Early voting starts Saturday in Onondaga County, but the six locations across 800 square miles could post challenges for those who don’t have transportation and still want to avoid potentially long lines on election day.
Elections officials agreed to the locations in Camillus, Clay, Dewitt, LaFayette, and on the north and south sides of Syracuse. Republican commissioner Michele Sardo says lack of federal, state, and county funding is a factor.
"Six spread out throughout the county was a good number. Yes, we did have funding last year, but this year and moving forward, we don't have any funding or early voting. This is county taxpayer money to fund early voting."
Democratic Elections Commissioner Dustin Czarny says there WAS agreement to move the site on the western side of the county.
"I was able to get one extra site than what we were legally required to do, but we were never able to have an agreement to have more. We have to work together. This was the decision that was made. I do believe moving from VanBuren to Camillus helps part of the county that was hurt last year, so I'm going to take it as a positive step forward."
Still, Czarny feels the six early voting sites aren’t enough to accommodate county’s more than 300,000 voters. Sardo says it remains to be seen just how many of them will vote early.
"This is the third election with early voting. I think we need a few more underneath our belt to see if it actually works because more people went out on Election Day in 2019, and not as many did early voting. I think this will be a test because it's a presidential [election] year."
Early voting begins this Saturday and continues for nine days through Sunday, November 1.
Even as early voting gets underway at the polls, there’s still time to apply for, receive, and return absentee ballots. The application deadline is October 27th if applying via mail, online, email, or fax. Voters can request an absentee ballot in person until Monday, Nov. 2. Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 3, and arrive by Nov. 10 to be counted.
Onondaga County Early Voting Polling Hours
Saturday, October 24, 2020: 10:00AM – 3:00PM |
Sunday, October 25, 2020: 10:00AM – 3:00PM |
Monday, October 26, 2020: 10:00AM – 6:00PM |
Tuesday, October 27, 2020: 12:00PM – 8:00PM |
Wednesday, October 28, 2020: 12:00PM – 8:00PM |
Thursday, October 29, 2020: 10:00AM – 6:00PM |
Friday, October 30, 2020: 10:00AM – 6:00PM |
Saturday, October 31, 2020: 10:00AM – 3:00PM |
Sunday, November 1, 2020: 10:00AM – 3:00PM |
EARLY VOTING SITES
CAMILLUS FIRE STATION (Rear Entrance)
5801 Newport Rd, Camillus NY 13031
CLAY TOWN HALL COURTROOM (Rear Entrance)
4401 Route 31, Clay NY 13041
DEWITT TOWN HALL COURTROOM
5400 Butternut Drive, E. Syracuse NY 13057
LAFAYETTE FIRE STATION #1 (Rear Entrance)
2444 Route 11 South, LaFayette NY 13084
ARMOND MAGNARELLI COMMUNITY CENTER AT MCCHESNEY PARK
2300 Grant Blvd, Syracuse NY 13208
SYRACUSE COMMUNITY CONNECTION (SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY CENTER)
401-425 South Ave, Syracuse NY 13204
