Natasha Vaughn-Holdridge is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media that a new state law will change the way absentee voting works in New York. The changes are effective immediately, in time for the June primary election. Under the new law, a voter who applies for an absentee ballot can vote only by absentee or affidavit ballot. They will not be permitted to vote on the machine, either during early voting or on Election Day. “The law has changed," Columbia County Democratic Elections Commissioner Ken Dow said March 18. “So now once a person has requested an absentee ballot, not even if they sent it in, just if they sent in an application for an absentee ballot, then they are no longer allowed to vote on the machine.” He said the law will have an impact because quite often people request an absentee ballot and then, for one reason or another, don't use them. Under the previous law, even if a voter had asked for a paper ballot they were still able to vote in person. Dow said, “We’re trying to make people aware that once they ask for the absentee ballot they cannot vote on the machine. They can vote by affidavit but really my guidance would be, if you ask for an absentee ballot you should send it in.” Local boards of election officials are encouraging all voters to learn more and to understand the revisions to absentee voting before they apply to vote by absentee ballot. Read the full story at HudsonValley360n [dot] com.