New Yorkers to choose who runs against Elise Stefanik in this month's primary election
On Aug. 23, registered North Country New York voters of the Democratic Party will be able to vote in the primary U.S. House congressional race.
New Yorkers have until Aug. 11 to register to vote or to change their registered parties.
No matter where someone lives in New York’s 21st District, all ballots look the same for the upcoming primary election.
“You have the choice of who’s going to be on the ballot in November to run against the opponent, the Republican opponent in this case," said Brandi Lloyd with the Clinton County Board of Elections.
To make sure every voter has the accessibility they need to cast their vote by primary election day on Aug. 23, all absentee ballots this year are pre-stamped.
Early voting in Clinton County goes from Aug. 13 to 21. Even though the deadline to request an absentee ballot has passed, someone can still show up in person or send someone else on their behalf to request an absentee ballot.
All absentee ballots must be mailed in by Aug. 23.
“If you stopped by on a day that there’s early voting, you’re more than welcome to vote while you’re here because the early voting site is the room next to our office," said Hunter Sartwell with the Clinton County Board of Elections. "But you may not be well informed on the candidates. You might want to take the ballot back with you, do some research.”
Registered Democratic voters can either choose between Matt Putorti or Matt Castelli to face off with Elise Stefanik for New York’s 21st U.S. House seat in November. Both candidates are New York natives and support lowering costs for working families and abortion rights.
Putorti voiced his additional support for the ban of assault weapons on the federal level.
“It is fundamental to reducing gun violence in our communities and keeping people safe. I'm not afraid to say it, I'm not making any particular calculation about it. Because one, it’s the right thing to do, and two, it is a measure that’s broadly supported,” he said.
Castelli used this his to talk about his concern over health care accessibility.
“How do we pay for health care, how do we access it? We have significant distances, we’ve got clinics that have been closing, lack of primary care, lack of childcare. So when we expand this definition of care, it's not just about our health care, it’s about our mental health,” he said.
New Yorkers can look up polling site locations on the New York Board of Elections website.