A voter may qualify to vote by absentee ballot if their duties, occupation, business or vacation requires them to be absent from their county of residence on election day or if they will be confined by illness, physical disability or for some other reason either on a temporary or permanent basis.

You can receive an Absentee Ballot Application one of three ways:

• Download the PDF Absentee Ballot Application and return the completed form to the Elections Office
• Call the office (315-539-1760) and we will send you a postage-paid Absentee Ballot Application form in the mail
• Visit our office and pick one up

All Absentee ballot requests must include the following information:

• Name
• Address on voter registration
• Mailing address (if different)
• Reason for voting absentee
• Signature

*It is important: to fill out the Absentee Application completely using only a pen with blue or black ink. Deliver in person or or mail (do not FAX) the Absentee Ballot Application to the Seneca County Elections office at 1 DiPronio Drive, Waterloo, NY 13165.

Military and Special Federal Absentee Voters

Military and Overseas Voters - Please view the following Public Service Announcement about the deadline extension for the absentee ballot

Military and Overseas Voters Public Service Announcement

Military - Persons serving in the military (and their family members) may vote from their designated 'home of record', regardless of where they may be stationed or for how long. Military voters may register and vote in local, state and federal elections by completing an application and sending it to the board of elections in your 'home of record' county.

Special Federal - U. S. citizens living abroad whose last U. S. address was in Seneca County are only allowed to vote for Federal Offices. These include President, Vice President, U. S. Senator, and Congress.

If you meet either of these requirements, download the PDF Federal Post Card Application form and mail the completed application to:

To be counted, an absentee ballot must be postmarked by the day before Election Day and must reach the Board of Elections no more than seven (7) days after the election.

When you receive an absentee ballot, read the directions that are printed in it. Do not make any stray marks or write anywhere on the ballot other than the selection boxes. The only time you may write on the ballot is when you want to vote for someone else whose name does not appear on the ballot - then you may write-in his or her name in the approved spaces. If there are propositions up for vote, you will find them on the back of the ballot. Mark your vote by filling in the choice of either "yes" or "no".

After making your votes near your choices, fold the ballot and put it in the smaller envelope. Sign and date the back of the envelope. Seal the envelope and put it in the larger envelope that is addressed to the Board of Elections. Mail or deliver your ballot following the regulations described in the other sections above.