What Cuomo’s 'sweeping election reforms' mean for Erie County

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday “sweeping election reforms” less than 90 days before the November election.

SCHEME.GOVERNOR CUOMOHOPES A SET OFEXECUTIVE ORDERSWILL MAKE IT EASIERFOR YOU TO VOTETHIS FALL.ELECTION DAY IS IN 75DAYS -- BUT YOU CANVOTE WELL BEFORETHAT.TONIGHT NIKKIDEMENTRI TAKES ANIN-DEPTH LOOK ATTHESE ORDERS -- ANDWHY THEY WEREALREADY IN PLACE INERIE COUNTY."WE'RE WORKING HARDTO PLAN FORNOVEMBER EVERYDAY."AND THE PLAN FORTHE UPCOMINGELECTION IS NOW ALITTLE CLEARER ATLEAST FOR THE ERIECOUNTY BOARD OFELECTIONS."WE ARE DAILYWATCHING ANDWAITING FROM ALBANYAND TALKING TO OURCOUNTERPARTSACROSS THE STATE TODO EVERYTHING WECAN TO BE PREPARED."GOVERNOR ANDREWCUOMO SIGNED WHATHE CALLS "SWEEPINGELECTION REFORMS."THE LEGISLATION NOWALLOWSCOVID CONCERNS ASA VALID REASON TOVOTE ABSENTEEABSENTEE BALLOTAPPLICATIONS CAN BESUBMITTEDIMMEDIATELYAND POSTMARKINGBALLOT CHANGES."MANY OF THE ITEMSTHAT THE GOVERNORHAD SIGNED INTO LAWTODAY WERE ITEMSTHAT WE HAD IN PLACEOR PLANNED TO HAVEIN PLACE FOR THEGENERAL ELECTION."REPUBLICANELECTIONSCOMMISSIONERRALPH MOHR NOTESERIE COUNTY WASTHE FIRST IN THESTATE TO ALLOWCOVID AS AN EXCUSEFOR ABSENTEEVOTING DURING THEJUNE PRIMARY ANDSPECIAL ELECTION."IN A GENERAL, WEWOULD GET 26,000TOTAL ABSENTEEBALLOTS IN APRESIDENTIALELECTION.

IN THEPRIMARY ELECTIONTHIS LAST YEAR WEHAD OVER 120,000INDIVIDUALS MAKINGREQUESTS."N: DO YOU FEEL MOREPEOPLE WILL VOTEABSENTEE THANYOU'VE EVER SEENBEFORE?Z: IT COULD BE.

WHATI'M HOPING IS THEYTAKE ADVANTAGE OFEARLY VOTING.BUTWE'RE EXPECTING AMASSIVE AMOUNT OFABSENTEES."NEW YORKERS HAVEUNTIL OCTOBER 9THTHE REGISTER TOVOTE.AND BOTHZELLNER AND MOHRSUGGEST DOING SOEARLY.AND WHILE ERIECOUNTY VOTERS CANREQUEST TO VOTEABSENTEE BY PHONE,A NEW ONLINE PORTALWILL GO LIVE BY THEEND OF NEXT WEEK.IT WILL TAKE LESSTHAN A MINUTE TOAPPLY.NATSBUT DON'T EXCEPTABSENTEE BALLOTSTO COME RIGHT AWAYIN THE MAIL.THE STATE STILLNEEDS TO CERTIFYTHE BALLOTS.THAT WON'T HAPPENUNTIL SEPTEMBER10TH."WE PRODUCE ALL OFOUR BALLOTS INHOUSE.

WE BEGIN TOSTART AS SOON AS WERECEIVE THATCERTIFICATION."BOTHCOMMISSIONERS SAY"THE SOONER THEBETTER".VOTERS CAN MAILTHEIR BALLOT BACK --DROP IT OFF AT THEBOARD OF ELECTIONSOFFICE -- SEND IT TO APOLLING LOCATIONDURING EARLY VOTINGOR ON ELECTION DAY."WE REALLY MADE ITTHAT IT'S ACCESSIBLETO ANYBODY.""N: ARE YOU PREPAREDFOR NOVEMBER ANDTHE POSSIBILITY OFWHAT MAY COMENOVEMBER 3RD?M: WE ARE.

WETHISIS NOT OUR FIRSTRODEO."ND, 7EWN.NEW AT 11 -- COVID-19HAS ALREADY HITSUNY FREDONIA.THE COLLEGE SAYSONE STUDENT HASTESTED POSITIVE.THAT STUDENT WILLBE IN QUARANTINEFOR 14 DAYS.THE SCHOOL WILL USECONTACT TRACERS TOFIND OUT WHO THEYHAVE BEEN INCONTACT WITH.FREDONIA STILL PLANSTO BEGIN THE FALLSEMESTER ONMONDAY.PROTECTIONS FORPEOPLE WHO ARESTRUGGLING TO MAKEENDS MEET AREEXTENDED A LITTLEFURTHER.AN EXECUTIVE ORDERFROM THE GOVERNORNOW BANS COVID-RELATED EVICTIONSAND FORECLOSURES