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Broadway, VA
Change City

How to Vote in New York's Elections

Posted on 03/26/25 by Julie Goldenberg, Emily Paulin

En español

Voting at a glance

Voter registration: Most U.S. citizens who live in New York and are at least 18 years old can vote in New York. You can register online, by mail or in person.

Voting by mail: Any voter can vote early using an early mail ballot. Absentee ballots are available to those who can’t vote in person on Election Day for acceptable reasons, such as absence, disability, illness or caregiving.

Early in-person voting: Any voter can vote at any early voting center in their county, except in New York City, where voters are assigned to one early voting site.

Voting at the polls: Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. First-time voters who didn’t provide ID when registering to vote will need to bring an approved ID to the polls.

Races we’re watching in 2025

The mayors of Albany and New York City and all 51 seats on the New York City Council are up for election in New York in 2025, among other offices. The primaries will be held Tuesday, June 24, and the general election is on Tuesday, November 4. Below are some key dates for the upcoming primaries.

Voter registration 

  • Monday, June 9: Deadline to change your address 
  • Saturday, June 14: Deadline to register to vote 

Voting in person 

  • Saturday, June 14 through Sunday, June 22: Early voting is available
  • Tuesday, June 24: Primary Election Day. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Voting by mail

  • Saturday, June 14: Deadline to apply for a mail ballot by mail or online 
  • Monday, June 23: Deadline to apply in person for a mail ballot
  • Tuesday, June 24: Deadline to submit a mail ballot
800-24094038702320-NY.jpg
A New York voter casts their ballot at a polling booth
Andrea Renault/STAR MAX/IPx/AP Photo

How to register to vote

The voter registration deadline is 10 days before Election Day. The deadline to change your address is 15 days before Election Day.

Party affiliation for New York’s primaries

To vote in a political party’s primary election, a voter must be enrolled in that party.

Those seeking to change their party enrollment must do so no later than February 14 if they want to vote in a primary election that year. Change your party enrollment online, by mail or in person by following the same steps to register to vote.

Registering to vote on Election Day

New York state does not offer voter registration on Election Day.

Check your voter registration status

You can see your voter registration status online using the state’s voter portal.

How to request an early mail or absentee ballot

Early mail ballots are available to any registered voter. Registered voters who can’t vote in person on Election Day because they will be out of town, have a disability or illness, are caregiving, or who meet other eligibility requirements may receive an absentee ballot. You can apply:

To receive an early mail or absentee ballot by mail, your application must be received by your local county board of elections no later than ten days before Election Day. To receive an early mail or absentee ballot in person, your application must be hand-delivered to your county board of elections no later than the day before Election Day.

Returning an early mail or absentee ballot

Once you’ve filled out your ballot, place it in the security envelope and add your signature and the date on the outside of the envelope. Next, seal the security envelope and place it in the pre-paid return envelope. Lastly, seal the return envelope.

  • By mail: Either type of ballot must be postmarked no later than Election Day and received by your county board of elections no later than 7 days after Election Day.
  • In person: Hand-deliver your ballot during operating hours to your county board of elections, any early voting site in your county, or any Election Day polling site in your county. 

Track your early mail or absentee ballot through the state’s voter portal.

Voting in person before Election Day

Early in-person voting is available to all New York voters for a nine-day period before Election Day, ending two days before Election Day. Voters may visit any of the early voting sites in their county, except in New York City, where voters are assigned to one site. Hours of operation are determined by local county boards of elections. Check the state’s voter portal for early voting sites.

Voting at the polls on Election Day

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Visit the state’s voter portal to look up your polling site.

Voter ID requirements on Election Day 

Most voters do not need to bring ID to the polls. Bring an acceptable form of ID if you’re a first-time voter and didn’t provide one when you registered to vote. You can use your New York driver’s license or state-issued nondriver ID card, a current utility bill, a bank statement, a government paycheck or another government document that shows your name and address.

Voting with a disability

If you cannot pick up your own absentee ballot, you can designate someone to pick it up on your behalf.

If you are permanently ill or disabled, you can register to automatically receive an absentee ballot for all subsequent elections. File an application with your county board of elections and indicate that you have a permanent illness or physical disability.

Voters with a print disability who require an accessible ballot can apply for one using the Accessible Absentee Ballot Application portal.

Voters with a disability can also vote in person using an accessible ballot marking device during early voting or on Election Day. This device allows voters to mark their ballot independently, using one of four accessible methods. Every poll site in New York City has at least one of these devices.

Editor’s note: This guide was originally published on April 29, 2024, and has been updated with new information.

Julie Goldenberg is an associate editor of AARP The Magazine and the AARP Bulletin. She is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School and is based in New York City.

Emily Paulin is a reporter for AARP covering nursing homes, health care, and federal and state policy. Her work has also appeared in Broadsheet, an Australian lifestyle publication.

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