2020 Voting Guide for Graduate Students Registered in NY State · presentation as an information guide for graduate students registering in NY state and intending to vote in the upcoming

2020 Voting Guide for Graduate StudentsComposed by the Graduate Student Society

Updated 9.17.20

Reference: https://www.campusvoteproject.org/stateguides/new-york

Table of Contents3) Purpose4) Register at School or Home5) Resources for Out-of-State Student

Voters6) NY Registration Deadlines and Election

Dates7) Official Election Websites for NY State8) What Type of ID Do I Need to Register?9) What Type of ID Do I Need to Vote?10) Where Do I Vote?11) How Can I Vote?

12) Voting by Mail13) Voting by Mail Continued14) Voting Early in Person15) Monroe County Early Voting Dates/Times16) Monroe County Early Voting Locations17) Voting in Person on Election Day18) Common Questions/Concerns19) Political Party Resources20) Candidate and Campaign Research21) Televised Presidential Debates

Purpose• The University of Rochester Graduate Student Society (GSS) has composed this

presentation as an information guide for graduate students registering in NY state and intending to vote in the upcoming November 3rd general election.

• We’ve also compiled a list of resource webpages for out-of-state voters.

• This information is adopted from the nonpartisan Fair Elections Center as part of their “campus votes” initiative.

• Disclaimer: We disclose no official party affiliation or candidate endorsements on behalf of GSS, the School of Medicine and Dentistry, and the University of Rochester Medical Center.

• We encourage students to use this guide in addition to their own research on the U.S. voting process, especially considering Covid-19 regulations.

Register at School or Home

Graduate students have a choice about where to register to vote.

Graduate students may register at their campus address or choose to remain registered or register at their permanent or home address.

You may only be registered and vote in one location.

Resources for Out-of-State Student VotersStates, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia have varying voting and registration rules. These are also subject to current regulations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please be sure to check deadlines and protocols to ensure your right to vote.

• https://www.campusvoteproject.org/stateguides• https://complexly.com/shows/how-to-vote-in-every-state• https://idhe.tufts.edu/nslve• https://uselections.com/uselections/

NY Registration Deadlines and Election Dates

By Mail Voter Registration Deadline: postmarked no later than 25 days before Election Day, received no later than 20 days before Election Day

In-Person Voter Registration Deadline: 25 days before Election DayChange of Address Deadline: 20 days before Election Day

NY 2020General Election Registration Deadline: Friday, October 9 (postmarked)General Election: Tuesday, November 3

Official Election Websites for NY StateMore election information at www.elections.ny.gov/

Mail-in Voter Registration Form: https://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/download/voting/voteregform-eng-fillable.pdf

What Type of ID Do I Need to Register?

New York’s voter registration form asks for either:• Your New York State DMV number• The last four digits of your Social Security number.

Be sure to provide one of these numbers if you have it.

What Type of ID Do I Need to Vote?Most voters do not need an ID to vote. First-time voters who registered by mail may be asked to present ID when voting in person if election officials cannot match their New York State DMV number or Social Security number and they did not include a copy of a valid ID with their registration application.

Voters may submit the following types of ID:• Current and Valid Photo ID• Current Utility Bill• Bank Statement• Government Check or Paycheck• Government Document that shows name and address.

Voters who lack an acceptable form of ID may vote by affidavit ballot. Once you have registered to vote and verified your identity, no further ID is required to vote.

Where Do I Vote?

Make a plan. Look up your voting site and hours at: https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/

How Can I Vote?Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, any New York voter is eligible for an absentee ballot due to the risk of contracting or spreading a communicable disease by checking the “temporary illness” box on the absentee ballot application form.

You can request an absentee ballot by returning the absentee ballot application to your local Board of Elections Office in person or by mail up until the day prior to an Election.

You can request an absentee ballot over the phone, fax, or email by contacting your local county officials.

Monroe County: To track your voting info and your absentee ballot application or to make sure you’re registered to vote, click here.

Voting by MailNew York allows voters with an excuse to vote absentee

• Voters are eligible to vote absentee if they will be:

• Absent from their county of registration on Election Day (or, if registered in New York City, absent from city on Election Day)

• Temporarily or permanently disabled or the primary caretaker of a temporarily or permanently disabled person

• A resident or patient of a Veteran’s Health Administration Hospital

• Detained in jail awaiting trial or confined in prison for a non-felony offense

Voting by Mail continuedIn October, absentee ballots will be mailed out to those who applied for an absentee ballot.

Absentee ballot applications must be delivered in person by the day before the election or postmarked no later than seven days before the election.

Complete absentee ballots must be received in person by the close of polls on Election Day or postmarked no later than the day before the election and received no later than the 7th day after the election.

Monroe County: Absentee ballots may be mailed in or dropped off at the Board of Elections Office (39 W. Main Street, Rochester, NY 14614) 9am-5pm Mon.-Fri. or dropped off at ANY polling site on Election Day, November 3rd or dropped off at any of the Early Voting polling sites during the Early Voting dates/times.

