Absentee Voting

Primary Day will be held on June 28, 2022.

The early voting period is June 18 – June 26, 2022.

Election Day will be held on November 8, 2022.

The early voting period is October 29 – November 6, 2022.

For additional absentee voting hours, please click here.

To Check the Status of Your Absentee Application and/or Ballot Click Here

New Absentee Ballot Procedure!

Due to a recent change in law, New York State voters are no longer permitted to cast a ballot on a voting machine if they have already been issued an absentee ballot for that election.

Voters who have already been issued an absentee ballot can still vote in person using an affidavit ballot. The affidavit ballot will be kept separate until the election is completed. Election officials will verify whether the voter’s absentee ballot has been received. If the voter’s absentee ballot has been received, the affidavit ballot will not be counted. If the voter’s absentee ballot has not been received, the affidavit ballot will be counted.

If a voter requests a second absentee ballot, any previously issued absentee ballot that is returned by the voter will be set aside unopened to provide the voter a chance to return the second ballot, unless the first ballot has already been opened. If both ballots are received before the return deadline, the ballot with the later postmark date is accepted and any other ballots that have been received are rejected, unless the first ballot has already been opened. If a voter submits more than one timely absentee ballot and cast an affidavit ballot, the last received ballot, either submitted in person during the election or by mail within the absentee return deadline, will be canvassed.

Qualifications to Vote by Absentee Ballot (Deadlines)

Absent from your county or, if a resident of New York City absent from the five boroughs, on Election Day.
Unable to appear at the polls due to temporary or permanent illness or disability (temporary illness includes being unable to appear due to risk of contracting or spreading a communicable disease like COVID-19).
Unable to appear because you are the primary care giver of one or more individuals who are ill or physically disabled.
A resident or patient of a Veterans Health Administration Hospital.
Detained in jail awaiting Grand Jury action or confined in prison after conviction for an offense other than a felony.

How to Apply for an Absentee Ballot (Deadlines)

You may apply for an absentee ballot in any of the following ways:

By utilizing our online portal: Absentee Application Portal
By mailing a paper application to 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512
By sending a fax request to (845) 808-1920
By going in-person to 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512
You can download a PDF version of the Absentee Ballot Application Form:
- Download English Form
- Download Spanish Form ( 521KB)

If you cannot pick up your ballot, or will not be able to receive it through the mail, you have the right to designate someone to pick it up for you. Only that person designated on your application may pick up and deliver your ballot.

If you are permanently ill or disabled, you have the right to receive an Absentee Ballot for each subsequent election without further application. Simply file an application with your county board of elections indicating permanent illness or physical disability.

You will then automatically receive an absentee ballot for every election until your registration is canceled.

Accessible Absentee Ballot Application

If you cannot affirm that you are visually impaired or otherwise disabled you must request a regular absentee ballot using the regular application above.

If you are visually impaired or otherwise have a disability such that your disability requires you to use a special accessible absentee ballot that can be read by a screen reader, you can request such a ballot on this page using the Accessible Electronic Ballot Application or Application Portal:

- Accessible Absentee Ballot Application
- Accessible Absentee Ballot Application Portal

When is it due?

Applications requesting to receive an absentee ballot by mail must be received by the board of elections in your county no later than fifteen days before the election. For absentee ballots to be received in-person, applications must be received by your board no later than the day before the election.

How to Cast an Absentee Ballot

Once you receive the ballot, mark the ballot according to your choices for each office following the instructions on the ballot.
Once you have completed marking your ballot fold it up and place it in the Security Envelope. (This envelope will have a place for your signature.)
Sign and date the outside of the Security Envelope.
Seal the Security Envelope.
Place the Security Envelope in the Return Envelope. (This envelope will have the return address of your county Board of Elections on the outside and should have a logo that reads, “Official Election Mail”)
Seal the Return Envelope.

You may return the ballot in any of the following ways:

For the June Primary Election:

Put it in the mail ensuring it receives a postmark no later than June 28th.
Bringing it to the County Board of Elections Office no later than June 28th by 9pm.
Bringing it to an early voting poll site between June 18th and June 26th.
Bringing it to a poll site on June 28th by 9pm.

