NY expands absentee voting after defeat of ballot measure

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – New Yorkers can again choose to vote by absentee rather than face the risk of catching COVID-19 at polling sites through the rest of 2022 under a bill that Gov. Kathy Hochul signed Friday.

The bill’s passage comes months after voters in November defeated two proposed constitutional amendments expanding voting rights.

Democrats wielding a legislative supermajority had expected both to easily pass.