Election 2020: Astoria And Long Island City Voter Guide

Maya Kaufman
Updated ·4 min read

QUEENS, NY — Election Day 2020 is nearly here, and the presidential election isn't the only thing on the ballot.

A slate of local offices have contested elections this fall, including congressional and state Senate and Assembly races.

Patch has put together a brief rundown of the local races that affect residents in the Astoria and Long Island City area, plus information on when and where to cast your ballot.

What's On the Ballot?

Below are the major races that include Astoria and Long Island City, but be sure to check which legislative districts you live in to find out which candidates will be on your specific ballot. See the full list of candidates and races on the ballot here.

  • 12th Congressional District: U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, a Democrat who has represented parts of Manhattan and Western Queens in Congress since 1993, is seeking another term. She is being challenged by Carlos Santiago-Cano, running on the Republican and Conservative party lines, as well as Libertarian Steven Kolln.

  • 14th Congressional District: U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's first bid for re-election has reportedly become the second most expensive House race in the country. She is up against Republican challenger John C. Cummings and Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, who will be on the ballot on the Serve America Movement, or SAM, party line.

  • Queens Borough President: Voters will get to choose between Democratic nominee Donovan Richards, who represents Southeast Queens and the Rockaways in the City Council; Republican Joann Ariola, the chair of the Queens County Republican Party; and Bayside businessman Dao Yin, who is running on the "Red Dragon" line.

State Sen. Michael Gianaris, Assembly Member Catherine Nolan and Zohran Kwame Mamdani, who defeated Assembly Member Aravella Simotas in the Democratic primary in June, are all running opposed.

How To Vote

New York offers a variety of ways to vote in the Nov. 3 election, from going to the polls that day to early voting to absentee ballots.

Any option, of course, depends on whether New Yorkers are registered to vote — and city dwellers can check here.

Absentee voting

Concerned about going to the polls with the coronavirus pandemic still going strong? New York has you covered.

Any New York voter concerned about the coronavirus can request an absentee ballot.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot online, by email or fax is Oct. 27. Requests by regular mail must be postmarked by Oct. 27 as well. Nov. 2 is the last day to request an absentee ballot in person.

An online application can be found here, and voters can track their ballots by clicking here.

Ballots have already started to go out, albeit with some problems in New York City. Be sure to check whether your name and address is correct on the ballot before you fill it out.

Once you fill out the ballot, fold it and put it in a smaller envelope. Sign and date the back of the envelope, seal it and put it in the larger envelope addressed to the Board of Elections. The ballot can then be mailed or delivered to the city's Board of Elections office.

Click here for more information from the BOE on absentee voting.

Early voting

New Yorkers have nine days to cast their ballots early, from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1.

Times vary by day, so it's best to check the BOE's early voting schedule here. The site also includes a way to find your assigned early voting location, which is not always the same as each voter's assigned Election Day polling place.

Voters can type their information into this poll finder website to find their early voting location, as well as their Election Day polling location.

Likewise, the New York State Board of Elections website has a tool that shows voter information and links to polling locations.

An absentee ballot must be postmarked by Election Day and must reach the Board of Elections no more than 7 days after the election to be counted.

Voting On Nov. 3

Call it classic voting.

Voters who choose to vote on Election Day itself can find their polling location by clicking here.

What Happens After Nov. 3?

Experts predict results could take longer to get counted than other elections because of the coronavirus. Sit back, be patient and check Patch for updates.

Matt Troutman contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on the Astoria-Long Island City Patch