New York

Election Day: Polls are open from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM eastern standard time on Election Day, or until the last person in line by 9:00 PM has voted. 

Early Voting: Polling place hours vary by early voting site, so voters should check their County Board of Elections website.

How to Find Your Polling Place for Election Day: Voters are required to go to their assigned polling place. New York City residents should visit the New York City Board of Elections website and enter their residential address.  Residents of other counties in New York should visit New York State Board of Elections website.  

How to Find Your Polling Place for Early Voting: New York City residents are required to go to their assigned early voting site.  To find polling places for early voting in New York City, go to the New York City Board of Elections website.  Residents of other counties in New York may vote at any of the early voting centers in the county where they reside.  To find polling places elsewhere in New York state, go to the New York State Board of Elections website.

Registration Deadlines

• For registration deadlines, see How to Register below.

How to Check Your Registration: Voters can determine whether they are registered to vote at the following link: Am I Registered?.

You are eligible to vote in New York if you:

• Are a U.S. citizen
• Are a resident of New York
• Are at least 18 years old by Election Day
• Live in the precinct where you vote for at least 30 days prior to the election

You are NOT eligible to vote in New York if:

• You are registered to vote in another state
• You are in prison or jail for a felony conviction.
• A judge has specifically ruled that you are not able to vote.

Restorative Requirements

• If you have completed a felony prison sentence, even if you are still on parole or probation, then you are immediately eligible to register to vote.

People convicted of felonies outside of New York lose the right to vote only while incarcerated..

You are able to pre-register:

• at the age 16

How to register 

• New York Congressional District 26 Special Election
  • Submit a Printed Application: Postmarked by Mon Apr 15, 2024
  • Post Received by Sat Apr 20, 2024
  • In-Person, Received by Sat Apr 20, 2024

Eligible New York residents may register to vote through the following ways:

Online: New York City residents may register online using the New York City Board of Elections Online Voter Registration portal.  Residents of other counties in New York may register online using the New York State Board of Elections Online Voter Registration portal.

By Phone: The voter may also request a registration form by calling 1-800-FOR-VOTE (1-800-367-8683), and when completed, the form can be mailed to their county board of elections. 

In Person: The voter may register in person at their County Board of Elections or at any NY Agency-Based Voter Registration Center. The voter may also submit their registration form in person at the Department of Motor Vehicles or, if they have a DMV-issued identification, on the DMV website.

Golden Day-First Time Voters:

Referred to as “golden day,” first-time voters can both register and vote by affidavit ballot at their early voting site on the first day of early voting.

By Mail: The voter may request a voter registration form by mail by entering their name into the New York state voter registration list here:

https://voterregformrequest.elections.ny.gov/voterregistration, and when completed, the form can be mailed to their county board of elections.  

Accessible forms and Spanish translations are available on the following website: https://elections.ny.gov/voter-registration-process. 

Registration forms in Chinese, Korean, and Bengali are also available on the following website: https://www.vote.nyc/page/register-vote. 
Once completed, voters may mail their voter registration forms to their County Board of Elections.

If You Want to Vote Absentee, requests may be made:

• In-Person
• By Mail
• Online

Absentee Ballots may be returned:

• In-Person
• By Mail

New York Congressional District 26 Special Election

Ballot Request:

• Online by Sat Apr 20, 2024
• Postmarked by Sat Apr 20, 2024
• In-Person Request by Mon Apr 29, 2024

Ballot Return:

• In-Person, Received by Tue Apr 30, 2024
• Post received by Wed May 1, 2024 (when postmark is missing)
• Postmarked On or Before Election Day and Received by Tue May 7, 2024

All voters may vote early at their early voting polling place.  Voters may also vote by early mail ballot or absentee ballot.

Any registered voter may apply for and vote by early mail ballot.

Voters who wish to vote by absentee ballot must expect to be:

• Absent from their county (or, if a resident of New York City absent from the five boroughs) on Election Day.
• Unable to appear at the polls due to temporary or permanent illness or disability.
• Unable to appear because the voter is 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 or prison for any reason other than a felony conviction. This includes anyone who is awaiting grand jury action, awaiting trial, or serving a sentence for a misdemeanor.

How to Request an Early Mail Ballot: Voters may request their early mail ballot by letter, fax, online, or in person at their local board of elections. Voters may also designate another person to drop off their application at their local county board of elections and to receive their ballot. Downloadable applications are available for New York City and all other New York counties. The board of elections must RECEIVE the application no later than 10 days before Election Day if requested by letter, fax, or online. Voters may request an early mail ballot at their local board of elections until the day before Election Day.

How to Request an Absentee Ballot: Voters may request their absentee ballot by letter, fax, online, or in person at their local board of elections. Voters may also designate another person to drop off their application at their local county board of elections and to receive their ballot. Downloadable applications are available for all . The board of elections must RECEIVE the application no later than 10 days before Election Day if requested by letter, fax, or online. Voters may request an absentee ballot at their local board of elections until the day before Election Day.

How to Return the Completed Ballot: Voters can complete their early mail ballot or absentee ballot by following the following steps:

• Mark the ballot according to their choices for each office.
• Once they have completed marking their ballot, the voter should fold it up and place it in the Security Envelope (this envelope will have a place for the voter’s signature).
• Sign and date the outside of the Security Envelope.
• Seal the Security Envelope.
• Place the Security Envelope in the Return Envelope.
  • This envelope will have the return address of the voter’s county board of elections on the outside and should have a logo that reads, “Official Election Mail” and is marked “Return Envelope.” 
• Seal the Return Envelope.

