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Gov. Cuomo Signs Bill Allowing New York Voters With Coronavirus Concerns To Receive Absentee Ballots

ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP)New York will allow voters to request absentee ballots for the general election because of coronavirus under a new state law signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday.

Lawmakers passed the bill last month, and voting rights groups had been calling on Cuomo to sign the legislation for weeks.

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

The governor allowed voters in the June primary to vote by absentee ballots due to fears of spreading the virus at polling sites.

Election officials warn of an even bigger flood of mail-in votes in November than the June primary, which delayed results for six weeks.

Check out CBS2's election guide for information on how to apply for an absentee ballot in your state.

Election officers worked through the pandemic to process 1.8 million requests for absentee ballots in a primary that saw nearly 40% of votes cast by absentee votes — a monumental sum in a state whose long-restrictive absentee voting system involves fewer than 1-in-10 voters in typical elections.

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CORONAVIRUS: NY Health Dept. | NY Call 1-(888)-364-3065 | NYC Health Dept. | NYC Call 311, Text COVID to 692692 | NJ COVID-19 Info Hub | NJ Call 1-(800)-222-1222 or 211, Text NJCOVID to 898211 | CT Health Dept. | CT Call 211 | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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