Registering to vote may seem overwhelming if you’re a first time voter and living through a pandemic. Here’s a quick guide to make it easier.
This is what you need to register to vote in New York:
- must be a citizen of the United States of America
- a resident of the county you plan on voting in at least 30 days prior to the election
- be 18 years old
- not be in jail or on parole from a felony conviction
- not claim the right to vote elsewhere
- not judged incompetent by order of a court
New York State offers online voter registration. The deadline to register online is Friday, Oct. 9. If you prefer to register by mail, you can print a voter registration form, fill it out and mail it to your local election office. It must be postmarked by Oct. 9.
If you do not want to vote in person, you can cite COVID-19 as an excuse on your absentee ballot. An absentee ballot allows you to vote by mail as opposed to going to a polling location. Your request for an absentee ballot must be received by Oct. 27. Your ballot, once filled out, must be postmarked by Nov. 3 if mailed, or returned in person by Nov. 3 at 9 p.m.
New York State allows early voting between Oct. 24 and Nov. 1. Dates and hours may vary depending on where you live.
If you want to vote in person, you can look up what polling station you should vote at here. If you have already voted in New York before, you don’t need an ID to vote. If this is your first time voting and you registered by mail, bring your ID with you. Valid forms of ID include a valid photo ID, a copy of a current bill, a bank statement, paycheck, government check or any other government document that shows both your name and address.
If you aren’t sure if you are registered to vote, you can check here.
