The Office of the New York State Attorney General protects your right to vote. We have compiled information and resources to help you understand your rights and know when, where, and how to vote.

Important dates and deadlines

We can help answer your voting questions. We may share your information with the Board of Elections for your county or the State to troubleshoot your complaint, if necessary.

Registration

You can register if you are:

• A U.S. Citizen
• 18 years of age by December 31 of the year in which you are registering (note that you must be 18 by the date of the election in which you want to vote)
• A resident – for at least 30 days before the election – of New York state and of the city, village, or county in which you intend to vote
• Not presently incarcerated for a felony (however, you can vote if you have been released from felony detention, or have been convicted for only a misdemeanor)
• Not found mentally incompetent by a court
• Not claiming the right to vote in any other location than your city and county of residence.

You may re-register to vote if you have changed your name or moved recently.

Register

• Online: Keep your confirmation number.
• In person: Get a voter-registration form from your local Board of Elections or at any one of the New York state agencies in this list.

Check your registration

• In New York City: New York City Board of Elections
• Outside of New York City: New York State Board of Elections
• If your information is not there or seems wrong, contact your local Board of Elections or the New York Attorney General's Office for help.

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Voting

Vote by mail

You can vote by mail using an absentee ballot, a paper form you fill out at home and return to your Board of Elections. Because of COVID-19, any registered New York voter can vote absentee through the end of 2022. You do not have to give a reason to vote absentee.

Get your absentee ballot

• Submit an absentee-ballot application, or request a ballot in person, at your local Board of Elections.
• Download the application from the New York State Board of Elections. Mail or fax it to your local Board of Elections. Allow time for mailing.
• Use the absentee-ballot portal in New York City or outside New York City.

If you are voting absentee only because of COVID-19, check "temporary illness or physical disability" in Box 1. If you have another situation that requires absentee voting beyond the 2022 elections, mark Box 2 appropriately.

Want help? You can have someone else deliver your application to your Board of Elections and bring your ballot to you. Be sure to write the name of that person in Box 6 on the form.

No matter which option you choose, observe the deadlines carefully.

Vote absentee

Your ballot package contains:

• Absentee ballot
• Oath/security envelope
• Return envelope imprinted with “Official Election Mail” and addressed to your local Board of Elections (it now includes pre-paid postage)

To complete your ballot:

1. Mark your ballot, following the instructions. Fold it up and place it in the oath/security envelope.
2. Sign, date, and seal the oath/security envelope (do not use tape). Place it in the return envelope.
3. Seal the return envelope (do not use tape).

To return your ballot, you can:

• Mail your ballot. It must be postmarked no later than Election Day and received by your Board of Elections no more than a week after Election Day. Mail it early! Postage is now included!
• Deliver your ballot during early voting. Bring it to an early-voting poll site in New York City if you live in New York City, or to any early-voting poll site in your county if you live outside the city, during the early-voting period.
• Bring your ballot on Election Day. You can bring it to your local Board of Elections, or to a poll site in New York City if you live in New York City or in your county if you live outside New York City.

You can track your absentee ballot if you live in New York City.

Get accommodation for a disability

Request a disability-accessible absentee ballot through the New York State Board of Elections. This also comes with a postage-paid return envelope. You can sign the oath/security envelope on the raised marker (you can sign anywhere else on the envelope, if you have difficulty signing it on the marker).

You can also use an electronic voting method that lets you mark your ballot with your own assistive technology. Print out your completed ballot and return it to your local Board of Elections.

Vote in person

Early voting

• In New York City: You will be assigned an early-voting poll site by the New York City Board of Elections. Find your poll site at the New York City Board of Elections.
• Outside New York City: You can vote at any early-voting poll site in your county. Check your local Board of Elections or the New York State Board of Elections.

Voting hours vary by poll site, so carefully note the hours listed by your local Board of Elections.

If you have problems or questions, or believe your polling location is improperly closed, call your local Board of Elections or contact the New York Attorney General's Office at (866) 390-2992.

Election Day

To find out where you can vote in person on Election Day, contact:

• In New York City: New York City Board of Elections.
• Outside New York City: Check the New York State Board of Elections or your local Board of Elections, or contact the Attorney General's Office at (866) 390-2992.

You can also call the Attorney General's hotline for help finding your poll site.

All poll sites should be open from 6 a.m. through 9 p.m. If you believe your polling site is improperly closed, call your local Board of Elections, or contact the Attorney General's Office at (866) 390-2992.

Ask for disability accommodations

If you have a disability, a friend or relative may help you in the voting booth. Election inspectors at the site can also help and can provide assistive devices.

A poll worker may provide you with reasonable accommodations at their discretion, such as having a chair, having someone else stand in line for you, or moving to the front of the line if you cannot stand for long periods.

If you believe you have not received reasonable accommodations, call your local Board of Elections or contact the New York Attorney General's Office at (866) 390-2992.

Legitimate challenges vs. voter intimidation

Some challenges are legal

At a polling site, an election inspector or clerk, an official poll watcher, or a registered voter can challenge a voter's right to vote. The challenger cannot be intimidating or threatening. Legitimate claims may be that the voter:

• Has not provided an authentic signature
• Does not reside in an appropriate location for this election
• Has already cast their ballot
• Is otherwise unqualified to vote
• Is engaged in electioneering (working on behalf of a political party or candidate at or near the polling site).

If someone challenges you, you can dispute the challenge.

Voter intimidation is illegal

The New York Attorney General's Office takes any claim of voter intimidation seriously. We encourage you to immediately report any intimidation to our hotline.

Voter intimidation, although very rare in New York, could include the following and other tactics:

• Individuals or groups waiting outside polling places and trying to scare people out of the voting line
• Poll watchers inside a polling place aggressively challenging a large group of voters, slowing down lines and falsely hinting that voters are voting illegally
• Poll watchers near voting booths, standing in unauthorized areas, videorecording or photographing voters in the polling place, or following or harassing voters in the polling place
• Individuals spreading rumors or making false statements that voting leads to negative consequences
• Individuals or groups displaying weapons, foreign military uniforms, or any military symbols or equipment outside polling locations.

If you see any of these behaviors, please contact the New York Attorney General's Office at (866) 390-2992.

Beware of messages that try to prevent you from voting

Watch out for phone calls, mailings, or messages in newspapers, social media, TV, or radio that discourage you from using an absentee ballot, voting early, or voting at all:

• "Your vote is not private." This is untrue. How you vote will not be shared when you vote.
• "Elections are used to crack down on warrants or tickets." This is a lie. Someone is trying to scare you to prevent you from voting.
• "Your polling place/date has changed." Consult your local Board of Elections and the resources they have listed, especially if you receive different information about where or when to vote.

Voter intimidation is a serious crime. If you experience any voter intimidation or misinformation, please contact the New York Attorney General's Office at (866) 390-2992.

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