For the November General Election:

Put it in the mail ensuring it receives a postmark no later than November 8th.
Bringing it to the County Board of Elections Office no later than November 8th by 9pm.
Bringing it to an early voting poll site between October 29th and November 6th.
Bringing it to a poll site on November 8th by 9pm.

Mail Time Considerations When Returning an Absentee Ballot

When mailing your completed ballot, the USPS recommends that voters allow enough time for a ballots to be returned to the Board, which is generally seven days ahead of the general election. Voters who mail in their ballots on Election Day must be aware of the posted collection times on collection boxes and at the Postal Service’s retail facilities, and that ballots entered after the last posted collection time will not be postmarked until the following business day.

Absentee Cures

There are certain errors or problems that can occur when a voter completes an absentee ballot envelope. Many of these errors or problems are curable by means of filing a cure statement with your board of elections. If your ballot envelope has a curable defect, you will receive a notice from the board of elections. The cure process is described here ( 141KB).

Military and Overseas (Federal) Voting

Military Voting

Qualifications

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.

Registering/Applying for a Ballot

To register as a new military voter and/or to request an absentee ballot, you must complete a Federal Post Card Application and return it to the Putnam County Board of Elections, 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512.
This application will register you (if not already registered) and will also serve as your absentee ballot application for 2 federal general election cycles.
Always be sure to share any change of address information with the Putnam County Board of Elections, 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512
Applications are available from your Voting Assistance Officer on base, or you can visit either the Federal Voting Assistance Program Website for forms and information.
On this application, you may state a preference as to how you would like to receive your ballot. You can choose mail, fax or email as a preferred method of transmission.
If you have stated a preference to receive your voting materials by email/online, you will receive an email notification directing you to the State’s online ballot delivery site, https://nysballot.elections.ny.gov to access your ballot.
QUESTIONS?? Call the Putnam County Board of Elections at (845) 808-1300 or the Federal Voter Assistance Program at 1-800-438-8683, or contact your Voting Assistance Officer or US Embassy office or Consulate, or email the Putnam County Board of Elections at putnamcountyelections@putnamcountyny.gov.

Returning Your Ballot

Regardless of the method in which you receive your ballot, you must return your ballot to the Putnam County Board of Elections, 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512 by personal delivery, postal mail or certain private delivery services ( 79.8KB).
If you have requested your ballot, but have not yet received it, you may use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot and return that to the Putnam County Board of Elections, 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512

Tracking Your Ballot

You can utilize New York’s Military and Overseas Ballot Tracking Website to track when your ballot has been received by the Putnam County Board of Elections.

Military Deadlines

FOR 2022 PRIMARY ELECTION (June 28)

Date	Deadline Information
June 3	Last day for a board of elections to receive registration application for military voter to be eligible to vote in primary. Sec. 10-106(5).
June 3	Last day for a board of elections to receive application for absentee ballot by mail if NOT previously registered. Sec. 10-106(5).
June 21	Last day for a board of elections to receive application for absentee ballot by mail previously registered. Sec. 10-106(5).
June 27	Last day to apply for absentee ballot in person if previously registered. Sec 10-106(5).
June 28	Last day to postmark return ballot. Must be received by the local board of elections no later than July 5th. Sec 10-114(1).

FOR 2022 GENERAL ELECTION (November 8)

Date	Deadline Information
October 29	Last day for a board of elections to receive registration for military voter to be eligible to vote in general. Sec. 10-106(5).
October 29	Last day for a board of elections to receive application for ballot by mail if NOT previously registered. Sec. 10-106(5).
November 1	Last day for a board of elections to receive application by mail if previously registered. Sec. 10-106(5).
November 7	Last day to apply in-person if previously registered. Sec. 10-106(5).
November 8	Last day to postmark ballot. Must be received by the local board of elections no later than November 21st. Sec. 10-114(1)

Overseas Civilian Voting (Special Federal Voters/Uniformed & Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act Voters)