Top N.Y. court upholds mail-in voting, RFK Jr. appeal arguments set

And a fresh round of bills have been sent to Hochul.

Good afternoon — it’s Tuesday and National Radio Day.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2024

TODAY’S CAPCON:

• New York’s top court rejected a legal challenge to a recently enacted law that allows voting by mail ahead of elections.

• Long Island is asking Hochul for help after a devastating storm over the weekend.

• Arguments have now been set in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s appeal of a decision that invalidated his petition signatures in New York.

• More bills have been sent to Hochul.

🌧️ Tonight’s Weather: Albany: Mostly cloudy, low 50s. New York City: Mostly clear, high 50s. (National Weather Service)

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(John Carl D'Annibale/Times Union)

⚖️ Top N.Y. court upholds early mail-in voting law passed by Democrats last year

☑️ There is no requirement in the state constitution that voters appear in person to cast their ballot, the Court of Appeals ruled.

Voters in New York have been allowed to vote early by mail in two elections: the presidential primary in April and the remaining primary elections in June.

But while that was happening, a legal challenge to the state law that gave voters that option this year was making its way through the courts.

U.S. Rep. Elise STEFANIK had sued to have it struck down, arguing that the state constitution requires voters to cast their ballots in person unless they can’t physically make it to the polls in an election.

• She argued that allowing voting by mail could lead to voter fraud, where someone impersonates a voter to unlawfully mail in a ballot on their behalf.

The case — which was also brought by the state Republican Party and the Republican National Committee — was rejected in May by a state appellate court. Stefanik appealed that.

But that ended today: New York’s top court, the Court of Appeals, ruled against Stefanik and upheld the law, called the Early Mail Voter Act, as constitutional.