Albany, N.Y. — All New York voters will be able to vote by absentee ballot in the state’s primary election on June 23.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today he's issuing an executive order to allow it.
Wisconsin held its primary on Tuesday amid the coronavirus pandemic. The decision resulted in plenty of criticism and controversy.
"I've seen lines of people on television voting in other states," Cuomo said during a press briefing in Albany. "This is totally nonsensical."
People shouldn’t have to choose between their civic duty and their health, he added.
New York’s primary had previously been scheduled for April 28, but the state moved it to June due to the pandemic.
In early March, New York seemed poised to play a key role in deciding the contest for the Democratic presidential nomination between former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. But Biden continued racking up primary wins until the virus upended the election calendar.
Sanders ended his campaign earlier today, but said he’d stay on the ballot in remaining primary states. Amassing more delegates will allow him to “exert significant influence” over the eventual party platform, he said.
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