Protect your health, and the health of our democracy with expanded access to vote-by-mail in the upcoming 2020 General Election.

In response to these unprecedented circumstances, WhosOntheBallot.org has partnered with the Mayor’s DemocracyNYC Initiative and the NYC Votes/Campaign Finance Board, who have convened a consortium of community-based organizations, good government groups, and advocates to get the word out about voting safely to the hardest-hit communities. Together, we developed a FAQ for the upcoming General Election on November 3, 2020

This Fall, all New York Voters can vote by mail due to the risk of contracting the coronavirus. You must request an absentee ballot to vote by mail. We recommend requesting your ballot and mailing it back as soon as possible.

REGISTERING TO VOTE

HOW CAN I REGISTER TO VOTE?

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are safe and easy ways to register to vote in New York:

1. Online: Go to http://whosontheballot.org/register-to-vote/. If you have a state ID from the Department of Motor Vehicles (“DMV”) you will be able to register seamlessly through that system.
2. By Mail: If you do not have a DMV ID, you can mail in your registration. Instructions can be found at https://vote.nyc/page/register-vote. The registration will not be complete until this form is mailed to and processed by the Board of Elections.
3. You can also register in-person at your local County Board of Elections, any DMV office, or a number of other New York State agencies.

AM I ELIGIBLE TO REGISTER TO VOTE?

In order to register to vote you must:

• be a United States citizen;
• be 18 years old (you may pre-register at 16 or 17, but cannot vote until you are 18);
• be resident of this State and the county, city or village for at least 30 days before the election;
• not be in prison or on parole for a felony conviction (unless you’ve been pardoned or restored rights of citizenship);
• not be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court; and
• not claim the right to vote elsewhere.

I THINK I AM ALREADY REGISTERED TO VOTE. HOW CAN I FIND OUT?

You can check your voter registration status online, or by calling the Board of Elections at 866-868-3692.

WHEN DO I HAVE TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN THE NOVEMBER 2020 GENERAL ELECTION?

The deadline to register to vote in New York is October 9, 2020.

Applications sent through the mail must be postmarked no later than October 9 and received by your local County Board of Elections no later than October 14. Online applications via MyDMV or in-person applications must be submitted by October 9. In New York, voters must be registered 25 days before an election to be able to vote in that election. If you are planning to register to vote by mail, it would be best to do so as soon as possible, given possible delays with the United States Postal Service.

WHAT IF I HAVE MOVED SINCE THE LAST TIME I VOTED?

You should update your voter registration with a new address or name change by October 14. Making these changes is simple:

• If you have a DMV ID, update your information through the DMV’s website.
• If you don’t have a DMV ID, visit https://vote.nyc/page/register-vote, where you can print and mail a pre-filled form with your new information.
• Or, print, fill out, and mail a form to the Board of Elections.
• Confirm that your change of address was processed going to your poll site.

If the change of address was not processed (or never submitted), and you have moved within New York, you still have the right to vote! You may cast an affidavit ballot at your assigned poll site for your new address. This applies to voters who moved within the same county (e.g., from one Brooklyn (Kings County) address to another Brooklyn address) or between counties (e.g., from Queens to the Bronx). When casting an affidavit ballot due to an address change, the affidavit ballot will be used to update your voter registration for future elections.

HOW TO VOTE IN 2020

HOW DO I VOTE?

All New Yorkers have three ways to vote in the 2020 elections. Choose the best option to make your voice heard during the pandemic.

• EARLY VOTING: Vote in person from October 24 to November 1. Your Early Voting site may be different from your Election Day poll site, so make sure to check before you go at https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/.

• VOTE BY MAIL (Absentee Ballot): All registered voters also have the option to vote by mail by requesting an absentee ballot. The deadline is October 27th, but we recommend requesting your ballot as soon as you can. You can mark the reason as “Temporary illness or disability,” which includes the risk of contracting the coronavirus. When you receive your ballot, make sure to sign and date the back of your absentee ballot envelope. Ballots must be postmarked on or before November 3. You can track your absentee ballot here.

  Other than ONLINE, there are several other ways to request an absentee ballot:

  1. Email request form to Apply4Absentee@boe.nyc (PDF of completed, signed request form)
  2. Mail request form to your local borough office
  3. Call 1-866-VOTE-NYC (1-866-868-3692)
  4. Fax request form to 212-487-5349
• ELECTION DAY VOTING: As always, all registered voters can vote in-person on November 3. We anticipate high turnout this year, so lines may be long at some poll sites. If you’re worried about crowds, you may want to consider voting early or via absentee ballot. Find your Election Day poll site here.

