Assemblyman Charles Lavine, who represents the 13th district, recently announced Nassau County’s 15 early voting locations for the 2019 general election. It will be the first year the early voting locations will be implemented after the law, written by Lavine, was passed in state government and signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo in January.
“The law provides nine days of early voting, including two full weekends,” said Lavine. ”This covers both primaries and the general election. Those of us in the state legislator believe it is our obligation and responsibility to make voting easier for New Yorkers.”
The law was among the first bills passed by the state government in the 2019 session with the Democratic party in charge of the state Senate and Assembly. Lavine said that in the past, the Senate was resistant to early voting laws but the change of leadership gave them an opportunity to move this law forward.
“We found that we [the Assembly] had partners in our sister legislature who were willing to join us, along with the governor, in making it easier for New Yorkers to vote by providing them with extra days to cast their ballots,” said Lavine. “It’s pretty obvious that the easier we make it for people to vote, the more people will want to be invested in the political process.”
The following locations will be open for early voting beginning Oct. 26.
- Church of Saint Paul the Apostle, 2534 Cedar Swamp Road, Glen Head
- Elmont Fire District Building, 100 School Road, Elmont
- Firemen’s Memorial Field, 124 Albermarle Avenue, Valley Stream
- Floral Park Recreation Center, 124 Stewart Street, Floral Park
- Garden City Rec Complex St Pauls Field House, 295 Stewart Avenue, Garden City
- Hempstead Recreation Center, 335 Greenwich Street, Hempstead
- Lawrence Village Hall, 196 Central Avenue, Lawrence
- Levittown Hall, 201 Levittown Parkway, Hicksville
- Mid-Island Y JCC, 45 Manetto Hill Road, Plainview
- North Merrick Library, 1691 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick
- Oyster Bay Town Hall South, 977 Hicksville Road, Massapequa
- Rockville Centre Recreation Center, 111 North Oceanside Road, Rockville Centre
- Wantagh Library, 3285 Park Avenue, Wantagh
- West Hempstead Library, 500 Hempstead Avenue, West Hempstead
- Nassau County Board of Elections, 240 Old Country Road, Mineola
“Anybody that is registered to vote in Nassau County can vote at any of the 15 locations,” said Lavine. “For example, at the Mid-Island Y JCC, voting there can be for Plainview residents or for someone in Lawrence or Port Washington who works in the area. They can cast their ballot there or any of the other locations. If someone works a good distance from where they live, this gives them an opportunity to cast a ballot closer to where they work.”
In addition to the early voting sites, there was also reform passed that will make it easier for voters to mail in absentee ballots before the election. While a “no excuse” bill was passed in 2019, these measures are not yet implemented as they need to be passed by the 2021 state legislature and voted on by the public, which means those who file absentee ballots must still provide a reason for not going out to vote.
Local officials are thrilled by the implementation of early voting and encourage residents to take advantage of it.
“By implementing a series of reforms including early voting, New York has become a national model for preserving voting rights and expanding access to the ballot,” said Nassau County Legislator Arnold W. Drucker of the 16th district. “I am delighted that a vital community center like the Mid Island Y JCC will be an early voting site, and I urge residents across Nassau County to learn how they can avail themselves of these new opportunities to participate in the democratic process.”
“I am pleased that Nassau County has opened up 15 early voting sites across the county, including Mid-Island Y JCC, to make voting easier and more accessible for all,” said Senator Jim Gaughran, who represents the 5th district. “Thank you Assemblyman Lavine for your leadership as Chairman of the Elections Committee on these transformative reforms.”
Lavine is pleased that New York is moving in this direction when it comes to voting and is hoping that the rest of the U.S. takes notice of what the state is doing.
“We value democracy,” said Lavine. “We need more people involved in our elections. The more people invested in our system of democracy, the better that system is itself. New York is sending a signal to the rest of the country that voting is an inherent and essential right, not only to protect it, but to be enlarged.”
For more information on all the early voting sites for this year’s election as well as the specific days to vote, visit www.nassaucountyny.gov/566/Board-of-Elections.
