POUGHKEEPSIE – The Dutchess County Board of Elections has received $377,300 in funding from the CARES Act to safeguard the public health of voters in the upcoming primary election.
The county plan involves issuing absentee ballot applications to eligible voters, as well as sanitizing poll sites and equipping them with personal protection equipment while enforcing social distancing.
Under the plan, the board sent 112,373 absentee ballot applications to all eligible voters in the county. So far, over 18,800 applications have been filed and absentee ballots mailed out by board staff.
All voters are encouraged to submit he application to vote by absentee ballot by June 16.
“It is our hope that these mail-in ballots will be the preferred voting methods for he various Democratic, Republican, Independence and Green Party primaries, especially for anyone who is at a greater risk of experiencing complications from COVID-19,” Democrat Commissioner Beth Soto and Republican Commissioner Erik Haight said in a joint statement.
They remind absentee voters to be sure to sign, seal and send the oath envelope and postage paid envelope to be sure their vote counts.
The commissioners’ plan also involves consolidating polling locations to reduce the need for the county’s traditional polling sites, many of which are located in vulnerable locations like nursing homes and senior centers.
The county board will launch 25 voter centers in the county. Voters will be mailed a notification of their polling location in the coming days. Each will be stocked with full supplies of sanitizing materials to help reduce any potential exposure to and transmission of COVID-19.
