Election Administration In New York

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Voter registration
Early voting
Absentee/mail-in voting
All-mail voting
Voter ID laws
State poll opening and closing times
Time off work for voting
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Election administration encompasses a state's voting policies, procedures, and enforcement. These include voter identification requirements, early and absentee/mail-in voting provisions, voter list maintenance methods, and more. Each state's voting policies dictate who can vote and under what conditions.

Below, you will find details on the following election administration topics in New York:

Poll times[edit]

See also: State poll opening and closing times

Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. for primary and general elections.^[3] Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.^[4]

Voter registration[edit]

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in New York, one must be a United States citizen, a resident of the county, city, or village for at least 30 days before the election, and at least 18 years old by the date of the election. Pre-registration is available beginning at the age of 16.^[5] People who are in prison for a felony conviction and those who have been declared mentally incompetent by a court are ineligible to register to vote. One cannot register to vote in New York while claiming the right to vote elsewhere.^[5]

Registration applications are available at the county board of elections or any agency-based voter registration center. Forms are also available online, or prospective voters can request the form by mail.

The form must be received by election officials at least 10 days before the election. Registration done in person must be completed at least 10 days before the election.^[6] Residents may also register to vote online through the DMV Electronic Voter Registration Application or the Board of Elections' voter registration portal. These applications are forwarded to the county board of elections; applicants should allow up to six weeks for processing.^[7]

Automatic registration[edit]

See also: Automatic voter registration

New York automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through several state agencies, including the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Health, the Department of Labor, and others.^[8]

Online registration[edit]

See also: Online voter registration

New York has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration[edit]

See also: Same-day voter registration

New York does not allow same-day voter registration.^[9]

Residency requirements[edit]

In order to register to vote in New York, applicants must "be a resident of this state and the county, city or village for at least 30 days before the election," according to the New York State Board of Elections.^[5]

Verification of citizenship[edit]

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

New York does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, voter who submits false information "can be convicted and fined up to $5,000 and/or jailed for up to four years."^[10]

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.^[11] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration[edit]

The New York State Board of Elections allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.

Early and absentee/mail-in voting policy[edit]

Early voting[edit]

See also: Early voting

New York permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee/mail-in voting[edit]

See also: Absentee/mail-in voting

New York offers early mail voting and absentee voting.^[12]

Any registered voter may vote an early mail ballot. To vote an absentee ballot, a voter must be: ^[12]

Applications for early mail ballots and absentee ballots must be received by the county board of elections at least ten days before an election, unless the application is submitted in person by the day before the election.^[12]

Early mail ballots and absentee ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by Election Day and received by the county board of elections by the seventh day after the election. Ballots may be returned in person to the county board of elections by the close of polls on Election Day, to a polling place during the early voting period or on Election Day, or via a ballot drop box.^[12]

All states allow for some form of absentee/mail-in voting. Seven states and the District of Columbia had automatic mail-in ballot systems that mandate that all eligible voters receive an absentee/mail ballot by default. An eighth state, Vermont, had such a system for general elections only.

Twenty-eight states allow any eligible voter to cast an absentee/mail-in ballot. The remaining 14 states required voters to provide an excuse to receive and cast an absentee/mail ballot. Acceptable excuses vary by state.

Returning absentee/mail-in ballots[edit]

See also: Mail ballot collection and return laws by state

New York voters may return their early mail ballots and absentee ballots to the county board of elections by mail or in person. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by Election Day and received by the county board of elections by the seventh day after the election. Ballots may be returned in person to the county board of elections by the close of polls on Election Day, to a polling place during the early voting period or on Election Day, or via a ballot drop box.^[12]

New York law states the following:^[14]

New York law does not specify who is allowed to return absentee ballots.

Twenty states allow anyone chosen by the voter to return a ballot on the voter's behalf, with certain exceptions, while 16 states allow anyone with certain relationships to the voter to return the voter's ballot. Four states allow only the voter to return the voter's ballot, with certain exceptions, and two states required voters to return their ballots by mail. Eight states and D.C. do not specify who may return ballots.

