Cuomo signs three election laws: how it will affect voters in New York

The new laws give voters much more leeway when voting in November 2020 and the guarantee that their votes are counted. The details are shared by the publication AMNY.

The U.S. presidential election is scheduled for November 3, 2020. Concern over the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on voting has prompted state legislators to implement reforms to make it easier for voters to request absentee ballots and ensure they are included in the final vote count.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on August 20 signed into law a law easing absentee voting rules that the state legislature passed a few weeks ago. That is, now voters can vote in absentia without the risk of infection. Under this law, New Yorkers have the right to request absentee ballots, fill them out at home, and mail the completed form.

One of the reasons Cuomo decided to sign this law is the crisis in the United States Postal Service (USPS). She is facing a precipitous drop in mailing volume and is suffering additional losses of several billion dollars in connection with work during the coronavirus pandemic. Intefax-Ukraine... Mailboxes and sorting machines have been removed in recent weeks. USPS chief Louis DeJoy, who ordered the dismantling of the mailboxes, said he would abandon the measures until after the election.

The mailboxes were being dismantled around the same time that American President Donald Trump told Fox News that the mail-order vote "would be the biggest fraud in history." Despite such a statement, Trump himself votes by mail.

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“The Federal Administration has ordered an unprecedented attack on the US Postal Service, and with COVID-19 threatening our ability to conduct safe face-to-face voting, these measures are critical to ensuring a successful and fair election at one of the most important moments in our nation’s history.” said Cuomo. "These actions will further break down barriers to democracy and make it easier for all New Yorkers to exercise their right to vote this November."

What laws were passed

First law The voting reform signed by Cuomo was sponsored by Bronx Senator Alessandra Biaggi. This law empowers all New York voters to demand absentee ballots because of the risk of contracting the new virus to themselves or others.

Second lawsponsored by Brooklyn State Senator Zellnor Myrie and Manhattan Assemblyman Al Taylor, clears the way for voters to request absentee ballots. It removes the provision that such ballots can be requested within 30 days of election day. This gives New Yorkers a minimum of seven more weeks to request, complete, and return their ballots.

According to the City's Campaign Finance Bureau, absentee ballots will be sent to those who request them starting September 18.

Third lawsponsored by Queens Senator Michael Gianaris and Brooklyn Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte, authorizes the Electoral Council to count all absentee ballots stamped on election day. It also allows this council to count ballots that have a time stamp indicating that they were delivered to the council the day after the election, but without the date stamp.

Currently, New Yorkers have several options to vote in the November 3 elections: absentee voting by mail, face-to-face early voting (due to start in mid-October), or face-to-face voting on Election Day. However, the website of the Electoral Council does not yet have a list of places for early voting.

Those who choose to vote face-to-face can look forward to additional precautions - from marking social distance to masking polling stations and disinfecting hands. In addition, all voters will have to wear protective masks at polling stations.

To take part in absentee voting, download the application on this site.

For more information on voting visit this resource.