Voters in the Rochester area getting absentee ballots in the mail may also be getting a campaign mailer from candidates asking for their absentee vote.
Monroe County Republican Elections Commissioner Lisa Nicolay said it’s perfectly legal for candidates to know who is requesting an absentee ballot.
"I don’t think people realize, but all of our records are public information, and candidates for many years have asked for lists of people who have requested absentee ballots,” Nicolay said. "It just is such a wider net this year of folks who want to vote absentee, so I think that’s why they are getting those for the first time.”
Nicolay said there are a number of ways to cast your absentee ballot, starting with mailing it or dropping it off at the Board of Elections in the Monroe County Office Building, 39 W. Main St.
"You may also bring it to an early voting location," she said. "There are 12 of those, and they are open for nine days from Oct. 24 through Nov. 1, and then on Election Day, you can bring it to any polling location.”
Nicolay suggested that voters mail back their ballots as soon as possible. She also said voters must sign the oath envelope that contains the ballot, which is then put in another larger envelope to be mailed or dropped off.
Early voting polling sites are as follows:
- David F. Gantt Community Center, 700 North St.
- City of Rochester Recreation Bureau, 57 St. Paul St., second floor.
- Genesee Valley Field House, 1316 Genesee St.
- Edgerton Recreation Center, 41 Backus St.
- SUNY Empire State College, 680 Westfall Road.
- Town of Chili Senior Center, 3235 Chili Ave.
- North Greece Road Church of Christ, 1039 N. Greece Road.
- Marketplace Mall, 1 Miracle Mile Drive, north entrance.
- Irondequoit Public Library, 1290 Titus Ave.
- Harris-Whalen Park Lodge, 2126 Penfield Road.
- Perinton Square Mall, 6720 Pittsford-Palmyra Road.
- Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Drive.
Early voting dates and times at the above sites:
- 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24.
- 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25.
- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26.
- 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27.
- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28.
- 11 a.m.to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29.
- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30.
- 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.
- 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1.