Eligibility to Register to Vote
To qualify for voter registration in New York State, you must:
Unsure if you are already registered to vote, please check here.
You can register in person at your county board of elections, at any New York State Agency-Based voter registration center, or at the Department of Motor Vehicles.
pdf 306KB) pdf 310KB)N.Y. Election Law (5-508) allows victims of domestic violence to apply for a confidential registration by delivering a sworn statement to their local county Board of Elections stating they are a victim of domestic violence and they wish to have their voter registration record kept confidential because of the threat of physical or emotional harm to themselves or a family or household member. Their voter registration record will be kept separate and apart from other registration records for four years and not be made available for inspection or copying by the public or any other person, except election officials acting within the course and scope of their official duties. Under a separate section of the law (11-306), they can also be excused from going to their polling place to vote and get a special ballot. For further information, please contact your local board of elections for their confidential registration and special ballot procedures.
New York State Statement of Confidential Voter ( pdf 138KB)
To register online you will need to use a NY.Gov ID. If you have previously used a NY.Gov ID with another agency, you may use the same login to access the Online Voter Registration portal. If you have not used a NY.Gov ID you will need to create an account.
You can also use the Board of Elections’ Online Voter Registration portal to update your voter registration information. Updated information could include a new name, new address, or changing your party enrollment.
Completed applications are sent to the appropriate County Board of Elections for approval and processing.
You may register to vote using the New York State Voter Registration Form found at the links below. You can complete a PDF version of the New York State Voter Registration Form on-line by clicking on the link below, typing the necessary information and selecting the appropriate boxes. Alternatively, you can print the form to complete by hand.
New York State Voter Registration Form
New York State Voter Registration Form English
New York State Voter Registration Form Spanish
Once the form is completed, you need to print the form and sign it. We cannot accept any kind of digital or Adobe-generated signature. Then, mail the form to your local county board of elections.
Returning Your Form
Once the form is completed, you need to print the form and sign and date it. Forms can be returned either in-person or by mail.
If the County Board of Elections is unable to verify your identity when you register, you will be asked for ID when you vote for the first time. Otherwise, you will not need to bring any ID to the polls.
First time voters must provide identification either on or with their voter registration application. If you have not provided ID by Election Day, you are still allowed to vote by affidavit ballot, but not using the poll site scanner. Acceptable ID includes entering one of the following on your Voter Registration Application:
Driver's license number
Non-driver's ID number
Last four digits of your social security number
If you do not provide your driver's license number or the last four digits of your social security number on your registration form, you can include a copy of any of the following documentation with your registration application:
Department of Motor Vehicles
Obtaining an ID
Application must be received by a board of elections no later than March 23, 2024 to be eligible to vote in the Presidential Primary.
You may register at your local board of elections or any state agency participating in the National Voter Registration Act, on any business day throughout the year but, to be eligible to vote in the Presidential Primary, your application must be received no later than March 23, 2024.
An application to change one’s party enrollment for any primary election in 2024 must be received by the board of elections no later than February 14, 2024.
Application must be received by a board of elections no later than April 20, 2024 to be eligible to vote in the Special.
You may register at your local board of elections or any state agency participating in the National Voter Registration Act, on any business day throughout the year but, to be eligible to vote in the Special Election, your application must be received no later than April 20, 2024.
Application must be received by a board of elections no later than June 15, 2024 to be eligible to vote in the Primary.
You may register at your local board of elections or any state agency participating in the National Voter Registration Act, on any business day throughout the year but, to be eligible to vote in the State and Local Primary, your application must be received no later than June 15, 2024.
Applications must be received by a board of elections no later than October 26, 2024 to be eligible to vote in the General Election.
You may register at your local board of elections or any state agency participating in the National Voter Registration Act, on any business day throughout the year but, to be eligible to vote in the General Election, your application must be received no later than October 26, 2024.
There are several ways to vote in New York State, including in-person and early voting. Those voting by absentee ballot or military and overseas voting must adhere to specific deadlines per election.
Early Vote By Mail Application and Deadlines
In order to apply for and receive an absentee ballot, you must meet one of the following requirements:
Absent from your county or, if a resident of New York City absent from said city, on Election Day.
Applications for Absentee Ballots are available at your county board of elections.
You may also download a PDF version of the New York State Absentee Ballot Application Form
More info regarding Absentee Voting.
In New York City and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess and Erie, POLLS OPEN AT 6 AM - CLOSE AT 9 PM. In all other counties, POLLS OPEN AT 12 NOON and CLOSE AT 9 PM.
General Elections
Polls are open from 6 am - 9 pm.
Many organizations offer free rides to polling places. Some of these include:
The New York State Board of Elections is committed to providing exemplary assistance to all voters, including those with access needs. Any voter who requests assistance is entitled to receive it, regardless of the reason.
In addition to poll worker training, we also strive to serve all voters by creating accessible polling places.
The New York State Board of Elections has also made registering to vote accessible to all voters by offering multiple methods for completing a Voter Registration Form on their Voter Registration page.
More info regarding Voter Access Needs.
NYC Voters' Guide - nonpartisan guide to candidates and referenda on the ballot.
Jurisdiction |
Offices/Measures That May Appear on the Ballot |
| Federal (even years) |
President/Vice-President (elected every four years; next election in 2024) Senator (elected every six years for staggered terms; next election in 2028) Representative (elected every two years) |
| State (even years) |
Governor/Lieutenant Governor, State Comptroller, Attorney General (elected every four years; next election in 2026) State Senator (elected every two years) Assembly Member (elected every two years) Statewide ballot measures |
Application must be received by a board of elections no later than June 15, 2024 to be eligible to vote in the Primary.
You may register at your local board of elections or any state agency participating in the National Voter Registration Act, on any business day throughout the year but, to be eligible to vote in the State and Local Primary, your application must be received no later than June 15, 2024.
An application to change one’s party enrollment for any primary election in 2024 must be received by the board of elections no later than February 14, 2024.
Applications must be received by a board of elections no later than October 26, 2024 to be eligible to vote in the General Election.
You may register at your local board of elections or any state agency participating in the National Voter Registration Act, on any business day throughout the year but, to be eligible to vote in the General Election, your application must be received no later than October 26, 2024.
There are several ways to vote in New York State, including in-person and early voting. Those voting by absentee ballot or military and overseas voting must adhere to specific deadlines per election.
Early Vote By Mail Application and Deadlines
Absentee Ballot Application and Voting Deadlines
Military and Overseas Application and Voting Deadlines
If you wish to file a complaint or inquire about enforcement action you may contact the Enforcement Counsel at:
Chief Enforcement CounselNew York State's Board of Elections maintains a Campaign Finance portal that provides info on campaign finance news & laws for candidates & committees for New York State.
1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) (en Español)
1-888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683) (Asian multilingual assistance)
1-844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287) (Arabic)
Find useful voter information including:
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