Voting
Upcoming Elections
VOTING INFORMATION
Attention Tompkins County Voters!
Message from the Tompkins County Board of Elections:
Many of you have received (or will receive) mailings with applications for Early Mail Ballots. This mailing is not from us, but from a group called the Voter Participation Center/Center for Voter Information. They are a non-partisan group whose intentions seem to be to increase voter turnout.
We want voters to know that they do not need to apply for an early mail ballot unless they wish to.
Note: Any voter who has an active application for an absentee or early mail ballot will not be able to vote on a voting machine on Election Day, but instead will need to vote by affidavit ballot (at their polling place) if they have not already voted by their absentee or early mail ballot.
November 5, 2024 – General Election, Polls Open 6 AM To 9 PM
VOTE BY MAIL in NY for the Nov 5th General Election
Get an Early Mail Ballot Application
Court Decides Early Vote by Mail Case
The NYS Court of Appeals has upheld the constitutionality of Early Vote by Mail, allowing all eligible New Yorkers who want to cast their ballots by mail to do so!
Here’s everything you need to know about voting by mail:
What is Early Vote by Mail?
Similarly to voting by absentee ballots, Early Vote by Mail allows voters to apply for and receive a ballot in the mail, instead of having to vote in person. Early Vote by Mail is open to all voters, requiring no excuse or reason.
How can I vote Early by Mail?
First, request a ballot by October 26th or by going in person to your local Board of Elections by November 4th. After your request has been approved, the Board of Elections will send out ballots for voters to fill out and mail back to the Board of Elections by November 5th.
**Important Information Regarding Changes In Absentee Voting**
New York State has recently enacted a law that will change the ability of voters who have applied for an absentee ballot to vote in person on the voting machine.
In the past, voters who applied for an absentee ballot could change their minds and vote in person on a voting machine either during early voting or on Election Day. Their absentee ballots, if completed and sent in to the Board of Elections, would then be set aside unopened.
With this new law, voters who have applied for an absentee ballot may still go to the polls on Election Day, but they will no longer be able to vote on the machine. If they wish to vote in-person, it will be by affidavit ballot only. If you have any questions about this law, please call the Board of Elections at (607) 274-5522.
Additional details for this and future elections are posted on the
Tompkins County Board of Elections website
=> in the left-hand column, under the heading Political Calendars.
A full list of Election Day polling locations can be found online at:
https://tompkinscountyny.gov/boe/pollsites
Voters’ Guide
VOTE411.ORG is available now in Tompkins County for the General Election on November 5th! You can enter your residence address to find out which federal, state, county, and/or local elections you are eligible to vote in and who the candidates are. Information is also available on how to register (the deadline is October 26), and when and where to vote. Hope this is helpful! (VOTE411 is a nonpartisan resource provided by the League of Voters.) Learn more
VOTE411’s Voter Guide is a national, non-partisan election resource that provides a “one-stop shop” for election related information, including when, where, and how to vote, in-person or with an absentee ballot.
A week to ten days before each election, using WWW.VOTE411.ORG voters can simply enter their home address to learn which elections are being held within their specific districts. Information on each candidate, including their background, and responses to questions on their priorities and issues of concern to voters, are also available.le.
Launched as a community service in 2006 by the League of Women Voters, VOTE411 has helped people participate in elections, whether they are first-time voters or seasoned veterans at the ballot box. Voters can simply enter their home address to learn which elections are being held within their specific district and they can browse by state to explore other election resources.
Every election is different, and VOTE411 provides the up-to-date information needed for each election, including how to register; candidate profiles; early and absentee voting opportunities; and election day polling places, dates and times.
