Election Day is four weeks away and there are several contested races on the ballot in Cayuga County.Â
Here is what you need to know about voting in Cayuga County:Â
Registration
The first question is, are you registered to vote?Â
To be eligible to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen, 18 years old and a resident of New York and your municipality for at least 30 days before the election. Other eligibility rules include not claiming the right to vote in another location, not being ruled mentally incompetent by a court and you can't be serving a prison sentence for a felony conviction.Â
There are a few ways to register to vote. You can use the , fill out a and return it to your local elections board or visit the board and register in person.Â
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Whether your register by mail or in person, the deadline is Saturday, Oct. 26.Â
Absentee/early vote by mail
If you are registered to vote, one option is to cast an absentee ballot or vote early by mail.Â
Although these are similar options, there is one important difference. For absentee ballots, you must provide a reason why you are requesting the ballot — you won't be in your home county on Election Day or a temporary illness, for example. An excuse is not required to vote early by mail.Â
Both types of ballots require an application that must be submitted by the deadline, which is 10 days before Election Day. Once you have filed your application and it is received by the local elections board, a ballot will be mailed to your home address.Â
After you've filled out your ballot, you can either mail it — it must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 5 — or take it to the county Board of Elections by 9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5. You can also deliver the ballots at early voting sites, from Oct. 26 through Nov. 3, or at your Election Day polling location by 9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5.Â
Early voting
In Cayuga County, there will be four early voting sites this year. The early voting period runs from Saturday, Oct. 26, through Sunday, Nov. 3.Â
Two will be in the Auburn area — Clifford Park Clubhouse, 81 Mary St., and Fingerlakes Mall in Aurelius. The Cato Municipal Building, 11320 Shortcut Road, and Moravia Town Hall, 1630 Route 38, are the other locations.Â
The early voting centers will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends, noon to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, and Tuesday, Oct. 29, and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30, through Friday, Nov. 1.Â
Election DayÂ
On Election Day, which is Tuesday, Nov. 5, polling locations in Cayuga County will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.Â
The county has , including four in Auburn — Auburn Alliance Church, 630 N. Seward Ave.; Casey Park Recreational Building, 150 N. Division St.; Auburn Fire Station One, 31 Seminary St.; and the Auburn school district administrative office at 78 Thornton Ave. City residents who are registered to vote can cast their ballots at any of the four locations.Â
The full list of poll sites is on the . You can also confirm your Election Day polling location at .
Government reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.