After record-setting participation in an election carried out during a global pandemic, a Hudson Valley state senator says he will introduce legislation to require absentee ballots in New York be counted as they come in.
Democrat David Carlucci of the 38th District says the measure would ensure New Yorkers know race winners sooner. Many state legislative races are still up in the air with the counting of absentee ballots starting just this week.
Carlucci, who lost a Democratic primary for Congress earlier this year and therefore didn’t run to retain his seat, says the legislation will require the New York State Board of Elections to count absentee ballots as they come in and release the results after polls close on Election Day.
“We have to address the fact that now with absentee voting being over 25% of the vote, we are in a new world and have to update how we count mail in ballots," Carlucci said in a statement. "The fact that we cannot call local races until weeks after Election Day is obscure and confusing to the public. Now we need a political interpreter to tell us who might have won and who has a chance.”
Carlucci says he will introduce the measure this week.
