On March 28, 2022, Governor Hochul signed into law a bill that renews the amendments to the Education Law relating to absentee ballots through Jan. 1, 2023. This bill extends the provision that allows voters to apply for an absentee ballot when they are unable to appear personally at the polling place of the school district in which they are a qualified voter because there is a risk of contracting or spreading a disease that may cause illness to the voter or to the other members of the public. This law allows for fear of contracting COVID to be an allowable reason for an absentee ballot.