SYRACUSE N.Y. (NCC News)- Early voting took place over the weekend in New York, and Onondaga County saw record high numbers in participation. Overall, there was about 32,000 early voters, which is setting the precedent for Election Day tomorrow.
The Onondaga County Board of Elections has been preparing for midterm elections for the last six months, and tomorrow is finally Election Day. Onondaga Elections Commissioner Dustin Czarny explains that early voting has increased three times the rate than it was last year.
Czarny believes people choose early voting and absentee ballots for convenience whether that be because of work or fear of COVID.
There were looming fears that trends of voter participation would lack like last year, but that is not the case.
“Many people thought maybe the bubble had burst and people were going back to their pre-Trump era participation,” Czarny says. “But that’s not what we’re seeing this year, not what we’re expecting this year. Definitely on February elections we’re still seeing high turnout”
Today is the last day to register in person for an absentee ballot, and tomorrow registered voters can vote in person at their local polling sites.