New York State Voting Information & FAQ

Elections are governed by state law, so procedures and legal requirements vary from state to state. In addition, certain procedures can vary by county. This document discusses New York State procedures. The most reliable sources of information are your local election officials. Additional resources are listed at the end.

When is the election?

The 2020 General Election is Tuesday, November 3 and in New York State you can choose to vote early on any day from Saturday, October 24 through Sunday, November 1, 2020.

Looking ahead: the 2021 Primary Election is Tuesday, June 22 and you can choose to vote early on any day from Saturday, June 12 through Sunday, June 20, 2021;the 2021 General Election is Tuesday, November 2 and you can choose to vote early on any day from Saturday, October 23 through Sunday, October 31, 2021.

Am I registered to vote?

Check here to see if you are registered.

Where do I vote?

New York City voters check here to see where you can vote and to see a copy of your ballot when it is ready.

New York State voters check here.

When are poll sites open?

In New York State, on Election Day, poll sites are open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. During early voting days, the hours vary.

New York City voters check here for voting days and hours.

New York State voters check here for voting days and hours.

How do I vote?

You have choices. You can vote in person early before Election Day. You can vote in person on Election Day. You can vote by requesting and filling out an absentee ballot, which can be mailed in, or dropped off at your local Board of Elections or at any poll site during early voting or on Election Day.

How do I vote in person on Election Day?

Check your registration here.

On Election Day go to your polling place between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Sign in with a poll worker who will verify that you are registered, then give you a ballot. Mark your ballot, then deposit it in the scanning machine and your vote is counted.   

Your vote will be included in the unofficial vote totals published on the Board of Elections website as early as minutes or hours after the polls close on Election Day. These unofficial results do not include the votes of mailed-in ballots which may arrive up to 7 days after Election Day.

New York City voters check here to get the location of your Election Day poll site and to review a copy of your ballot. 

New York State voters check here.

How do I vote in person early?

Check your registration here.

In New York State you can vote early at generally uncrowded poll sites from two Saturdays before the election to the Sunday before Election Day. For the 2020 General Election, vote early from Saturday, October 24 through Sunday, November 1, 2020. 

New York City voters check here to get the hours and location of your early voting poll site and to review a copy of your ballot. 

New York State voters check here.

At the poll site, sign in with a poll worker who will verify that you are registered, then give you a ballot. Mark your ballot, then deposit it in the scanning machine and your vote is counted.   Your vote will be included in the unofficial vote totals published by on the Board of Elections website as early as minutes or hours after the polls close on Election Day. These unofficial results do not include the votes of mailed-in ballots which may arrive up to 7 days after Election Day.

Early Voting is likely to be the easiest and most convenient way for you to vote in person and avoid crowds.  Everyone who is able to vote in person should consider casting their ballot during this period.

Do I have to bring ID to the poll site?

You do not have to show identification, but, if you have it, bring the card attached to the pre-election notice you will receive from the Board of Elections, because it has a Fast Pass Tag barcode. This barcode provides a contactless way for the poll worker to find your name quickly in the electronic poll book.  But if you do not have the Fast Pass Tag, just give the poll worker your name and its spelling and they will find your name.

The one time you do have to show identification is if you are voting for the first time, and you did not provide the last four digits of your social security number or driver’s license on your registration form. You may use the following: a driver’s license or other government-issued ID, a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document that shows your name and address.

How do I vote if I want to vote by mail?

Check your registration here.

Voting by mail is a multi-step process. You must first apply for an absentee ballot by the deadline, in then receive the ballot the mail, fill it out carefully following all the instructions, then mail it to the Board of Elections by the deadline, or drop it off at a Board of Elections office or at an early voting or Election Day poll site. Once Board of Elections staff receives your ballot, it is carefully reviewed in an open, transparent process by a bipartisan team of Board of Elections staffers, observed by candidate and political party representatives, and by members of the press, in order to determine whether it complies with New York State law. Your vote will be included in the certified totals published by the Board of Elections in the weeks after the election.

You can apply for absentee if you are ill, or if you plan to be out of town on Election Day, and this year, you can apply if you are concerned about contracting or spreading COVID-19.

New York City voters check here for more information about absentee voting.

New York State voters check here.

