Absentee Voting

About Absentee Voting

Each year on Election Day, US citizens around the globe find themselves unable to reach the polls. Fortunately this inability to be physically present at their polling place does not exclude these people from the ranks of potential voters, but instead makes them eligible to cast their votes by absentee ballot. Absentee voting is an essential part of our political system and insures that the elected officials of our nation can be selected by all of our citizens, not just those located conveniently to the polls on Election Day. Voters who are unavoidably absent from Putnam County on Election Day for any of the reasons below are encouraged to vote absentee:

• Business
• Vacation
• Education
• Illness or Disability (Temporary or Permanent)
• Accompanying a spouse, child or parent
• Detained pending criminal proceeding

An Absentee Ballot Application must be completed before a voter can receive an absentee ballot.  The application may be obtained by visiting the Putnam County Board of Elections office, by calling the Putnam County Board of Elections at (845) 808-1300 , or by downloading the form here.

Upon completion of the Absentee Ballot Application, please mail it to the Putnam County Board of Elections at 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512. Ballots will be mailed as soon as they are printed; this typically occurs approximately two weeks to one month before the election. Please note that an application for an absentee ballot is only valid for the elections you have requested of that year. Applications may be submitted at any time during the year. 

The Board is open at select times for people to complete and submit their absentee applications and ballots here in our office. A schedule of these times for the Primary Election can be found here.

Military Voters

Members of the Military Service of the State or the United States and their spouse, parents and children are eligible to vote by absentee ballot. Federal Post Card Applications are available from your Voting Assistance Officer or online from the U.S. Department of Defense Federal Voting Assistance Program.  Mail the completed application to the Putnam County Board of Elections at 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512.

Special Federal Voters

Every citizen of the U.S. now residing outside the U.S. whose residence prior to his/her departure from the U.S. was in New York State, is entitled to vote from that residence by absentee ballot as a Special Federal Voter.  Special Federal voters are eligible to vote in all primary, special and general elections for the public offices or party positions of President and Vice-President of the U.S., U.S. Senator, Representative in Congress, and delegates and alternate delegates to a national convention.  A Special Federal Post Card Application is available online from the U.S. Department of Defense Federal Voting Assistance Program.  Mail the completed application to the Putnam County Board of Elections at
25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512.