ALBANY – The Chautauqua County Board of Elections will likely get a boost in state aid to help cover the cost of electronic poll books and early voting.
The money would come from $24.7 million that was recently allocated by the state Legislature in its 2019 budget.
Of the money, $14.7 million has been set aside for creating electronic poll books, which replaces the paper poll books and will facilitate early voting – allowing voters to cast their Election Day ballots up to nine days early, while ensuring that the electronic list will automatically cross check voters so that they are not able to vote again on the actual Election Day.
There is also $10 million allotted to cover costs for the counties to operate the early voting sites. Early voting was passed by the State Legislature in January. Chautauqua County is mandated to open at least one early voting site, but the Election Commissioners have committed to opening three sites including a South, North and Mayville site.
The location of sites and details of early voting will be announced at the Chautauqua County League of Women Voters annual luncheon on Wednesday April 17 at the Harbor Hotel in Celoron.
According to the Chautauqua County Board of Elections, the local share of the $24.7 million will likely be about $150,000.
Also new this year is an election law change that mandates all New Yorkers to have up to three hours of paid time off to vote on Election Day and starting in 2020 allowing online voter registration at votechautauqua.com, along with expanding county Primary Day voting hours an addition six hour. Currently the polling hours for primary day begin at noon, but in 2020 they will start at 6 a.m.
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