The Peru Gazette

Readers often ask questions about Absentee Ballot Procedures. Ballots must be postmarked no later than November 4, 2025 and received by the Board of Elections no later than November 12, 2025.

700 Clinton County residents requested absentee ballots. The Board of Elections has no idea how many will be returned.

The NYS Board of Elections website states the following.

How to Cast an Absentee Ballot

Once your receive the ballot, mark the ballot according to your choices for each office following the instructions on the ballot
Once you have completed marking your ballot fold it up and place it in the Security Envelope. (This envelope will have a place for your signature.) Sign and date the outside of the Security Envelope. Seal the Security Envelope.
All absentee ballots include a pre-paid Return Envelope. Place the Security Envelope in the Return Envelope. (This envelope will have the return address of your county Board of Elections on the outside and should have a logo that reads, “Official Election Mail”.)The Return Envelope does not require any additional postage. Seal the Return Envelope.

Absentee Ballot Tracking

Voters can track their absentee ballot via the Board of Elections’ Poll Site Search, Voter Registration, and Mail Ballot Tracker available at https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/

You may return the ballot in any of the following ways:

For the November 4, 2025 General Election:

Put it in the mail ensuring it receives a postmark no later than November 4th. Must be received by the County Board of Elections no later than November 12th.
Bringing it to your County Board of Elections Office no later than November 4th by 9pm.
Bringing it to an early voting poll site in your county between October 25th and November 2nd.
Bringing it to a poll site in your county on November 4th by 9pm.
Mail-time Considerations
When mailing your completed ballot, the USPS recommends that voters allow enough time for ballots to be returned to the Board, which is generally seven days ahead of the general election.

Voters who mail in their ballots on Election Day must be aware of the posted collection times on collection boxes and at the Postal Service’s retail facilities, and that ballots entered after the last posted collection time will not be postmarked until the following business day.