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Schenectady County Board of Elections Reminds Voters to Plan their Vote

Schenectady County Seal

Early Voting for the 2021 Primary Begins on Saturday

The Schenectady County Board of Elections would like to remind voters to plan their vote for the 2021 Primary Election. Not all communities within the County have a Primary Election this year.

Primary Elections in Schenectady County

Primary Elections are taking place in:

City of Schenectady

  • Democratic Primary
  • Working Families Primary (Schenectady County Legislative District #1 only)

Town of Rotterdam

  • Democratic Primary
  • Republican Primary
  • Conservative Primary
  • Working Families Primary

Town of Duanesburg

  • Conservative Primary

Town of Princetown

  • Conservative Primary

The towns of Glenville and Niskayuna do not have any primary elections this year.

“We’d like to thank CDTA for their continued partnership and commitment to the residents of Schenectady County,” said Schenectady County Board of Elections Commissioners Amy M. Hild and Darlene Harris. “We encourage anyone with questions or who requires assistance to reach out to our office as soon as possible. Staff members will be present during all early voting hours and on Primary Election Day to assist as well.”

To be eligible to vote in a primary, you must live in the municipality where the primary election is taking place AND be an enrolled member in the specific party that has a primary election. The last day to enroll in a party or change party enrollment was February 14, 2021. If you have any questions about the Primary Election, call the Board of Elections at (518) 377-2469 for assistance.

Plan Your Vote

Absentee Ballots

Voters who wish to apply to vote by absentee ballot due to the COVID-19 pandemic may utilize the absentee ballot forms and check the box for “Temporary illness or physical disability” with no requirement for in-person signature or appearance to be able to access an absentee ballot. Absentee ballot applications are available on www.schenectadycounty.com/boe under Vote Absentee, and may be submitted online, by mail (2696 Hamburg Street, Schenectady NY 12303), by email (boe@schenectadycounty.com), by fax (518-377-2716), or in-person at 2696 Hamburg Street.

Early Voting

Early voting is the same as voting on Election Day. When you arrive at an early voting location, you will check in, receive a ballot, and vote. Instructions will be available at the early voting sites, and sample ballots are available at www.schenectadycouny.com/boe. If you vote during the early voting period, you are not eligible to vote on Primary Election Day, which is June 22, 2021.

All eligible voters can vote at any of the early voting locations within the County. In Schenectady County, early voting locations are:

Hon. Karen B. Johnson Library                                                     South Schenectady Fire Department

Central Branch, 99 Clinton Street                                                 6 Old Mariaville Road

Schenectady, NY 12305                                                                 Rotterdam, NY 12306

Early voting hours for the 2021 Primary Election are:

Saturday June 12, 9am to 2pm                                                     Thursday June 17, 9am to 5pm

Sunday June 13, 9am to 2pm                                                        Friday June 18, 9am to 5pm                     

Monday June 14, 12pm to 8pm                                                     Saturday June 19, 9am to 2pm

Tuesday June 15, 9am to 2pm                                                      Sunday June 20, 9am to 2pm

Wednesday June 16, 12pm to 8pm

Trolley Transportation

The Schenectady County Board of Elections is partnering with CDTA to provide additional transportation options to connect the community with the Hon. Karen B. Johnson Library early voting site. A trolley will circulate to the bus stops along Union Street, Nott Terrace, State Street and Clinton Street for drop-off at the library. This service will run from Sunday, June 13 through Sunday, June 20. Trolley hours will be Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 2pm, Monday and Wednesday from 12pm to 8pm, and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 5pm.

Primary Election Day

Primary Election Day is Tuesday, June 22, 2021. Eligible voters can vote in-person from 6am to 9pm. Polling sites for Primary Election Day are available at www.schenectadycounty.com/boe.