If returning by mail, the Return Envelope must be postmarked by Election Day.  All early mail ballots and absentee ballots include a pre-paid Return Envelope. The Return Envelope does not require additional postage.

Voters may also return their ballot in person to their board of elections, at any polling place in their county during early voting, or at any polling place in their county on Election Day. 

How to Find Your Polling Place for Early Voting: To find polling places for early voting in New York City, go to New York City Board of Elections website.  To find polling places elsewhere in New York state, go to New York State Board of Elections website.

Voter Registration

To register to vote in New York you should provide one of the following:

• Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number
• Your New York Driver’s License Number
• Your New York non-driver ID number

If you do not have any of these IDs, you can provide a copy of one of the following with your registration application:

• Valid Photo ID
• Government Issued Document that shows your current name and address
• Utility Bill
• Government Check
• Bank Statement
• Paycheck that Shows your Current Name and Address

Voting In-Person

If you registered to vote in New York, you may be required to present valid ID if you are voting for the first time or your registration is incomplete. You can use any ID from this list:

• Current and Valid Photo ID
• Valid New York non-driver’s ID
• Paycheck that shows your Current Name and Address
• Utility Bill
• Bank Statement
• Valid New York Driver’s License
• Government Check
• Government Issued Document that shows your Current Name and Address

Most voters do not need to provide identification to vote in person, by early mail ballot, or by absentee ballot. However, you may need to provide identification if (i) you are voting for the first time after registering by mail or online and (ii) you did not provide a New York State DMV number (driver’s license or non-driver’s state ID number) or the last four digits of your social security number when registering.

In these narrow circumstances, you may provide a copy of the following:

• A current driver’s license or a DMV non-driver photo ID or other current and valid photo identification (e.g., student ID, passport), or
• A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter. 

If a first-time voter who has not provided their New York State DMV number or the last four digits of their social security number on their voter registration form does not produce one of the above forms of identification, the voter can vote by affidavit (provisional) ballot at their polling place.  

Voters who have moved within New York should submit a new voter registration form with their new address to the board of elections at least 15 days before Election Day. Voters who miss this deadline can still vote, see below.

Moving Within the Same County

If the voter has moved, the voter should confirm their polling place assignment by entering their new address in the New York State Board of Elections website lookup. If the voter has moved to an address in the same Election District, they should go to their polling place, which should be the same as the polling place for their old address and provide a poll worker with their new address.  The voter should be able to vote a regular ballot in this situation. Voters moving further than a very short distance within the same county (i.e., to a new election district) will need to vote by affidavit (provisional)_ballot. The ballot will count if the voter is otherwise eligible and this will update their registration. 

Moving Between Counties

Voters should go to the polling place for their new address and cast an affidavit ballot there. The affidavit ballot should be counted and their address changed in the voter registration records. The voter can find their new polling place by entering their new address in the New York State Board of Elections website lookup.

Voting Military

Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the federal voter registration/ballot request form (“FPCA”). You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• ID Issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
• Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
• Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number

Voting Overseas

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• ID Issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
• Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
• Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number

Persons serving in the military are entitled to receive an absentee ballot in all federal, state, and local races. 

U.S. citizens living outside of the United States whose intent to return is uncertain and whose last U.S. residence was in New York may register as a special federal voter in New York, entitling them to receive an absentee ballot for federal elections only.  

U.S. citizens living outside of the United States who intend to return and whose last U.S. residence was in New York may register as a UOCAVA voter in New York, entitling them to receive an absentee ballot for all races on the ballot that they would otherwise be entitled to vote in based on their New York address.

Military and other overseas citizens may use the standard procedure for absentee voting by mail, but there are also special provisions for members of the U.S. Armed Forces and merchant marine, commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, along with family members of all these groups, and other citizens who reside outside the United States (together these groups are called UOCAVA voters).

Register to Vote  

Go to the Federal Voting Assistance Program (www.fvap.gov) to download and complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). 

Receiving an Absentee Ballot

The FPCA can also be used to obtain an absent voter ballot by email, fax or regular mail. 

Each year, go to the Federal Voting Assistance Program; download an FPCA; complete and submit by postal mail, fax, or scan; and email to the voter’s city or township clerk based on their New York home residence.

Only those voters covered under the UOCAVA are eligible to use the FCPA and receive an absentee ballot by email or fax. Covered voters include:

• A member of a uniformed service on active duty who is absent from his or her city or township of residence. (Voters can be inside or outside the United States.)
• A member of the Merchant Marine who, by reason of service in the Merchant Marine, is absent from their city or township of residence. (The voter can be inside or outside the United States.)
• A spouse or dependent of a member of a uniformed service or a member of the Merchant Marine who, by reason of the active duty or service of the member, is absent from his or her city or township of residence. (The voter can be inside or outside the United States.)
• A civilian voter who is outside the United States and is eligible to vote in New York.
• A member of the National Guard activated on state orders

If you are not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction, you can register to vote.

If you are currently incarcerated for a felony conviction, you are not eligible to vote. Your right to vote will automatically be restored upon your release, but you must re-register. You do not need to provide any documentation about your criminal history to register.

If a New York resident is in jail or prison for any reason other than a felony conviction (this includes anyone who is awaiting grand jury action, awaiting trial, or serving a sentence for a misdemeanor), they may register and vote by absentee ballot.

Federal and New York law require that each polling place be accessible to physically disabled voters.  Additionally, at least one machine in each election district must be accessible to persons with disabilities.   A physically disabled voter whose polling place is located in a building that is not accessible shall be entitled to vote in any other election district at a polling place located in a building which is accessible.