CHENANGO COUNTY – Voting for the primary elections may look different this year for many voters in Chenango County. 

Chenango County Democratic Party Commissioner Carol Franklin said, “Next week, every eligible registered Republican in Chenango County will be mailed an absentee ballot application.”

The application needs to be signed and returned to the Chenango County Board of Elections no later than June 16. Once received a ballot will be mailed to them. If a request has already been made by a Republican voter to receive an Absentee Ballot Application, they will not receive a duplicate with this county-wide mailing.

The Democratic presidential primary originally scheduled to be held April 28 was canceled on April 27 by the Democratic commissioners at the New York State Board of Elections.

Chenango County Republican Party Commissioner Mary Lou Monahan stated, “This action was challenged and the Presidential Primary was reinstated. However, that ruling is now in the appeals process, a decision is expected next week. If the Democratic Presidential Primary is ultimately restored, all eligible Democratic voters who have not already requested an Absentee Ballot Application will be sent an application with a postage-paid envelope, and the same process would be followed as the Republican absentee process.”

According to the board of elections website, only those registered in a political party having a primary election may vote in a primary election. In-person voter registration applications must be received by 5 p.m. on May 29, 2020. 

Franklin emphasized that the Absentee Ballot Application is only good for the June 23 Primary for reasons related to COVID-19, as it is considered a temporary illness in section D. Any other requests for future elections will not be honored, and the voter must make a new request an absentee ballot application for those.

For questions about the application, call the Chenango County Board of Elections at either 607-337-1760 or 607-337-1761 and Franklin says someone will be happy to help you. Due to reduced staffing, calls may go to voicemail, but will be responded to as quickly as possible. Emails can also be sent to the elections office at boe@co.chenango.ny.us.

Primary early voting will take place for nine days, starting Saturday, June 13 and continuing until Sunday, June 21. Early voting will take place at the Board of Elections office located in the basement level of 5 Court Street in Norwich. Franklin said voting times are to be announced at a later date. 

“Any eligible voter in the county can come to our office here during Early Voting to cast their ballot,” said Franklin. As for election day voting, Franklin said, “We're not sure about to our regular polling sites, and might have satellite polling sites, or one main polling site because everything is up in the air right now.”

Updates and information regarding the primary elections in Chenango County can be found by visiting the board of elections website at https://www.co.chenango.ny.us/elections/.