Drop box availability[edit]

New York law permits, but does not require, ballot drop boxes. State law requires county boards of elections that use drop boxes to provide notice to voters online about where they are located.^[15]

Signature requirements and cure provisions[edit]

Absentee voters sign an oath on the absentee ballot’s return envelope. That signature is compared to the registration poll record to determine acceptance. New York law includes a cure provision allowing voters to correct an issue with the signature on their absentee/mail-in ballot.^[14][16]

A board of elections is required to contact a voter whose absentee ballot includes a curable defect within one day of identifying the defect. A voter may cure the defect "by filing a duly signed affirmation attesting to the same information required by the ballot affirmation envelope and attesting that the signer of the affirmation is the same person who submitted such ballot envelope."^[16] The cure affirmation must be received by the board " no later than seven business days after the board's mailing of such curable rejection notice or by five p.m. on the seventh day following the election, whichever is later."^[16]

Thirty-three states have laws that include cure provisions, while 17 states do not. One state, Pennsylvania, allows counties to establish a cure process.

Was your absentee/mail-in ballot counted?[edit]

Use the absentee ballot tracking tool provided by the New York Board of Elections to check the status of your absentee ballot.

Voter identification requirements[edit]

See also: Voter ID in New York

See also: Voter identification laws by state

New York does not require voters to present identification while voting.^[17]

The federal Help America Vote Act requires that individuals in all 50 states who register to vote by mail and who have not voted previously in a federal election in their state must provide either their driver's license or a paycheck, bank statement, current utility bill, or government document showing their name and address. Individuals voting by mail must include a copy of one of those documents with their absentee/mail-in ballot.^[18]

These requirements do not apply if an individual submitted a copy of their identification, their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number when registering to vote. The following documents were acceptable forms of identification as of December 2025.^[17] Click here for the New York City Board of Elections page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

Thirty-six states require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Of these states, 24 require voters to present identification containing a photograph, and 12 accept other forms of identification. The remaining 14 states do not require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day.

Valid forms of identification differ by state. In certain states that require voters to provide identification, there may be exceptions that allow some voters to cast a ballot without providing an ID. To see more about these exceptions, see details by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.

Provisional ballot rules[edit]

Voters in New York are given affidavit ballots, or ballots requiring additional steps or information before they can be counted, under the following circumstances.^[19]

(1) If the voter has been issued an absentee, military or special ballot, but wishes to vote in person during early voting or on election day, the voter may vote by affidavit ballot.

(2) If the voter is voting for the first time and is unable to provide identification, the voter has the right to cast an affidavit ballot.

(3) If the voter’s name does not appear in the poll book, the voter has the right to cast an affidavit ballot.

(4) If in a primary election, the voter is listed as being a member of one party but wishes to vote as a member of a different party, the voter has the right to cast an affidavit ballot.

When "research at the county board supports the claim the voter makes in their oath on the ballot envelope, the ballot will be counted. If research proves otherwise, the ballot is not counted. Provisional ballots cast by voters who were in the correct poll site but at the wrong voter sign-in table, will be counted, however only those contests and questions which the two different districts had in common will be counted," according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.^[20]

Was your provisional ballot counted?[edit]

An election worker must notify the voter about the outcome of their affidavit ballot.^[21]

New York law states:

Primary election type[edit]

See also: Primary elections in New York

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. New York utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.^[22][23]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Time off work for voting[edit]

In New York, employers must allow employees as much time off work as needed to vote in an election—at the beginning or end of employees’ shifts unless otherwise agreed—two hours of which must be paid. Employees are considered to have sufficient time to vote outside of their shift if they have four consecutive hours between when the polls open and their shift begins or four consecutive hours between when their shift ends and the polls close.

Employees must give two working days' notice to their employers of their intention to vote; employers must notify employees ten working days before the election of this provision:^[24]

Twenty-eight states require employers to grant employees time off to vote. Within these 28 states, policies vary as to whether that time off must be paid and how much notice must be given.

