OWEGO, N.Y. (WBNG) — Early voting starts Oct. 25 in New York State as we approach the 2025 general election. Saturday also marks the deadline for registration, which can be done online, in person or by mail.
Boards of Election around the Southern Tier are dubbing tomorrow as “Golden Day” as the only day when voters can register to vote and submit ballots.
“We have to receive your application by Saturday, the same with absentee ballots or vote by mail,” said Democratic Commissioner at Chenango County Board of Elections Carly Hendricks. “If you want a ballot sent through the mail, we have to have your application by Saturday to put it in the mail you can apply in person for those ballots, but you can’t get it through the mail.”
With no Presidential, Congressional or State Legislature candidates on this year’s ballots, boards of election around the area are expecting lower turnouts than usual — but they’re hoping to change that.
Tioga County Board of Elections Democratic Commissioner James Wahls said the county is pushing for 25% of eligible voters to come out in 2025.
“In 2023, we had 17% voter turnout, which in our opinion is quite terrible,” Wahls said. “We would love to push voters to come out and vote in your local elections.”
With mayoral seats, highway superintendents, council members and more being voted on this year, Chenango County Board of Election Commissioners Hendricks and Republican Commissioner Derik Williams said these races still play an important role in people’s day-to-day lives.
“You have more say on the local elections,” Williams said. “Your voice is heard more.”
“If you want your roads to be fixed, voting locally will help that. Transportation is one of our issues in Chenango County is right now we don’t have public transportation,” Hendricks said. “If you want that to come back, you have to vote for candidates that are going to promote the things that you want.”
Anyone registered to vote in a different county of New York state can still vote where they’re currently living through an Affidavit ballot. You can pick one up at your polling site.
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