Election Update: NY Democratic Presidential Primary to take place; Absentee Ballot Applications Sent to all Registered Voters; School and Village Election Dates.

(May 6, 2020) This UPDATED  letter was sent to Scarsdale10583 by the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale)

Dear Editor,

The Scarsdale League of Women Voters has been closely monitoring all of the voting and election changes related to the COVID-19 crisis. The most effective way for you to stay informed is by visiting our voter service page where we will provide timely updates as soon as they become available. You may also visit the NYS League of Women Voters website. The NYS League also provides a texting service to keep voters up to date on voting changes: text VOTENY to 474747.

Following are a few highlights of recent changes to election laws. This includes updates as of May 5, 2020.

The New York Democratic Presidential Primary will take place on June 23. Although the Democratic members of the State’s Board of Elections had voted in April to cancel the Presidential Primary, a federal court ruled on May 5 that it would be unconstitutional to do so because it would result in irreparable harm.

All registered voters will automatically receive in the mail an absentee ballot application to vote in the June 23, 2020 primary elections. This change is in addition to Governor Cuomo’s earlier order allowing voters to choose “temporary illness” (due to fear of COVID-19) as the reason for applying for an absentee ballot.

On May 1, the Governor ordered that Boards of Elections will include paid return postage for all absentee ballots for the June primary.

The primary for our Congressional District and the County District Attorney’s Office will also take place on June 23, 2020. The Scarsdale League, along with our neighboring Leagues, is coordinating virtual Candidate Forums for contested primary elections. These forums will take place at the end of May and early June. We will update the community with details and the information will also be available on our website at LWVS.org.

On the local level, the May 1 Executive Order directed that all School Board/ School Budget elections are scheduled for June 9 and will be held via mail with return postage included. Each district will send out postcard notice which details the date of the election, date of the budget hearing, the definition of a qualified voter, and an absentee ballot.

All Village and Town elections previously scheduled to be held in March, April, May or June will be held on September 15, 2020. Absentee ballots previously submitted are valid and will be counted.

The Governor’s May 1 order recognizes that absentee ballot requests submitted before his Executive Orders on absentee voting will still be valid without further action by the voter. Further, Boards of Elections must also make available at their offices a voting system that is accessible for voters wishing to mark their ballot privately and independently.

Please read the Governor’s full Executive Order here:

If you have any questions regarding voting, please contact the League of Women Voters, voter service at: LWVSVoterService@gmail.com. We know that the ever-changing rules can be confusing and are happy to answer any questions.

Stay safe,

Ronny Hersch
Beatrice Sevcik
Voter Service Co-Chairs
League of Women Voters of Scarsdale