Early Voting Turnout In New York City Surpasses 1 Million
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- More than 1 million people cast in-person ballots in New York City, election officials announced Sunday, the ninth and final day of early voting in the state.
New Yorkers reported wait times of a half-hour or less at many polling places and posted selfies of early voting stickers to social media.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was at the Brooklyn Museum on Sunday greeting voters, who waited on line in the rain.
MORE: Tri-State Area Voter Guide For Nov. 3 General Election
Statewide, more than 2.2 million people had voted in person through Saturday, according to the New York State Board of Elections, or about 17% of registered voters. On top of that, more than 1 million voters have returned absentee ballots.
The surge in early voting and votes by absentee ballots come amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Early voting ended at 4 p.m. Sunday. New York doesn't offer early voting Monday, and Election Day is Tuesday.
Nationally, more than 91.6 million people voted early. That represents about 67% of the total ballots cast four years ago. The rush to vote is leading election experts to predict a record 150 million votes cast, with turnout rates higher than in any presidential election since 1908.
New York's overall turnout was projected to top two-thirds of 12 million registered voters. The state did not allow early voting in 2016.
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(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
