How to vote — and score a spooky Halloween sticker — in New York - Gothamist

Published Oct 25, 2024 at 12:12 p.m. ET

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Polls will open across New York state on Saturday in the first presidential election since the depths of the pandemic. Early voting will be in swing for nine days, through Sunday Nov. 3. By Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 5, in-person turnout is expected to outpace levels reached four years ago.

New York voters will not only be choosing their candidates for president and vice president, but also one U.S. senator and dozens of congressional, state legislative and judicial seats.

There is also a statewide ballot question that would add abortion protection, plus additional safeguards against discrimination, to the state constitution. For New York City voters, five more ballot questions seek to change aspects of the New York City charter, the city’s version of a constitution.

Here is what you need to know to be able to cast your ballot.

If you have registered to vote before in New York, you should still be registered to vote. But if you moved or haven’t participated in a federal election in a while, it's worth checking your registration status.

You can confirm your voter registration at the New York City Board of Elections here or by calling 866-868-3692.

Outside the city, check your information with the state Board of Elections here.

The last day to register to vote is the first day of early voting: Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.

New York City residents can register online here.

Residents in the rest of New York state can register online here.

In order to vote in the upcoming election, you must be a U.S. citizen who is registered by Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, and you have to be 18 years old by Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 5. New York state allows residents as young as 16 and 17 to pre-register to vote, so that they're immediately eligible to cast a ballot when they turn 18. You also must be a resident of the place where you are registering for at least 30 days before the election.

You can not register or vote if you are in prison for a felony conviction, ruled mentally incompetent by a court or if you claim voting rights in another location.

If you are casting a ballot during early voting in New York City, you will be assigned to one specific early voting site. Check carefully – it will most likely be different from your assigned Election Day poll site.

Find your early voting or Election Day poll site in New York City here. Note that early voting sites in New York City are open weekends from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays.

Poll site information and hours outside of New York City is available here.

Whenever is convenient for you, and your polling place is open. The New York City Board of Elections will be offering a map with information about wait times at your respective early voting site.

We don’t know what makes sense for your schedule, but we do know the Board of Elections will be offering special Halloween-themed “I Voted” stickers (depicting a trick-or-treating pigeon in a witch hat) for those who head to the polls on Thursday, Oct. 31. Kids who accompany their parents to the polls get a temporary tattoo version.

Early voters have a chance to get a special Halloween-themed sticker on Thursday, Oct. 31.

No, the deadline to request an absentee or mail ballot online is Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.

New York City voters can request a ballot here. Voters outside the city can request a ballot here.

Once the request is submitted, you can track the status of your ballot through the online ballot tracking system for New York City voters and for voters in the rest of the state.

You can also go in person to your local Board of Election office up to the day before the election to complete a mail ballot application and submit a ballot.

No. When you vote by mail, you make your selections on both sides of the ballot. Then you place the completed ballot inside the security envelope. After sealing it, sign and date that envelope and place it inside the return envelope that should have the address of your local Board of Elections office. No additional postage is needed.

All mail ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday, Nov. 5 and then can be received until Tuesday, Nov. 12. You can also hand deliver your mail ballot to your local Board of Elections office or drop it off in the secure drop box at any early voting site.

Due to a change in state law, if you requested a mail ballot and then opt to vote in person, you will not be able to vote on a voting machine. You will need to cast an affidavit ballot. If you have not submitted the mail ballot, then your affidavit ballot will be counted. But if you already submitted the mail ballot, your affidavit ballot will not count. (In other words: you can’t vote twice.)

You can start with the Board of Elections officials at the poll site. If you have legal questions or need to report other concerns, you can contact the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline at 1-866-OURVOTE. The hotline is staffed with legal personnel who can talk through issues in English, Spanish, Arabic and various Asian languages. There is information online from Election Protection.

Also, the state Attorney General will operate a hotline at 866-390-2992 where voters can submit complaints or request assistance. The hotline will be open between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. during early voting and between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Election Day.

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Brigid Bergin is an award-winning senior reporter on the People and Power desk. She is fiercely committed to telling stories that help people engage and support democracy. In 2022, she hosted a live, ten-week call-in politics show ahead of the midterm elections called The People's Guide to Power. Brigid's reporting in 2017 included some of the first coverage of a political newcomer now known as AOC. In 2016, she broke the news of a voter purge in Brooklyn just days before New York’s presidential primary, triggering city, state and federal investigations. Brigid also guest hosts The Brian Lehrer Show and All Of It. She graduated from the University at Albany and the CUNY Newmark School of Journalism. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 917-723-4719.

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