Early Mail and Absentee Voting
How to Cast an Early Mail or Absentee Ballot
-
Once your receive the ballot, mark the ballot according to your choices for each office following the instructions on the ballot.
-
Once you have completed marking your ballot fold it up and place it in the Security Envelope. (This envelope will have a place for your signature.)
-
Sign and date the outside of the Security Envelope.
-
Seal the Security Envelope.
-
All early mail and absentee ballots include a pre-paid Return Envelope. Place the Security Envelope in the Return Envelope. (This envelope will have the return address of your county Board of Elections on the outside and should have a logo that reads, “Official Election Mail”.) The Return Envelope does not require any additional postage.
-
Seal the Return Envelope.
You may return the ballot in any of the following ways:
-
Put it in the mail ensuring it receives a USPS postmark no later than November 5th. Must be received by the Monroe County Board of Elections no later than November 12th.
-
Bringing it to Monroe County Board of Elections Office at 39 West Main Street, County Office Building in Downtown Rochester no later than November 5th by 9pm.
-
Bringing it to an early voting poll site in between October 26th and November 3rd.
-
Bringing it to a poll site in your county on November 5th by 9pm.
Due to a recent change in law, New York State voters are no longer permitted to cast a ballot on a voting machine if they have already requested an absentee or early mail ballot for that election.
Voters who have already requested an absentee ballot can still vote in person using an affidavit ballot. The affidavit ballot will be kept separate until the election is completed. Election officials will verify whether the voter’s absentee ballot has been received. If the voter’s absentee ballot has been received, the affidavit ballot will not be counted. If the voter’s absentee ballot has not been received, the affidavit ballot will be considered.
-
Common FAQ:
Q: I received my absentee ballot, when can I mail it back?
A: TODAY! Signed and sealed absentee ballots can be mailed back to the BOE any day before Nov. 5 (the last day to postmark a returned ballot envelope).
Q: Do I need to sign the back of the security envelope I put my absentee ballot in?
A: YES! Unsigned envelopes will not be counted.
I Received My Ballot in the Mail, so Now What?
Monroe County Online Voter App
Check Your Status of Your Absentee Ballot and Voter Status!
You can find out your registration, polling place, and absentee ballot status on the Monroe County NY Voter Application at https://www.monroecounty.gov/etc/voter/index.php.
