Broome County Board of Elections

How to Cast an Early Mail Ballot

1. Once your ballot is received, mark the ballot according to your choices for each office, following the instructions listed on the ballot for voting.

2. When you've completed marking your ballot, fold it up and place it in the Security Envelope.
   (Please note, the Security Envelope is the one with your information on it and has the oath and signature line.)

3. Seal the Security Envelope.

4. Sign and date the oath on the outside of the Security Envelope.

5. All Early Mail Ballots include a pre-paid Return Envelope. Place the Security Envelope in the Return Envelope.
   (The Return Envelope contains the Board of Elections return address on the outside and should have a logo that reads, “Official Election Mail” and requires NO additional postage to mail.)

6. Seal the Return Envelope.

7. Return your ballot in any of the following ways:

   • Put it in the US Mail ensuring it receives a postmark no later than Election Day.

   • Bringing it to your Board of Elections office no later than Election Day by 9pm.

   • Bringing it to any Early Voting Center within Broome County during Early Voting hours.

   • Bringing it to any Broome County Poll Site on Election Day by 9pm.

​

Mail-time Considerations

When mailing your completed ballot, the USPS recommends that voters allow enough time for 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.

​

Ballot Errors / Ballot Cures

There are certain errors or problems that can occur when a voter completes a 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. 

​

​

New 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 early mail, accessible, or absentee ballot for that election. Voters who have already been issued a 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 early mail, accessible, or absentee ballot has been received. If the voter’s ballot has been received, the affidavit ballot will not be counted. If the voter’s ballot has not been received, the affidavit ballot will be counted.

​

If a voter requests a second early mail, accessible, or absentee ballot, any previously issued 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 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.