As of October 29th, about 4,000 absentee ballots were mailed to voters registered in Tomkins County. Especially for voters residing outside of counties in which they are registered, it can be difficult to keep up with the local politics of their area. "It's hard to know who to vote for because I am so removed," Kyle Stevens said. Stevens is a resident of Otsego County and a junior at Ithaca College.
Stevens has gathered information from different sources about candidates for local, state and national offices. The internet has been his primary source for many of the candidates' backgrounds and positions on different issues. "I use candidates' websites because I can find their stances on what matters most to me," Stevens said. Campaign websites offer media such as footage of debates and news feeds to keep updated on the most recent campaign developments.
Local candidates, Stevens experienced, were harder to find online. He instead received information by mail after registering for an absentee ballot. According to Tompkins County Board of Elections Commissioner Stephen DeWitt, candidates are able to acquire a list of absentee voters from county BOE offices.
“Various campaigns take responsibility for absentee ballots and will send mailings to people who are on the permanent absentee ballot list," Irene W. Stein, chair of the Tomkins County Democratic Committee, said. "I think that candidates want the vote and they do everything they can to communicate with the voter, and voters exhibit varying degrees of interest...it’s a joint responsibility. It’s the job of the candidate if he wants to win, and the responsibility of the voter, and sometimes these things come together."
In Tompkins County, the Board of Elections will be open on Monday. Voters can still request an absentee ballot in person, and still have the chance to take part in Tuesday's historic election.
- Emma Tanner
In-Depth Politics Story
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