Fulton County Board of Elections

Commissioner (R):
William E. Eschler
Deputy:
Cinda J Spraker

Commissioner (D):
Robert Galinsky
Deputy:
Rebecca Weiderman

Office Hours:
Monday - Friday:
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Summer Hours:
Monday - Friday:
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

Address:
County Office Complex
2714 State Highway 29
Suite 1
Johnstown NY 12095

Phone:
(518) 736-5526
Fax:
(518) 736-1612

 

Presidential Primary Early Voting April 2, 2024

Fulton County has a new Early Voting Site.

Effective Saturday March 22, 2024 the NEW site will be The Family Counseling Center 11-12 Broadway, Gloversville NY.

 

 

How Do I Register to Vote?

You may register at our local board, at any state agency participating in the National Voter Registration Act, on any business day throughout the year.

Alternatively, you can download a .pdf version of the Voter Registration Form from our website, and mail it to the county board of elections, or register electronically through NYS MyDMV.

How do I change my name, address, or enrollment?

Complete the Voter Registration Form with the new information, and mail it to the country board of elections.

If you are moving to a new county you will have to re-register to vote. Send your voter registration form with the new information to your new county board of elections.

The board will notify you when your enrollment change takes place, by Law, after the next general election.

Why should I want to enroll in a political party?

Enrolled members of a political party help to select the candidates for that party who will be on the general election ballot in November.

Parties generally circulate petitions to allow people to become candidates in primary elections.

A primary election is an election which the voters of a certain party select their candidates.

If you are not enrolled in a party, you may not vote in the primary election.

If I enroll in a party must I only vote for that party?

Often, people are concerned about the secrecy of their vote. If you vote on a machine, your vote is protected through a system of administrative safeguards.

You begin by filling out your ballot at a table with privacy dividers.

Then, you proceed to the voting machine with your ballot inside a privacy sleeve.

The machines are sealed from the opening of the polls. There is no way for the inspectors or anyone else to check the ballots or see what candidates you selected or how you voted on propositions.

The optical ballot scanner in no way reveals for whom you voted.

What happens if I am not in the county on Election Day?

If you think that you will be out of the country on Election Day, you can request an absentee ballot so you can vote by a paper ballot.

You will need to complete the application informing us of your name, residence address, when you will be out of the county and how you want us to get a ballot to you.

You may also come into our office and vote in person before you leave the county or have it mailed to you.

If you find that you are in the county on Election Day, you are required to go to the polls and vote in person even if you have already voted by an absentee ballot.

In such cases, the absentee ballot will not be counted if you vote on the voting machine.

New York State Board of Elections Launches Statewide Absentee Ballot Tracker Ahead of New Absentee Canvass Process

ALBANY, N.Y (04/05/2022) – The New York State Board of Elections has released a new statewide absentee ballot tracker to allow any voter in the state to monitor the status of their absentee ballot. This comprehensive tool will help voters track their absentee ballot and ensure their vote is counted.

The new portal is integrated with the state’s existing Voter Registration and Poll Site Search tool which can be accessed at https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/. The tracking system will inform voters when their absentee ballot request has been received by their County Board of Elections, and whether a ballot has been sent, received, and counted. The portal will also alert voters if their absentee ballot has a curable or non-curable defect.

Voters can request an absentee ballot for the upcoming primary and general elections by utilizing the state’s online absentee request portal at https://absenteeballot.elections.ny.gov/ or by mailing a signed absentee request form to their County Board of Elections. A voter’s application must be received by their County Board of Elections no later than June 13 to be eligible to vote by absentee in the June 28th primary election. Absentee ballots can be returned by mail or in person to the voter’s County Board of Elections or at any Early or Election Day poll site in their county by June 28th. Voters can print an application from the state website at https://www.elections.ny.gov/VotingAbsentee.html.

Voters planning to vote by absentee ballot will no longer have the option to vote in person on a machine if an absentee ballot has been issued. This new statutory change requires voters who have been issued an absentee ballot and later decide to cast their ballot in person to vote via affidavit ballot.

During the canvassing process, the voter’s County Board of Elections will determine whether the voter’s absentee ballot has already been counted. If the absentee ballot was counted, the affidavit will be set aside and not counted. If the absentee ballot has not arrived and been counted, the voter’s affidavit ballot will be counted. The tracking tool will allow voters to see whether their absentee or affidavit ballot was counted for that election.

If you have any questions, please contact your local County Board of Elections at (518) 736-5526.

What if I cannot get to the polls?

Any voter who has a physical disability or an illness, which does not allow him to go to the polling site, may also vote by an absentee ballot.

These voters may request that they be put on a permanent list so that they will receive a ballot for each election they are eligible to vote in.

You will only have to file an application once.

Board of Elections FAQ

For further information, please see the New York State Board of Elections website available by clicking the button below.