Governor Cuomo Announces Early Voting Public Awareness Campaign

Statement

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced an early voting public awareness campaign. New York's first period of early voting begins today and will last until Sunday, November 3. As part of the campaign New Yorkers can text "Early Voting" to 81336 to receive early voting information via text message. Additionally, the campaign includes a new web page where New Yorkers can easily find their polling place for early voting. The Governor also announced the launch of a social media campaign throughout the early voting period to raise awareness and inform New Yorkers about early voting. Early voting will help make voting more convenient for voters, as well as reduce waiting times and ease logistical burdens for poll workers. Early voting was a central component of Governor Cuomo's 2019 Justice Agenda and was signed into law by the Governor on January 24, 2019.

"While the federal government continues to disenfranchise voters and make voting difficult to purposefully keep people from the polls, in New York we are doing the exact opposite with reforms that make it easier for New Yorkers to participate in the democratic process," Governor Cuomo said. "Early voting is just one way we are removing barriers that have prevented and discouraged voters from exercising their right to vote. All New Yorkers deserve to have their voices heard, regardless of any professional or family obligations that prevent them from getting to the polls on Election Day, and I encourage all New Yorkers to use these tools to stay informed about early voting and take advantage of the nine day early voting period."

On January 24, 2019, Governor Cuomo signed a comprehensive package of reforms to modernize New York's voting laws, including synchronizing federal and state elections to ensure that voters only go to the polls once to choose their nominees; allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote; and enacting universal transfer of voter registrations. These historic new laws were a key component of the Governor's 2019 Justice Agenda and were signed within the first 100 days of the 2019 legislative session.

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