Electioneering[edit]

New York law prohibits electioneering within a 100-foot radius of a polling place and states that "no political banner, button, poster or placard shall be allowed in or upon the polling place or within such one hundred foot radial."^[25]

Voting rules for people convicted of a felony[edit]

See also: Voting rights for people convicted of a felony

In New York, people convicted of a felony automatically regain their voting rights after serving their prison time. People convicted of a felony need to re-register upon completion of their prison sentence.^[26]

On May 4, 2021, Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) signed S830 into law, providing for the automatic restoration of voting rights for people convicted of a felony upon completion of their prison sentences. Previously, state law provided for the restoration of voting rights after completion of both prison time and parole.^[27][28]

Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.^[29]

Voter list maintenance[edit]

All states have rules under which they maintain voter rolls—or, check and remove certain names from their lists of registered voters. Most states are subject to the parameters set by The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).^[30] The NVRA requires states to make efforts to remove deceased individuals and individuals who have become ineligible due to a change of address. It prohibits removing registrants from voter lists within 90 days of a federal election due to change of address unless a registrant has requested to be removed, or from removing people from voter lists solely because they have not voted. The NVRA says that states may remove names from their registration lists under certain other circumstances and that their methods for removing names must be uniform and nondiscriminatory.^[31]

When names can be removed from the voter list[edit]

New York law authorizes election officials to remove the names of voters from the registered voting list if an individual:^[32]

• moves out of state
• is convicted of a felony
• is adjudicated to be incompetent
• refuses to take a challenge oath
• dies
• remains on the inactive voter list through two consecutive general elections
• requests in writing to be removed from the list
• is determined to no longer be qualified to vote.

Inactive voter list rules[edit]

If an election official, using National Change of Address data or other address verification resources, learns that a voter has moved outside of their voting jurisdiction, they are to send the voter a notice. If the notice is returned as undeliverable, the voter is to be sent a confirmation notice and listed as inactive. To be returned to active status, a voter may update their registration, sign a nominating petition, or vote. If a voter remains in inactive status through the next two general elections, their registration is canceled.^[32][33][34]

The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)[edit]

See also: Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)

According to its website, ERIC is a nonprofit corporation that is governed by a board of member-states. These member states submit voter registration and motor vehicle registration information to ERIC. ERIC uses this information, as well as Social Security death records and other sources, to provide member states with reports showing voters who have moved within their state, moved out of their state, died, have duplicate registrations in their state, or are potentially eligible to vote but are not yet registered. ERIC's website describes its funding as follows: "Members fund ERIC. New members pay a one-time membership fee of $25,000, which is reserved for technology upgrades and other unanticipated expenses. Members also pay annual dues. Annual dues cover operating costs and are based, in part, on the citizen voting age population in each state."^[35]

Twenty-five states are participating members in the ERIC program. Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia have joined and participated in ERIC at some point.^[36]

As of December 2025, New York was not participating in the ERIC program.^[37]

Post-election auditing[edit]

New York state law requires post-election audits. The county board of elections randomly selects 3% of machines to be audited. The audit must take place within 15 days of a general or special election, 13 days of a primary election, or seven days of a village election.^[38]

If there are any unresolved discrepancies, the manual count is conducted again. An expanded audit is required if there is a discrepancy that would "alter the vote share of any candidate, question or proposal by 0.1 percent or more of the hand counted votes for respective contests, questions or proposals in the entire sample" or there are discrepancies between the manual count and the original count in at least 10% of the machines audited. The expanded audit reviews 5% of all machines. If the discrepancies persist, the audit is further expanded to cover 12% of all machines. If there are still discrepancies, a full manual count of all remaining unaudited machines is conducted.^[39]

Post-election audits check that election results tallied by a state's voting system match results from paper records, such as paper ballots filled out by voters or the paper records produced by electronic voting machines. Post-election audits are classified into two categories: audits of election results—which include traditional post-election audits as well as risk-limiting audits—and procedural audits.^[40][41]

Typically, traditional post-election audits are done by recounting a portion of ballots, either electronically or by hand, and comparing the results to those produced by the state's voting system. In contrast, risk-limiting audits use statistical methods to compare a random sample of votes cast to election results instead of reviewing every ballot. The scope of procedural audits varies by state, but they typically include a systematic review of voting equipment, performance of the voting system, vote totals, duties of election officials and workers, ballot chain of custody, and more.

