Zack Fink is reporting for NY1 [dot] com Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo confirmed in a radio interview August 19, that he is ready to sign off on legislation that would allow New York voters to request an absentee ballot because of COVID-19. “Currently, you can vote by absentee for a few reasons, one of which is illness. What this bill will do is it will redefine illness to essentially include people who are concerned [about] contracting an illness and/or spreading it,” Bronx Democratic Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz explained. “So, it’s really aimed at COVID-19.” The legislation was passed by the full Legislature last month and sets up a system for voting similar to what was used for the June 23 primary, when most New Yorkers opted to vote by absentee. The big difference for the November general election is that voters will not receive a request form automatically. They will have to contact the Board of elections to get a form to request a ballot. Read the full story at NY1 [dot] com.