What is the Village, and what is the Town?
New York State is divided into counties (every spot in the state is in one and only one county), and all New York counties other than the five counties of New York City are divided into towns and cities. Since Greene County has no “cities,” it is divided into towns, such that every spot in the county is in one and only one town. If you are reading this page, you probably live in the Town of Athens. Our neighboring towns are Catskill, Coxsackie, and Cairo. The most densely populated parts of the Town of Athens are incorporated into the Village of Athens, which has, among other things, water/sewer and police services. You can read more about New York State administrative districts here on Wikipedia.
The Village and the Town each has a government, which oversees different parts of local administration. The Village is run by a Board of Trustees, headed by a Mayor, while the Town is run by a Board of Councilmen, headed by a Supervisor. You can read more about the Village and Town governments on the village page and the town page.
Village elections are in March, while Town elections happen in November.
When is the registration deadline?
The registration deadline for the March 15 village elections is March 4, and so you should register or change your registration as soon as possible. If you’re unsure about your registration status, you can check it here: https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov
Can I vote absentee?
Yes, if one of following applies:
- Absent from Greene County on Election Day (including, for example, if you are traveling or away for work).
- Unable to appear at the polls due to temporary or permanent illness or disability (temporary illness includes being unable to appear due to risk of contracting or spreading a communicable disease like COVID-19).
- Unable to appear because you are the primary care giver of one or more individuals who are ill or physically disabled.
- A resident or patient of a Veterans Health Administration Hospital.
- Detained in jail awaiting Grand Jury action or confined in prison after conviction for an offense other than a felony.
Simply fill out an absentee ballot application and mail it to Greene County Board of Elections, 411 Main Street, Catskill NY, 12414. Don’t delay!
Should I vote in Athens even if I still maintain a residence somewhere else, like in New York City?
The New York Election Law defines “residence” as “that place where a person maintains a fixed, permanent and principal home and to which he, wherever temporarily located, always intends to return.” N.Y. Election Law §§ 5-102 and 1-104(22). The word “permanent” requires only physical presence and an intention to remain for the time at least.
The key case from New York State’s highest court regarding second-home owners’ voting rights is Ferguson v. McNab, 60 N.Y.2d 598 (N.Y. 1983), which held that a person having two residences “may choose one to which she has legitimate, significant and continuing attachments as her residence for purposes of the Election Law.” A more recent case affirmed that what matters is not the address on a tax return or a driver’s license, but a homeowner’s “intent” and personal connection to a home, even if the voter stays only on weekends and holidays.