Voting Early in PersonAny registered voter is eligible to vote early in-person during the early voting period.

Early voting in New York is available at designated early voting sites from 10 days before the election through the 2nd day before the election.

2020 Early Voting Period:General Election: October 24 – November 1

Monroe County Early Voting Dates/Times• Saturday, October 24, 2020 – 9am-3pm• Sunday, October 25, 2020 – 9am-3pm• Monday, October 26, 2020 – 9am-5pm• Tuesday, October 27, 2020 – 11am-8pm• Wednesday, October 28, 2020 – 9am-5pm• Thursday, October 29, 2020 – 11am-8pm• Friday, October 30, 2020 – 9am-5pm• Saturday, October 31, 2020 – 9am-3pm• Sunday, November 1, 2020 – 9am-3pm

Monroe County Early Voting Locations1.) David F. Gantt Community Center – 700 North St, Rochester, NY 146052.) City of Rochester Recreation Bureau – 2nd Floor, 57 St Paul St, Rochester, NY 146043.) Genesee Valley Field House – 1316 Genesee St, Rochester, NY 146114.) Edgerton Recreation Center – 41 Backus St, Rochester, NY 146085.) SUNY Empire State College – 680 Westfall Rd, Rochester, NY 146206.) Town of Chili Senior Center – 3235 Chili Ave, Rochester, NY 146247.) North Greece Road Church of Christ – 1039 N Greece Rd, Rochester, NY 146268.) Marketplace Mall (North Entrance) – 1 Miracle Mile Dr, Rochester, NY 146239.) Irondequoit Public Library – 1290 Titus Ave, Rochester, NY 1461710.) Harris-Whalen Park Lodge – 2126 Penfield Rd, Penfield, NY 1452611.) Perinton Square Mall – 6720 Pittsford Palmyra Rd, Fairport, NY 1445012.) Webster Recreation Center – 1350 Chiyoda Dr, Webster, NY 14580

Closest to campus

Voting in Person on Election DayTuesday, November 3rdVoting sites will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Day.

If you are in line by the closing time then you have the right to vote.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, please take precautions when going to vote. Wear a mask, bring hand sanitizer, and practice social distancing. Monitor for symptoms and check-in via the Dr. Chat Bot app daily. It is also recommended to receive a flu shot prior to election day.

Monroe County Polling Places: visit the Monroe County Board of Elections website here.

Common Questions/ConcernsRegistering to Vote Does Not Affect Your:• Federal Financial Aid

Where you register to vote will not affect federal financial aid such as Pell Grants, Perkins or Stafford loans, or your dependency status for FAFSA

• Status as a Dependent on Your Parents’ TaxesBeing registered to vote at a different address from your parents does not prevent them from claiming you as a dependent on their taxes

• Tuition StatusBeing deemed out-of-state for tuition purposes does not prevent you from choosing to register to vote in your campus community

Will registering to vote in New York affect my driver’s license or car registration?As a full-time student in New York, you may have to make these changes regardless of whether you register to vote in New York. For more information, contact the New York Department of Motor Vehicles.

Political Party ResourcesMonroe County DemocratsPhone: (585) 232-2410 Tuesday-Thursday, 10am-5pmEmail: [email protected]

Monroe County GOP (Republicans)Phone: (585) 546-8040Contact Monroe County Republican Committee on Messenger

National Parties:•Democratic (website) •Republican (website) •Conservative (website) •Working Families (website) •Green (website) •Libertarian (website) •Independence (website) •SAM (website)

Candidate and Campaign ResearchVoteSmart.orgSearch engine for candidates’ Biographies, Issue Positions, Voting Records, Public Statements, Ratings and their Funders.

FEC Campaign ContributorsThe Commission maintains a database of individuals who have made contributions to political committees.

US ElectionsSee all your 2020 NY Races, Court Judges & Ballot Measures: [ click here ]. Type in your address, then click "Check My Races." This will show you everything you'll vote on. Note: candidates aren’t finalized until October.

Televised Presidential DebatesAll four debates will run for 90 minutes, from 9 p.m. ET until 10:30 p.m. ET.

Tuesday, Sept. 29First presidential debate will be held at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. Fox News anchor Chris Wallace will moderate.

Wednesday, Oct. 7The vice presidential debate will be held at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. USA Today’s Washington bureau chief Susan Page will moderate.

Thursday, Oct. 15Second presidential debate will be held at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida. Steve Scully, senior executive producer and political editor of C-SPAN Networks, will moderate.

Thursday, Oct. 22The third presidential debate will be held at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. Kristen Welker, co-anchor of “Weekend Today” and NBC News’ White House correspondent, will moderate.

Thank you for your attention. Stay safe and happy voting!

2020 Graduate Student Society