Who can vote?
Can I register in person?
How will I know where to vote?
What is a primary election?
What happens if I can't vote on election day?
I'm disabled. Where can I vote?
What do I need when I go to vote?
What do I do when I get to the polling place?
What if I'm not permitted to vote?
How do voting machines work?
Suppose I need help?
If I register to vote, will I be called for jury duty?
Can a felony conviction affect my right to vote?
Do I have to be a citizen to vote?
Who can vote?
You must be a registered voter in order to vote in the general or primary elections. To register, you must:
- Be a United States citizen,
- Be 18 years old by the date of the election you want to vote,
- Live at your present address for at least 30 days before an election,
- Not be in jail or on parole for a felony conviction, and
- Not claim the right to vote elsewhere.
NOTE: The registration form on this site is only for residents of New York City (including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island). Be sure to complete and return your registration application before the deadline.
Can I register in person?
Yes. Many public agencies are now providing voter registration forms and assistance. You can also register at any one of the borough Board of Elections offices Monday to Friday between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm.
If you don't get a registration card within four to six weeks of completing your application, you might want to call the Board of Elections Phone Bank at (866) VOTE-NYC, or (212) VOTE-NYC if out of New York City, to see if your application was processed.
How will I know where to vote?
You should receive a postcard from the Board of Elections some time in August, telling you where to vote which election district number you need to know on election day. You can also email your complete home address to vote@boe.nyc.ny.us.
back to top
What is a primary election?
A primary is an election that may take place within each of New York State's official political parties. It precedes the general election and provides enrolled political party members the opportunity to nominate their party's candidates for elected office as well as to elect various party officials. However, if there is no contest, there is no primary.
back to top
What happens if I can't vote on election day?
If you will be out of town on election day or are physically unable to go to the polls, you can vote by absentee ballot.
back to top
I'm disabled. Where can I vote?
Most polling places are now accessible to the handicapped. If yours is not, you may ask to have your records transferred to a nearby accessible polling place where the ballot will be the same as in your election district.
You may also vote by absentee ballot. If you have a long-term or permanent illness or disability, you can apply for a permanent absentee ballot and you will automatically receive one before each primary and general election.
back to top
What do I need when I go to vote?
The "Help America Vote Act" (HAVA), which was enacted into law in 2002, requires all first-time voters who registered by mail on or after January 1, 2003, to provide additional identification either on or with the voter registration application, i.e., driver's license number or the last four digits of the voter's Social Security number. If you do not provide your drivers license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number at the time you submit your registration form by mail, you can include a copy of any of the following documentation with your registration application:
- Non-Driver ID Number
- Current and Valid Photo ID
- Current Utility Bill
- Bank Statement
- Government Check or Paycheck
- Government Document that shows Name and Address
If the voter has not provided any of the acceptable forms of identification by the time they vote in a Federal Election, the voter will not be allowed to vote by machine, but will be able to vote by affidavit ballot. The voter will not be denied the right to vote.
back to top
What do I do when I get to the polling place?
When you enter the polling place, you'll see tables and voting machines for one or more election districts (ED). At the table for your ED you will be asked to sign next to a facsimile of your original signature on an alphabetical computerized poll list.
back to top
What if I'm not permitted to vote?
If you are not on the poll list, ask the inspector to verify that you are at the proper table for your address. Make sure that it is your correct Election and Assembly District. Your registration form may not have been received by the deadline or, for a primary, because you aren't enrolled in a party. If you believe that you are eligible, you can still vote. Ask for an affidavit ballot, which is basically a paper ballot. After the election, the Board of Elections will check its records and your vote will be counted if you are indeed eligible to vote and are at the correct polling site. If not, you will receive a notice that you are not eligible, along with a registration application for future elections.
back to top
How do voting machines work?
When you enter the voting booth, pull the large red handle to activate the machine. Do not move it until you have completed your selections. You have three minutes in which to vote. Make your selections by moving the lever next to the name of each candidate you wish to vote for until an 'X' appears. You can change your mind and move the levers up and down as often as necessary. However, once your choices are made, leave them down and pull the large red handle to register and count your vote.
Learn more about voting procedure from the Board of Elections
back to top
Suppose I need help?
If you need some help because you are disabled or cannot read the ballot, federal law allows you to have a friend or relative assist you in the voting booth. Election employees at the polling place are also ready to help you.
back to top
If I register to vote, will I be called for jury duty?
Jurors are drawn from lists of state taxpayers and licensed drivers as well as from voter registration rolls. Do not give up your right to vote in the hope that you will avoid jury duty. Chances are, if you pay taxes or drive a car, you will still be called. Besides, serving on a jury is a privilege, one that permits you to personally stand up for all Americans' right to a trial by a jury of their peers.
back to top
Can a felony conviction affect my right to vote?
You cannot register for or vote in an election if:
- You have been convicted of a felony in New York State and are currently incarcerated serving your sentence.
- You have been convicted of a felony in New York State and are currently serving parole.
- You have been convicted in a Federal Court or in another state of a crime or offense that would constitute a felony under the laws of New York State, unless you meet any one of the five conditions below.
You can register for or vote in an election if:
- You have been convicted of a felony but have been pardoned.
- Your maximum sentence of imprisonment has expired.
- You have been discharged from parole.
- You have been convicted but have not been sentenced to imprisonment or if the sentence of imprisonment has been suspended.
- You finished your maximum sentence and are currently serving probation.
back to top
Do I have to be a citizen to vote?
Note: In order to be eligible to register, you must be a citizen of the United States. A permanent resident, green card holder, or a person who is in this country on a visa is not eligible to register to vote until s/he obtains citizenship.
In order to be processed, line #2 of the voter registration form must be checked - "Are you a U.S. citizen? ___Yes ___No"
If this box is not completed, the registration form will be returned to the registrant requesting that the material be furnished and the form be completed. If a voter's citizenship has been challenged the Board of Elections has a right to investigate and verify the authenticity of the claim.
Learn more about the voter registration process
back to top