When and how can I apply for a mail-in absentee ballot?

You can apply for your absentee ballot now. The best way to apply is to apply online.

New York City voters apply here.

New York State voters apply here.

If you are applying for an absentee ballot because of your concern about contracting or spreading an illness, select “temporary illness or physical disability” as your reason for requesting an absentee ballot.

You can also submit an application by mail, email, fax, telephone, or in person. You can submit application by mail using this form.  This application is available in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Bengali, and in an accessible format. You can mail your application or drop it off at your local Board of Elections office.  New York City offices are listed here. Offices for other counties in New York State are listed here.

The online application is the safest way to apply because it is quickest and because you enter your own information into the absentee ballot system. Other applications must be entered into the system by hand by BOE staff.

If you are mailing your application for an absentee ballot, it must be postmarked by October 27, 2020.  If you are applying online, emailing, or faxing your application, that application must be submitted by October 27, 2020.  Mail can be delayed. The sooner you apply the better.

You can apply and submit your application in person at a Board of Elections office until November 2, 2020, but if you did not apply for an absentee ballot earlier, early voting which begins October 24 would be a better choice. 

When does my absentee ballot have to be mailed?

Absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day, November 3, 2020 (Election Day) and must be received by November 10, 2020. If you are mailing your ballot, you should mail it as soon as you have completed it.  If you are mailing it close to Election Day, take it to the post office and ask for a postmark (instead of dropping it in a street mailbox), or drop it off at a polling place on Election Day or during the Early Voting period. Look up your polling places here.

Do I have to mail my absentee ballot or can I drop it off somewhere?

If you would rather not put your absentee ballot in the mail, you have three options for dropping it off.

First, you can drop off your absentee ballot at any Board of Elections office.  You have until 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 (Election Day) to drop off your ballot. New York City offices are listed here. Offices for other counties in New York State are listed here

Second, between Saturday, October 24, 2020 and Sunday, November 1, 2020 you can drop off your absentee ballot at your early voting polling site.

Third, on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 (Election Day) you can drop off your absentee ballot at any polling site.

New York City poll site locations are here. New York State poll site locations are here.

What happens if I don’t receive my absentee ballot?

Go vote in person. New York law allows you to vote in person even if you requested or even mailed in an absentee ballot. This is because absentee ballots are counted after Election Day. Before any absentee ballot is counted, a bi-partisan team of BOE staff, in a transparent process with representatives of candidates, political parties, and the press present, review each absentee ballot to determine whether the ballot meets the requirements of the law. One of the first things they check is whether the person who submitted the absentee ballot voted in person. If so, the absentee ballot is put aside and not counted.

Can I vote twice?

No. If you mail in an absentee ballot and then go vote in person, your absentee ballot will not count. Absentee ballots are not counted until after election day. A bi-partisan team of BOE staff, in a transparent process with representatives of candidates, political parties, and the press present, review each absentee ballot to determine whether the ballot meets the requirements of the law. One of the first things they check is whether the person who submitted the absentee ballot voted in person. If so, the absentee ballot is put aside and not counted.

What are unofficial election results?

Unofficial vote totals, posted on the Board of Elections website on the night of Election Day include only the votes of those people who voted in person, who marked their paper ballots and deposited them in a scanning machine at a poll site on Election Day or during the Early Voting period. Unofficial Election Night results do not include the votes of people who voted by absentee ballot. By law, the Board of Elections reviews and counts valid absentee ballots that arrive by mail up to 7 days after Election Day, so these numbers cannot be included in Election Night results.

What are official certified election results?

Certified election results are posted on the Board of Elections website 3-4 weeks after the election. These results have undergone audits required by New York State law and include both the votes of those who voted in person and those who voted by mail. By law, the Board of Elections will review and count valid absentee ballots that arrive by mail up to 7 days after Election Day. Certified results are reviewed by Board of Elections staff and certified by Board of Elections Commissioners.

How do I register to vote?

There are three ways to register in New York State:

• Online through the Department of Motor Vehicles.
• In-person at your county board of elections, at a number of other state agencies or at the Department of Motor Vehicles.
• By completing an application online (English; Spanish), printing it and mailing to your county board of elections or
• By filling out a paper application and mailing it. Register online if you can. Mail delivery can delay your application. In addition, when you send in a paper application, a Board of Elections staffer must type your information into the system. Mistakes can occur.
• New York City Voters check here for instructions.
• New York State voters check here.

