DemocracyNYC is a nonpartisan program of the NYC Civic Engagement Commission focused on increasing participation in democracy for all New Yorkers, as well as increasing voter participation in elections. This year, DemocracyNYC launched a grassroots Get Out The Vote campaign to educate New Yorkers on Ranked Choice Voting, the rights of Limited English Proficient (LEP) voters, and to activate voters to turn out to the polls ahead of the June Primary Election.
To vote in the November General Election, you must register to vote by October 28th; then, you can either vote during the early voting period between October 28th - November 5th or on Election Day, November 7th. You can also request an absentee ballot; the deadline to request an absentee ballot online is Monday, October 23rd, and in-person is Monday, November 6th. The deadline to postmark your absentee ballot is Tuesday, November 7th.
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How to Vote in November 2023
All New Yorkers have three ways to vote in the November General Elections. Choose the best option to make your voice heard during the pandemic.
Learn about the candidates on your ballot by visiting voter guides published at NYC Votes and whosontheballot.org.
Early Voting
Early voting is just like voting in-person on Election Day, just with more flexibility and shorter lines. Find your Early Voting poll site at NYC Votes or by calling 866-Vote-NYC.
Early Voting begins on Saturday, October 28th, and ends on Sunday, November 5th.
Voting by Mail
No. If you do not want to vote in person you can submit an application for an absentee ballot. New Yorkers can apply for absentee ballots for a number of reasons, such as if they are going to be out of their County on Election Day.
You can apply for your absentee ballot right now by visiting nycabsentee.com.
The request form is also available as a PDF which can be printed and mailed back to the local County Board of Elections. The form, online and in paper, is available in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Bengali.
The Board of Elections says it will start mailing absentee ballots in late September. Track the status of your absentee ballot.
If you are visually impaired or have a disability that requires you to use an accessible version of the absentee ballot that can be read by a screen reader, you can visit nycabsentee.com. Click on the "Accessible Ballot Application" button.
To request an accessible ballot, you may also send the application form to the Board of Elections via:
Track the status of your absentee ballot
The Board of Elections will mail ballots to voters who request them on a rolling basis. Track your absentee ballot.
If you would rather not put your absentee ballot in the mail, you have three options for dropping off your absentee ballot. Just look for the "Absentee Ballot" drop boxes:
Track your mailed-in absentee ballot request. Once you have submitted your request for an absentee ballot, you can use the site to confirm whether the Board of Elections has:
You will receive a ballot, a smaller security envelope, and a larger return envelope.
Find your Election Day polling place. Polling places open at 6:00am and close at 9:00pm If you live in New York City and want to see your ballot ahead of time, visit findmypollsite.vote.nyc.
New York State voters are no longer permitted to cast a ballot on a voting machine if they have requested to vote by Absentee Ballot. Voters who have requested to vote by absentee ballot can still vote in-person using an affidavit ballot during early voting or election day.
New York does not require voters to show identification when voting, except in one circumstance. If you are voting for the first time, and you did not register to vote in-person (i.e., you registered online or via mail), you may be asked to show ID the first time you vote only. You may use the following as ID: driver's license or other government-issued identification card, current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document that shows your name and address.
Yes, you can bring someone to assist you with voting for any reason (including language access). You can also request assistance from the poll workers or you can use a Ballot Marking Device ("BMD") to help you mark your ballot at the poll site. However, anyone who assists you cannot be your employer nor your union representative.
A Ballot Marking Device, also known as a BMD, is a device that can assist you in marking your paper ballot and designed to provide privacy and accessibility to voters at their polling site.
Yes. All voters, including voters with disabilities, have the right to use a Ballot Marking Device to mark their ballot. The BMD is only used to mark the paper ballot; you need to scan the marked ballot in the counting device to cast your vote. Poll site workers can help voters use the BMDs.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot online is Monday, June 12th, and to request one in person is Monday, June 26th.The deadline to postmark your absentee ballot is Tuesday, June 27th.
The last day to postmark an absentee ballot is November 7th, and it must be received by the Board of Elections no later than July 4th.
Additional Resources
You want to make sure your vote is counted. If you have any questions or concerns about casting your ballot that aren't answered here, reach out to these organizations for help.
If you can, take advantage of early voting to beat the crowds. NYS has also made absentee ballots available for anyone who prefers to vote from home. Choose whichever you are most comfortable with - the important thing is that you vote!
Practice healthy hand hygiene: Polling sites will provide hand sanitizer, and you can also bring your own. Use hand sanitizer before and after touching any shared surfaces and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after you get home. Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.
Stay home if you are sick: Voting is important, but it's more important that you get better before you leave your home and that you take actions to help prevent others from getting sick.
If you don't have an absentee ballot, contact your county's Board of Elections office for guidance about your voting options.