Forty-six states and the District of Columbia require some form of post-election audit by law, excluding states with pilot programs. Of these, 39 states and the District of Columbia require traditional post-election audits, while three states require risk-limiting post-election audits, and three states require some other form of post-election audit, including procedural post-election audits.^[42][40]

Election administration authorities[edit]

State election officials[edit]

The State Board of Elections oversees elections in New York.^[43] The board is composed of four commissioners appointed by the governor. One commissioner is recommended by the chairperson of each of the major political parties, and one commissioner is recommended by the joint leadership of each party in the state legislature. The commissioners serve for two-year terms.^[44]

The board appoints two co-executive directors for terms of four years. The executive directors are the chief election officers in New York.^[44]

Local election officials[edit]

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Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

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Election policy ballot measures[edit]

See also: Elections and campaigns on the ballot and List of New York ballot measures

Recent legislation related to election administration in New York[edit]

The table below lists bills related to election administration that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in New York. The following information is included for each bill:

• State
• Bill number
• Official bill name or caption
• Most recent action date
• Legislative status
• Sponsor party
• Topics dealt with by the bill

Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.

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Ballot access[edit]

See also: Ballot access requirements for political candidates in New York

In order to get on the ballot in New York, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in New York. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

Redistricting[edit]

See also: Redistricting in New York

Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Each of New York's 26 United States Representatives and 213 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.^{[45][46][47][48]}

New York was apportioned 26 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, 1 fewer than it received after the 2010 census. Click here for more information about redistricting in New York after the 2020 census.

State process[edit]

See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures

On March 14, 2012, the state legislature approved a constitutional amendment to establish new redistricting procedures beginning in 2020. The New York Constitution requires that two successive legislatures approve an amendment in order to qualify it for final approval by popular vote. The legislature approved the amendment a second time in 2013. On November 4, 2014, voters approved the amendment, the provisions of which were set to take effect during the 2020 redistricting cycle.^[49]

The 10-member commission comprises the following members:^[49]

1. Two members must be appointed by the temporary president of the New York State Senate.
2. Two members must be appointed by the speaker of the New York State Assembly.
3. Two members must be appointed by the minority leader of the New York State Senate.
4. Two members must be appointed by the minority leader of the New York State Assembly.
5. Two members must appointed by the aforementioned eight commissioners. These two appointees cannot have been enrolled in the top two major political parties in the state.

The legislature must approve the commission's plans by a simple up/down vote. The legislature must reject two separate sets of redistricting plans before it will be able to amend the commission's proposals. All districts will be required "to preserve minority rights, be equally populated, and consist of compact and contiguous territory." Further, state law will require that districts "not be drawn to discourage competition or to favor/disfavor candidates or parties." In prior redistricting cycles, authority for both congressional and state legislative redistricting was vested with the state legislature. An advisory commission participated in the process.^[49]

State law requires that state legislative districts be contiguous and compact. State legislative districts must also take into account the "historic and traditional significance of counties."^[49]

Contact information[edit]

Election agencies[edit]

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in New York can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

New York County Boards of Elections

Click here for a list

New York State Board of Elections

40 North Pearl St., Suite 5

Albany, New York 12207-2729

Phone: 518-473-6220

Toll free: 1-800-367-8683

Fax: 518-473-8315

Email: info@elections.ny.gov

Website: https://elections.ny.gov

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: 301-563-3919

Toll free: 1-866-747-1471

Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov

Website: https://www.eac.gov

Ballotpedia's election coverage[edit]

U.S. Congress special elections

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See also[edit]

• Election laws and legislation in New York
• State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
• Factors affecting the speed of ballot counting and delivery of unofficial election results
• Voting in New York
• Ballot access requirements for political candidates in New York
• Redistricting in New York

Elections in New York[edit]

• New York elections, 2025
• New York elections, 2024
• New York elections, 2023
• New York elections, 2022
• New York elections, 2021
• New York elections, 2020
• New York elections, 2019
• New York elections, 2018
• New York elections, 2017
• New York elections, 2016
• New York elections, 2015
• New York elections, 2014

External links[edit]

• New York State Board of Elections
• Voter Lookup
• Absentee ballot tracker

Footnotes[edit]

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