Voting & Elections Toolkits

Deadline

• Voter registration deadlines.

In person

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.

New York State Voter Registration Form

• You may register to vote using the New York State Voter Registration Form accessible 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.
  • Complete English Form On-line ( pdf 306KB)
  • Complete Spanish Form On-LIne ( pdf 310KB)
  • 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 county board of elections.
• You can also complete an Accessible 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.
  • Accessible English Form On-line
  • Accessible Spanish Form On-Line
  • Once the form is completed, you need to print the form and sign and date it. Then, mail the form to your county board of elections.

Online registration

• You may also submit your voter application form at the Department of Motor Vehicles, either in person or on their web site if you already have DMV-issued identification.

Victims of Domestic Violence

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)

Updating registration      

To update registration after a move, name change, or change of political party affiliation, use the voter registration form: English and Spanish

ID Requirements for Voting

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:

Where to get an ID

Department of Motor Vehicles

• Locations

Obtaining an ID

• Driver's License
• Obtaining a non-driver photo ID

Absentee voting

Who is eligible to use an absentee ballot?

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.

• Unable to appear at the polls due to temporary or permanent illness or disability; or because you are the primary care giver of one or more individuals who are ill or physically disabled.
• A resident or patient of a Veterans Health Administration Hospital.
• Detained in jail awaiting Grand Jury action or confined in prison after conviction for an offense other than a felony.

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

• Download English Form ( 485KB)
• Download Spanish Form ( 521KB)

More info regarding Absentee Voting.

Polling places and hours

• Use the Polling Place Locator to find your polling place.
• Primary Elections

  • 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.

Rides to the polls

Many organizations offer free rides to polling places. Some of these include:

• Lyft provides free or discounted rides in some underserved communities  Lyft is offering 50% off up to $10 in ride credits to help people in need get to the polls. Enter code VOTE22 in the Lyft app. Offer available on November 8, 2022 only
• Political parties sometimes arrange rides for voters. Contact the local office:
  • Republican Party
  • Democratic Party: info@nydems.org

Help for voters with disabilities

• 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.

Ballots

NYC Voters' Guide - nonpartisan guide to candidates and referenda on the ballot.

Who are the candidates, and what else is on the ballot?

• The New York City Campaign Finance Board produces the nonpartisan NYC Voter Guide, which provides profiles submitted by each candidate and information about state and local ballot proposals.

Important Dates

November 8 General Election Day 

Oct 24 Last day for board of elections to receive absentee ballot application by letter, telefax, or through the absentee request portal.

Nov 7 Last day to apply IN-PERSON for absentee ballot.

Nov 8 Last day to postmark ballot. Must be received by the local board of elections no later than Nov. 15th. Military Voter Ballots must be received no later than Nov. 21st.  Also last day to deliver ballot IN-PERSON to the local board of elections or to any poll site in your county

Who conducts elections?

• New York's State Board of Elections was established in the Executive Department June 1, 1974 as a bipartisan agency vested with the responsibility for administration and enforcement of all laws relating to elections in New York State

NYS Voters Bill of Rights

Where to go with complaints about candidates or how elections are conducted

If you wish to file a complaint or inquire about enforcement action you may contact the Enforcement Counsel at:

Campaign finance

New 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.

How to contact your elected officials:

Find your elected officials.