When is the deadline to register to vote?

For the November 2020 general election, the deadline is October 9.

• Online or in-person applications must be submitted by October 9, 2020.
• Mailed applications must be postmarked no later than October 9, 2020 and received by a Board of Elections no later than October 14, 2020. Mail delivery can delay your application. If you are planning to register to vote by mail, do so as soon as possible.

What if I am registered, but I have moved?

To update your voter registration in advance of the November 2020 general election, the county Board of Elections must receive a change of address notice by October 14, 2020. Keep in mind that mail deliver may be delayed and adjust your plans accordingly. 

Update your address:

• If you have a valid ID from the Department of Motor Vehicles you can update your information through the Department of Motor Vehicle’s website.
• Download a voter registration application here or here and fill it out completely and truthfully, including with your current address (in Section 8) and your prior address in Section 12 and drop it off at a Board of Elections office or mail it far in advance of the October 14 deadline for the Board to receive it.
• Submit a change of address form to the United States Postal Service. The Board of Elections will receive notification of this change of address, but may not receive it before the election.

If you moved, check your registration status in advance of the election to ensure the change of address was processed. If the change of address was not processed (or not submitted by the deadline) you may still vote:

• Vote at the polling place assigned to your new address. Your name will not show up in the poll book, and you will be asked to fill out an affidavit ballot.
• Fill out the affidavit carefully, truthfully answer all the questions and sign and date where indicated. Be sure to check the applicable box in Section B of the affidavit ballot envelope. The information you provide on an affidavit ballot serves as a change of address for subsequent elections.

I was convicted of a crime, can I vote?

If you were convicted of a misdemeanor your right to vote was not affected. Check your registration here.

In New York, if you were incarcerated for a felony conviction and have completed parole or your maximum sentence has expired, your voting rights are restored. You must re-register to vote, but you do not need any special documentation to register.

Due to a 2018 executive order by Governor Cuomo, voting rights were also restored to many persons on parole. To determine if you are eligible, discuss with your parole officer or attorney and review the information on the websites below:

New York Civil Liberties Union: https://www.nyclu.org/en/issues/voting/voting-rights-new-yorkers-felony-convictions

New York State Court System: https://www.nycourts.gov/courthelp/Criminal/votingConsequences.shtml

New York State: https://www.ny.gov/services/apply-clemency

Click on Voting Restoration Pardons in left hand column.

To find out more, enter your name at Parolee Lookup: https://publicapps.doccs.ny.gov/ParoleeLookup/default. Look for the “Voting Pardon Issued” section.  Discuss with your parole officer or your attorney.

How do I become a Poll Worker?

Becoming a poll worker is a way to protect democracy while getting paid.

New York City poll worker applications are here.

New York State poll worker applications are here.

Additional Resources

• New York City Board of Elections: https://www.vote.nyc/
• New York State Board of Elections: https://www.elections.ny.gov/
• New York State County Boards of Elections: https://www.elections.ny.gov/CountyBoards.html
• League of Women Voters https://www.vote411.org/
• National Task Force on Election Crises: https://www.electiontaskforce.org/

• The National Task Force on Election Crises is a diverse, cross-partisan group of more than 50 experts in election law, election administration, national security, cybersecurity, voting rights, civil rights, technology, media, public health, and emergency response. The Task Force’s core mission is to ensure a free and fair 2020 presidential election by recommending responses to a range of election crises. Our focus is ensuring that the election runs smoothly during challenging circumstances, that disputes are handled in a way that maximizes confidence in the outcome, and that there is a peaceful transition or continuation of power on January 20, 2021. The only electoral outcome the Task Force advocates is that the election is free and fair. The mission of protecting a free and fair 2020 election transcends party and ideology.

• Rock the Vote: https://www.rockthevote.org/
• Yvote.org: https://yvoteny.org/

• YVote is sparking a cross-partisan youth voting movement through which young people connect their passions and beliefs with how they can make a difference, at and beyond the ballot box.

• Ballotpedia: https://ballotpedia.org/Main_Page