Hochul Signs Amendment to Ballot Drop Box Law
By: Joseph T. Burns
On March 20, 2025, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law a bill that clarifies that early mail ballots may be deposited by voters in ballot drop boxes.
Late last year, Gov. Hochul signed into law a bill that authorizes local Boards of Elections to allow absentee ballot drop boxes. That law, however, appeared to most to only permit absentee ballots to be returned through ballot drop boxes. In signing that law, Gov. Hochul issued an approval memorandum indicating that she had reached an agreement with the leaders of the state legislature to sign into law an amendment to the drop box law to clarify that early mail ballots may also be deposited by voters in drop boxes.
While the drop box law allows local Boards of Elections to offer drop boxes for voters to return their ballots, it does not require local Boards of Elections to offer drop boxes to voters. Additionally, voters may continue to return their absentee and early mail ballots to early voting locations, the Board of Elections, Election Day poll sites.
Finally, the New York State Board of Elections is required under the provisions of the original drop box bill to develop regulations for the use of ballot drop boxes by local Boards of Elections.
We will continue to monitor noteworthy legislation moving through the New York State Legislature during the 2025 legislative session and provide updates when appropriate.
