October 1, 2018
Steuben County Board of Elections
607-664-2260
steubencony.org/boe
When is the General Election
November 6th, 2018
Last Day to register to vote in the upcoming General Election if you are not already registered
October 12, 2018 is the last to register in person, online thru DMV or post mark a registration form being sent by mail.
What are the hours for voting on Election Day?
Primary Election poll are open from Noon until 9pm.
General Election (held in November) polls are open from 6 am until 9 pm.
Where do I go to vote?
Every registered voter is assigned a specific Polling Place and District where they are to vote. This is determined by where you live. If you are unsure where you go to vote, you can go to our website and click on the Poll Site Locator to locate your polling location or call the office at 607-6642260.
Am I registered to vote?
If you are not sure if you are registered to vote, you can call our office at 607-664-2260 and we will be happy to check for you. Or you can go to our website to check your registration.
If you think you are registered to vote and you did not receive a yellow card in the mail from the board of election letting you know the dates of the elections and the poll site where you vote it would be best to contact your local Board of Elections Office they can look it up for you. 607-664-2260
I moved to Steuben County, Does my voter registration follow me?
No, anytime you move you need to complete a new voter registration form and send it to the Board of Elections in the county where you now live.
Is it important to know my voting district?
It is not required that you know your voting district but it is helpful. Some poll sites have multiple districts voting in the same poll site. If you know which district you vote in it will speed things up.
Why does my son or daughter’s name still appear in the poll book when they moved away?
Many parents continue to receive mail addressed to their children even though they no longer live there. If we are not notified in writing or receive return mail from the post office letting us know that someone has moved, we cannot remove them from our records.
Do I need to show ID when I vote?
Yes, if this is the first time you are voting in Steuben County or if you did not provide identification when you register to vote.
After the first time you vote in Steuben County NYS law does not require voter id to vote. If an inspector has a question about your information, they do have the right to ask for id to verify that you are who you say you are.
It is helpful to the inspectors if you show id. It makes it easier for them to find your name in the poll book. You can also take the yellow card you received in the mail in August with you to the poll site to help the inspectors locate your voting district and your name.
What is the one thing voters misunderstand the most
That when they check the party affiliation box, Independence on the voter registration form, they are really registering with an official party. If people want to be Independent of any official Parties they need to select the box underneath the list of official parties that states NO PARTY
Why do I receive this yellow card in the mail every August?
NYS law requires that we send out address verification cards to every active voter in our county. If you no longer live at the address we have you registered at, the post office will return the card to us with either an updated address or no forwarding address on file. If the post office gives us a new address we will update our records and send you another notice. If we do not have a good address for you, or we cannot verify your address, your registration record will be made inactive and your name will not appear in the poll book.
Can I change my party?
Last Day to change your party affiliation for it to take effect for 2019 is October 12, 2018
Yes, you can change your party (assuming you are already registered). Fill out a new voter registration form and select the party of your choice and send it to the Board of Elections Before October 12, 2018.
The party change will not take effect until after the next scheduled General Election (which happens in November). The registration form with the party change must be received by the Board of Election 25 days before the General Election.
This is a NY State law, designed to protect candidates from unscrupulous voters who will switch parties just so they can put a particular candidate on the primary ballot, then switch back to their preferred party for the General Election. NY State law only allows party changes to be done once a year, 7 days after the General Election.
I will be out of town on Election Day. What should I do? How can I vote?
You can vote by absentee ballot if any of the following apply:
-You will be out of Steuben County on Election Day
-You are away at college on Election Day
-You are out of the County for work on Election Day
-You are physically disabled
-You are a care giver for someone who is physically disabled
You need to complete an absentee application and mail it to the Steuben County Board of Elections. Once we receive your application and verify the information, we will mail you a ballot for the election you are qualified to vote in. The deadline to mail (postmark) an absentee ballot application is October 30, 2018.
Note:
Absentee ballots are normally available in the office 25 days before the election. You can call the office to see if the ballots are available and if they are you can come into the office complete the application and vote your ballot all at the same time (if you are registered).
The Board of Elections Office will be open Saturday October 27th, from 9am until Noon for anyone needing an absentee ballot
How do I vote if I go away to college?
If you go to college outside Steuben County then you can apply for an absentee ballot. Complete an absentee application. List the address that is still your legal residence (parent’s house) and the address where you receive mail at college. When the ballots are available we will mail one out to you for you to vote and return to our office.
Colleges quite often do voter registration drives to get you to register from your address at college. If you complete a new registration form and list the address where you are living while at college as your residence, you will be registered to vote from that county/state and not Steuben County.
How do I vote if I am in the Military?
Persons serving in the military, along with their spouses and/or dependents, may register as a military voter in New York, entitling them to receive an absentee ballot for all federal, state and local races that they would be otherwise entitled to vote in if they were to go to their assigned polling place based on their New York residence.
You will need to complete a federal post card application and return it to your County Board of Election. This application will register you (if you are not already registered) and will serve as your absentee ballot application for 2 federal general elections (4 years). You must reapply every 4 years..
How do I vote if I am living overseas?
United States citizens living outside of the United States, whose last U.S. residence was in New York, along with their children, may register as a special federal voter in New York, entitling them to receive an absentee ballot for all federal races (President/Vice President, U.S. Senate and House of Representatives) that they would be otherwise entitled to vote in based on your New York address.
To register as a new special federal voter and/or to request an absentee ballot, you must complete a Federal Post Card Application and return it to the County Board of Elections of your last New York State residence.
This application will register you (if not already registered) and will also serve as your absentee ballot application for 2 federal general election cycles (4 years). You must reapply every 4 years. Click on the link below for more information and to print out your Federal Post Card Application.
What is a Primary Election?
A Primary Election occurs when you have more candidates on the same party line, running for the same position, than there are positions to be filled. A Primary Election is only held when this happens.
Registered voters of the party(s) having a primary get the opportunity to vote for the candidate(s) they want to represent them on the ballot in November.
I was convicted of a felony. Can I vote?
Yes if you …
-Are on Probation
-Were not sentenced to prison or had your prison sentence suspended
-Served your maximum prison sentence
-Were discharged from parole
-Were pardoned
No if you…
-Are currently incarcerated
-Are under parole supervision
If the answer is yes you will need to re-register in the county you are living in.
Every year we mail out yellow postcards to every active registered voter in Steuben County to verify that you still live at the address we have you registered at. If we do not receive the yellow card back letting us know that the voter has moved we cannot update their record.
Information you will find on the yellow card
-The name & address we have you registered at
-Your mailing address if different from your residence address
-The party you are enrolled in
-The poll site where you vote
-The district/ward you vote in
-The date(s) of the election(s)
-The hours poll sites are open for voting
Some of the things you will find on the Steuben County Website
Voter Registration Forms (you can download)
Absentee Ballot Applications (you can download)
View your ballot 2 -3 weeks before the election
List of Offices up for that year
Election results as far back as 2001
List of Elected Officials
Running for Office
Information if you are interested in becoming an Election Inspector
Political Calendar
List of Petitions, Challenges, Certificates of Nomination.
