reminded about the options for casting your ballot for the general election scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Voting by absentee ballot allows residents who may be on vacation, currently deployed in the military or otherwise unable to visit their normal polling place on Election Day to still have their vote counted. An Erie County resident can request to vote by absentee ballot for numerous reasons, including but not limited to a temporary or permanent disability, long-term illness, being out of town or on active military duty.

Absentee ballots can be requested online by visiting www.elections.erie.gov or in person at the Erie County Board of Elections, located at 134 W. Eagle St. in Buffalo. Completed ballots can be mailed to that address and must be postmarked no later than Nov. 5. If you have specific questions about the absentee ballot process, please call 716-858-7818.

It is also important to remind anyone who is not registered to vote to complete that task by Saturday, Oct. 26. That is the last possible day an application has to be received by the Erie County Board of Elections to be eligible to vote this year. Directions on how to register to vote can be found by visiting www.elections.erie.gov .

New York’s state election law changed in 2019 to allow for early voting, a decision that has allowed for a major change in when and where New Yorkers can vote. Early voting will take place this year at 38 different polling sites and begins on Saturday, Oct. 26. It will continue weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekdays from 12 to 9 p.m. The last day of early voting will take place on Sunday, Nov. 3. A list of early voting sites can be downloaded by visiting www.elections.erie.gov. The list will also be made available at various public places, including branch locations of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library System.

It’s crucial that everyone who is eligible participates in this important democratic process and exercises their right to vote in elections that will determine who represents them. If you have questions about your eligibility to vote, where your polling place is located or anything else concerning voting in Erie County, please visit www.elections.erie.gov or call 716-858-8891.

With all the available options, there is no excuse for not finding time to voice your opinion on the candidates running for public office and the special propositions that will appear on this year’s ballot. Please help spread the word, especially about how early voting makes it convenient and easy to participate in the electoral process.

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