In addition, VOTE411 includes information on public forums and debates. To find information on local forums hosted by the League, you can also check https://lwvtompkins.org/voting/#votingforums
Read More about Vote411 History => Our Favorite Vote411 Moments
Candidate Forums and Recordings
Thursday, October 17, 2024, 8 p.m. WSKG will host a debate between the candidates running for New York’s 52nd Senate District. The Democratic incumbent, NY State Senator Lea Webb will face her Republican challenger, Tompkins County Legislator Mike Sigler. The debate will be hosted by WSKG news director Tom Magnarelli and Ithaca reporter Aurora Berry. Tune in at 8 p.m. on WSKG-TV here, WSKG Radio here, or on our YouTube channel here.
CANDIDATE FORUM RECORDINGS
Cayuga Heights Village Election: Mayor
Monday, March 4, 2024, 7 to 9 pm – Candidates Forum, Kendal at Ithaca
Candidates: Meloney McMurry (former trustee), Linda Ann Woodard (incumbent)
VIDEO Recording of the FORUM is Here
Email questions before the event to: pres.tclwv@gmail.com Questions will be collected in writing from the in-person audience. We are unlikely to be able to accept questions from the online audience, but if we are able to do so via email during the evening, we will announce this before the event. Sponsored by LWV Tompkins County.
Ithaca City Thursday, June 8, 2023
are now available on our YouTube channel
link for All Candidate Opening Statements
link for individual Ward breakout sessions
link for Ward 1:
Kayla Matos, Cynthia Brock
link for Ward 2:
Aryeal Jackson, West Fox, Kris Haines-Sharp
link for Ward 3:
David Shapiro, Nathan Sitaraman
link for Ward 5:
Clyde Lederman, D. Jason Houghton
(2-year term)
Michelle Song, Margaret Fabrizio
(4-year term)
Links to Ithaca Voice audio recordings and articles about this Forum:
Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 5
LWV, Tompkins, often facilitates candidate fora in weeks before elections.
Upcoming fora and recordings of past fora are posted here.
Voting in Tompkins County
Tompkins County Board of Elections: http://tompkinscountyny.gov/boe
128 East Buffalo Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
607-274-5522
Provides a wide array of important information for voters including, local election calendars, offices to be filled, registration and absentee ballot forms and directions.
Board of Elections sources:
Check your registration status and find out where to vote https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/
How to register to vote https://www.elections.ny.gov/VotingRegister.html
Absentee ballots https://www.elections.ny.gov/VotingAbsentee.html
Absentee deadlines https://www.elections.ny.gov/VotingDeadlines.html#AbsenteeDeadlines
Voter Registration Forms:
Tompkins Court House Annex
128 E. Buffalo St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
INFORMATION FOR SPECIAL POPULATIONS and YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE
Election District Maps
Download this map of City of Ithaca NY Wards
Tompkins County Election Districts and Maps
-> includes Polling locations
New York State Election District Maps (Assembly, Senate Congressional)
Redistricting
All of Tompkins County will be in the newly created:
52nd NY State Senate District
and
19th Congressional District (Federal U.S. House of Representatives)
For information about Redistricting 2021-2022 & People Powered Fair Maps NYS,
see the NY State League’s 2021-22 Redistricting
View the 2023 Assembly Plan Interactive Map Link Here
The League of Women Votes of Tompkins County (LWVTC) together with LWV of Cortland County worked intensively during the State redistricting process to ensure the voices of all members of our two counties were heard by the NYSIRC.
Find Your Elected Officials
Federal & State Officials
Tompkins County Elected Officials (list of all the Elected Officials)
Identify your Election Districts by:
Voting Contacts
Tompkins County Board of Elections
128 East Buffalo Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
Phone: 607-274-5522
New York State Board of Elections
40 North Pearl Street – Suite 5
Albany, NY 12207.
Phone: 518-474-6220; For TDD/TTY, call the NYS Relay 711
The League of Women Voters of Tompkins County
Voter Services Committee:
The League of Women Voters of Tompkins County, Voter Services Committee, needs new members! We have many requests for assistance. Please send a note if you are a member of, or would like to join, the League, and can help with one or more activities.
Contact: lwvtompkins@gmail.com