Military and Overseas (Federal) Voting
The General Election will be held on November 3, 2026
The early voting period will be Saturday, October 24 through Sunday, November 1, 2026
MilitaryOverseas Civilian Voting (Special Federal & UOCAVA)Instructions on Marking Your BallotAdditional Hours for Absentee & Early Mail VotingCheck the Status of Your BallotTo Cancel Your Absentee ApplicationAdditional Information
Military Voting
Qualifications
- Persons serving in the military, along with their spouses and/or dependents, may register as a military voter in New York, entitling them to receive an absentee ballot for all federal, state and local races that they would be otherwise entitled to vote in if they were to go to their assigned polling place based on their New York residence.
Registering/Applying for a Ballot
- To register as a new military voter and/or to request an absentee ballot, you must complete a Federal Post Card Application and return it to the Putnam County Board of Elections, 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512.
- This application will register you (if not already registered) and will also serve as your absentee ballot application for 2 federal general election cycles.
- Always be sure to share any change of address information with the Putnam County Board of Elections, 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512
- Applications are available from your Voting Assistance Officer on base, or you can visit either the Federal Voting Assistance Program Website for forms and information.
- On this application, you may state a preference as to how you would like to receive your ballot. You can choose mail, fax or email as a preferred method of transmission.
- If you have stated a preference to receive your voting materials by email/online, you will receive an email notification directing you to the State’s online ballot delivery site, https://nysballot.elections.ny.gov to access your ballot.
- QUESTIONS?? Call the Putnam County Board of Elections at (845) 808-1300 or the Federal Voter Assistance Program at 1-800-438-8683, or contact your Voting Assistance Officer or US Embassy office or Consulate, or email the Putnam County Board of Elections at putnamcountyelections@putnamcountyny.gov.
Returning Your Ballot
- Regardless of the method in which you receive your ballot, you must return your ballot to the Putnam County Board of Elections, 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512 by personal delivery, postal mail or certain private delivery services .
- If you have requested your ballot, but have not yet received it, you may use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot and return that to the Putnam County Board of Elections, 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512
Tracking Your Ballot
- You can utilize New York’s Military and Overseas Ballot Tracking Website to track when your ballot has been received by the Putnam County Board of Elections.
Military Deadlines
FOR 2026 GENERAL ELECTION (NOVEMBER 3)
|
Date |
Deadline Information |
|---|---|
| October 24 | Last day for a board of elections to receive application for absentee ballot by mail if NOT previously registered. Sec. 10-106(5). |
| October 27 | Last day for a board of elections to receive application for absentee ballot by mail if previously registered. Sec. 10-106(5). |
| November 2 | Last day to apply for absentee ballot in person if previously registered. Sec 10-106(5). |
| November 3 | Last day to postmark return ballot. Must be received by the local board of elections no later than November 16th. Sec 10-114(1). |
Overseas Civilian Voting
(Special Federal Voters/Uniformed & Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act Voters)
Qualifications
- United States citizens living outside of the United States whose intent to return is uncertain and whose last U.S. residence was in New York, along with their children, may register as a special federal voter in New York, entitling them to receive an absentee ballot for all federal races (President/Vice President, U.S. Senate and House of Representatives) that they would otherwise be entitled to vote in based on your New York address.
- United States citizens living outside of the United States who intend to return and whose last U.S. residence was in New York, along with their children, may register as a UOCAVA voter in New York, entitling them to receive an absentee ballot for all races on the ballot that they would otherwise be entitled to vote in based on your New York address.
Registering/Applying for a Ballot
- To register as a new overseas voter and/or to request an absentee ballot, you must complete a Federal Post Card Application and return it to the Putnam County Board of Elections, 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512.
- This application will register you (if not already registered) and will also serve as your absentee ballot application for 2 federal general election cycles.
- Always be sure to share any change of address information with the Putnam County Board of Elections, 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512
- You can visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program Website for forms and information.
- On this application, you may state a preference as to how you would like to receive your ballot. You can choose mail, fax or email as a preferred method of transmission.
- If you have stated a preference to receive your voting materials by email/online, you will receive an email notification directing you to the State’s online ballot delivery site, https://nysballot.elections.ny.gov to access your ballot.
- If you move back to the US, contact the Putnam County Board of Elections, to have your registration reflect that change.
- QUESTIONS?? Call the Putnam County Board of Elections at (845) 808-1300 or the Federal Voter Assistance Program at 1-800-438-8683, or contact your Voting Assistance Officer or US Embassy office or Consulate, or email the Putnam County Board of Elections at putnamcountyelections@putnamcountyny.gov.
Returning Your Ballot
- Regardless of the method in which you receive your ballot, you must return your ballot to the Putnam County Board of Elections, 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512 by personal delivery, postal mail or certain private delivery services.
- If you have requested your ballot, but have not yet received it, you may use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot and return that to the Putnam County Board of Elections, 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY 10512.
Tracking Your Ballot
- You can utilize New York’s Military and Overseas Ballot Tracking Website to track when your ballot has been received by the Putnam County Board of Elections.
Overseas Civilian Voting Deadlines
FOR 2026 GENERAL ELECTION (NOVEMBER 3)
Date |
Deadline Information |
| October 24 | Last day for a board of elections to receive application for Special Federal/UOCAVA ballot for general by mail if NOT previously registered. Sec. 11-202(1)(a). |
| October 27 | Last day for a board of elections to receive application for Special Federal/UOCAVA ballot for general by mail if previously registered. Sec. 11-202(1)(b). |
| November 3 | Last day to postmark Special Federal/UOCAVA ballot for general. Must be received by the local board of elections no later than November 16th. Sec. 11-212. |
For additional Early Vote by Mail/Absentee hours, please click here.
Para conocer las horas adicionales de votación anticipada por correo/en ausencia click here.
To Check the Status of Your Absentee or Early Mail Application and/or Ballot Click Here
To cancel your absentee/early mail ballot application please click here.
Additional Absentee/Early Mail Ballot Information
Due to a change in law, New York State voters are no longer permitted to cast a ballot on a voting machine if they have already been issued an absentee/early mail ballot for that election.
Voters who have already been issued an absentee/early mail ballot can still vote in person using an affidavit ballot. The affidavit ballot will be kept separate until the election is completed. Election officials will verify whether the voter’s absentee/early mail ballot has been received. If the voter’s absentee/early mail ballot has been received, the affidavit ballot will not be counted. If the voter’s absentee/early mail ballot has not been received, the affidavit ballot will be counted.
If a voter requests a second absentee/early mail ballot, any previously issued absentee/early mail ballot that is returned by the voter will be set aside unopened to provide the voter a chance to return the second ballot, unless the first ballot has already been opened. If both ballots are received before the return deadline, the ballot with the later postmark date is accepted and any other ballots that have been received are rejected, unless the first ballot has already been opened. If a voter submits more than one timely absentee/early mail ballot and cast an affidavit ballot, the last received ballot, either submitted in person during the election or by mail within the absentee/early mail ballot return deadline, will be canvassed.