The City of Rye will get its first early voting center for the upcoming primary on June 25th and for the fall election cycle. It is the intent of the Westchester County Board of Elections Rye will maintain an early voting center in Rye going forward. Previously, Rye voters wanting to vote early had to drive to a center in Mamaroneck, Harrison of elsewhere in the County.
Location & Hours
The early voting center location for Rye will be the Resurrection Church’s Early Childhood Education Center at 88 Milton Road. Early voting centers are open for nine days prior to the election. In the case of the June 25th primary, the center will be open from Saturday, June 15th through Sunday, June 23rd. The hours vary by day: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:00am – 4:00pm; Tuesday and Thursday 12:00pm – 8:00pm and Saturday and Sunday 10:00am – 6:00pm.
Not Easy
Tajian M. Nelson, the Democratic commissioner at the Westchester Board of Elections said it was not easy finding a location within the City for early voting. “We just looked at a lot of different places in Rye City,” said Nelson. “Unfortunately, at first, we weren’t really getting anywhere. We contacted the City of Rye, but they weren’t willing to give us any of the City owned buildings for early voting.”
Nelson said they approach others as well including the Playland Ice Casino, another venue that passed. She said some raised concerns about hosting the voting because it runs for nine days.
She is optimistic the Resurrection location will turn into a long term early voting location in Rye. “They just want to make sure, obviously, it doesn’t interfere with any goings-on at the church,” said Nelson. “It will be the first time, but I anticipate that it will be long time. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that everyone within the City behaves well. And then yes, we plan to keep it barring any issues.”
Rye resident and Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker had been advocating for the City to get its own early voting location. “Ever since early voting began in New York, those who live in Rye have had to vote early in other municipalities,” said Parker. “We were the only city or town in Westchester without its own polling station … During our budget discussions for 2024, and given that it is a Presidential election where the greatest number of registered voters exercise their right to vote, the Westchester Board of Elections finally came around.”
