Voting by mail passes court, NASCAR racing, casino expansion

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Without further ado, here's an update on how the state's highest court ruled on voting by mail.

NY voters can opt for mail ballots this fall

The law made New York one of 36 states in the U.S. that allow or require all voters to vote by mail. It made permanent a practice used in New York elections for three years during the pandemic, when everyone was given the ability to request absentee ballots. That temporary step ended with the November 2022 election .

The Republican lawsuit, led by New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, argued the mail-ballot law violated part of the state constitution that allows voters to request absentee ballots if they're sick or disabled or away from home on Election Day. They said that meant all other voters must vote in person, preventing a broad expansion of mail voting.

But a state judge in Albany discounted that argument in February, ruling that the constitution didn't prevent state lawmakers from creating "alternative voting methods." Republicans lost their appeals in the Appellate Division in May and in the Court of Appeals on Tuesday.

Read more about the court's decision in this story .

Here's some more of what you need to know today

• Racing heaven : For three weeks starting in late August, and continuing through mid-September, Watkins Glen and the surrounding area will be a racing heaven, extending the tourism season through the final days of summer, according to Dawn Burlew, president of Watkins Glen International. Find out more about the NASCAR race in this article .
• Casino expansion : The Oneida Indian Nation broke ground at Point Place Casino to kick off a major expansion at the property, officials announced Tuesday. Find out more about the expansion and when construction may be completed in this article
• Firearm thefts : The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, in conjunction with the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms industry, is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the theft of firearms from MD Arms, McLain’s Sporting Goods, Denver’s Firearms, AJ Archery, all federal firearms licensees. Read more on the thefts in this article .

This article originally appeared on Ithaca Journal: Voting by mail passes court, NASCAR racing, casino expansion