Early voting begins Saturday June 13th, what you need to know

Early voting for New York's June 23rd primary begins Saturday June 13th.

All registered voters can submit absentee ballots due to COVID-19.

ONE WAY ACTIVISTSSAY PEOPLE CANINSPIRE CHANGE IS BYVOTING.THAT HAPPENS IN NEWYORK STATE OVER THENEXT 11 DAYS.SOME WESTERN NEWYORKERS WILL DECIDEWHO THEIRCONGRESSMAN WILLBE FOR THE NEXT SIXMONTHS.AND AS GILATMELAMED REPORTS --VOTING BEGINSTOMORROW.IT'S FOLD, FILL, SEAL.AND REPEAT.

AT THEERIE COUNTY BOARDOF ELECTIONS."IT'S ANUNPRECEDENTED TIMEFOR US, WE'REPROCESSING FIVETIMES MORE BALLOTSTHAN WE EVER HAVE INTHE HISTORY OF THEBOARD."THE BOARD SAYS IT'SRECEIVED MORE THAN100,000 ABSENTEEBALLOT REQUESTSFOR NEW YORK'SJUNE 23RD PRIMARY.TOPPING THEPREVIOUS RECORDOF."ABOUT 26,000"THIS YEAR ANYREGISTERED VOTER INTHE STATE GET ANABSENTEE BALLOT.DUE TO COVID-19.YOU CAN APPLY UNTILTUESDAY."HOPEFULLY THAT WILLTAKE SOME OF THESTRESS AND THE LINESOFF THE EARLY VOTINGSITES AND ONELECTION DAY ASWELL."IN-PERSON EARLYVOTING BEGINSTOMORROWMORNING.EARLY VOTERS CANGO TO ANY ONE OFERIE COUNTY'S 37POLLING SITES.REGARDLESS OFWHAT'S CLOSEST TOYOUR HOME.SOCIAL DISTANCINGWILL BE ENFORCED ATTHE POLLS.

ANDVOTERS ARE ASKEDTO WEAR MASKS."WE'RE EVENOFFERING THEINDIVIDUALS IF THEY'REUSING A PEN TO MARKTHEIR BALLOTS TOTAKE THE PEN WITHTHEM BACK THEMHOME."WHILE EXPERTS AREUNSURE HOW COVID-19WILL AFFECT TURNOUT- LARGE SOCIALMOVEMENTS.

LIKETHE PROTESTS FORPOLICE REFORM ANDRACIAL JUSTICE...HISTORICALLY LEAD TOMORE VOTERS."THERE'S A CERTAINEXPRESSIVE QUALITYTO VOTING."JACOB NEIHEISEL ISAN ASSOCIATEPROFESSOR OFPOLITICAL SCIENCE ATTHE UNIVERSITY ATBUFFALO."PEOPLE GET OUTBECAUSE THEY'REEXCITED BY THINGSTHAT ARE GOING ON,THEY'RE INTERESTEDIN THINGS THAT AREGOING ON AND THEY'RELOOKING FORWARD TODOING SOMETHING,ANYTHING, INCLUDINGTHE SIMPLE ACT OFVOTING."THE GROUP OPENBUFFALO ANSWERSVOTER REGISTRATIONQUESTIONS ATPROTESTS."ESPECIALLY YOUNGPEOPLE STANDING UPFOR ACCOUNTABILITYAND TRANSPARENCYWITH LAWENFORCEMENTTHERE'S ALSO ANAWAKENING THATYOUNG PEOPLE ANDPEOPLE OF COLORHAVE POWER AND WECAN USE THAT POWERPOLITICALLY AS WELL."IN BUFFALO, GILATMELAMED, 7EYEWITNESS NEWS.NEW AT 1