BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) Early voting starts Saturday across New York State
for the 2022 election.
"In Erie County, we have 38 polling locations, at least one in every
town and city in the county," said GOP Elections Commissioner Ralph Mohr.
"Voters can go to any one of the polling places within the county, regardless of where you live, as long as you're a resident of Erie County."
Early voting locations in Erie CountyErie County Board of Elections
Early voting continues through Sunday, November 6 with polls open from 12-9pm weekdays and 9am - 5pm weekends.
Early voting saw its highest numbers two years ago during the presidential election. Mohr is expecting a typical gubernatorial election this time.
"Normally we would send out about 26-thousand absentee ballots and receive somewhere in the neighborhood of between 16 and 18-thousand. We're right on track with that," he said. Early voting and election day voting are expected to come in at levels experienced in 2018, during the last gubernatorial election.
Early voting was first offered in New York State in 2019. Mohr said it is
used more as a convenience for voters, rather than as a method of bringing in new voters. He said it is widely accepted among all political parties today.
A paper supply shortage is a concern for election ballots nationwide.
The 2022 election cycle will use an estimated 30 million pounds of paper, according to industry experts. Soaring demand and a shortage of manufacturers during the pandemic have pinched national stockpiles, leaving little room for error.
Mohr said that shortage has very high on his radar throughout the pandemic. "In 2020, we went as far away as Michigan and Wisconsin to get paper. Much of the paper supplies come from overseas."
He said it's been very difficult to get envelopes for absentee ballots as well as ballot paper. "We place our order well in advance and so far we've been very fortunate."
Mohr insists the paper supply is more than adequate for this election.
