More than 256,000 people voted early for the first time in New York this year, according to unofficial numbers released on Sunday by the state Board of Elections.

New Yorkers this year were able to cast their ballots prior to Election Day after state lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo this year approved the change to the state’s election law.

It’s a major shift in how New Yorkers vote and catches the state up with nearly the rest of the country, both Republican and Democratic-leaning states alike.

Turnout for the nine days early voting was in effect was 1.9 percent of the electorate for a year of nearly all local elections, according to the Board of Elections.

It’s not clear if that should be considered high or low turnout and more people are expected to vote next year, given the presidential race.

In the first weekend alone, 50,000 people voted. There was a daily average of 26,500 people who voted early over the nine days, Oct. 26 through Nov. 3.

New York City averaged 6,700 voters a day, with turnout at 1.4 percent. Unofficial turnout there was 2.4 percent.

Turnout was heaviest on the final day in some counties, with 795 voting in Albany, 1,215 people voting in Dutchess and 2,033 people voting in Monroe County.

Voting advocates, including the League of Women Voters, have been watching how people have voted in the first year to determine if any changes are needed.

Already some lawmakers want to make changes to the law to ensure polling sites are located in densely population areas after Rensselaer County did not make the city of Troy, which has a mayoral race, a voting station.