WHAT’S ON THE BALLOT?

This Fall there are federal, state, and local races on the ballot:

• President
• Congress
• Queens Borough President
• State Senate
• State Assembly
• NYC Council District 37
• NYS Supreme Court
• NYC Civil Courts

I HEARD THAT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN AND BARCLAYS CENTER ARE POLL SITES. CAN I VOTE THERE?

Only if they are your assigned poll sites. Use the poll site look-up website to find out.

 

IS IT SAFE TO VOTE IN PERSON? 

Voting in person is safe as long as you follow the Core 4, especially if you choose to go when your voting center is less busy (usually mid-morning or early afternoon). 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!

WHAT STEPS CAN I TAKE TO STAY SAFE WHILE VOTING?

Wear a face covering. Face coverings are required to enter all polling sites. Protect those around you and wear a face covering correctly (over your nose and mouth).

Practice physical distancing. Polling sites will be set up to enforce social distancing. Follow instructions and stay at least 6 feet away from others while at your polling site.

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.

 

COVID-19 RATES ARE HIGH IN MY COMMUNITY. IS IT SAFE TO VOTE IN PERSON IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD?

• Polling centers will have safety precautions in place to ensure that voting is as safe as possible, no matter what the COVID rates are in your community.
• If you are at risk of severe COVID infection (elderly, immunocompromised, or pregnant), consider taking advantage of early voting in order to avoid any crowds on Election Day.
• If you are sick, stay home and follow the instructions above for requesting an absentee ballot by mail (until October 27th) or in person at your borough’s Board of Elections office (until Nov 2nd).

EARLY VOTING

WHAT IS 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 https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/ or by calling 1-866-Vote-NYC.

Here are the dates and times that Early Voting poll sites will be open in New York City prior to the November 3rd general election:

Saturday         October 24, 2020        10:00AM – 4:00PM

Sunday            October 25, 2020        10:00AM – 4:00PM

Monday          October 26, 2020        7:00AM – 3:00PM

Tuesday          October 27, 2020        12:00PM – 8:00PM

Wednesday    October 28, 2020        12:00PM – 8:00PM

Thursday        October 29, 2020        10:00AM – 6:00PM

Friday             October 30, 2020         7:00AM – 5:00PM

Saturday         October 31, 2020        7:00AM – 5:00PM

Sunday            November 1, 2020      7:00AM – 4:00PM 

VOTING BY MAIL

DO I HAVE TO VOTE IN PERSON?

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. Additionally, for this year’s general election New Yorkers can request an absentee ballot if they are concerned about contracting or spreading COVID-19.

WHEN AND HOW CAN I APPLY FOR AN ABSENTEE BALLOT?

You can apply for your absentee ballot right now by visiting nycabsentee.com. The deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is October 27, but we recommend that you request your ballot immediately. It only takes two minutes!

When applying, you should select “temporary illness or disability” as your reason, which includes the risk of contracting the coronavirus.

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. You can track the status of your absentee ballot by visiting nycabsentee.com/tracking.

Absentee ballot requests can be submitted in-person to your borough’s Board of Elections office until November 2.

 

SOMEONE ELSE’S NAME IS PRINTED ON THE ENVELOPE FOR MY ABSENTEE BALLOT. WHAT DO I DO?

Before sending your ballot back, you need to stop and double check that it is your name and address printed on the absentee ballot envelope (this is the smaller envelope that also has a spot for your signature). If the ballot envelope doesn’t have your name and address, DON’T USE IT. The Board of Elections will mail corrected ballot envelopes to all voters affected by this printing error. You can contact the Board of Elections by calling 1-866-VOTE-NYC or emailing Apply4Absentee@boe.nyc.

While this is a very unfortunate error, there is plenty of time to fix it. Remember, whether you are dropping off or mailing in your completed, signed, and sealed ballot, the deadline to do so is on or before November 3.

 

MY BALLOT SAYS “OFFICIAL ABSENTEE MILITARY BALLOT,” BUT I’M NOT IN THE MILITARY. WHAT DO I DO?

This is the correct ballot for use by all absentee and military voters. Typically, there is a slash between the words “Absentee / Military” like on the primary ballots from this June. The slash was not included this time. Though confusing, these ballots are valid.

HOW DO I REQUEST AN ACCESSIBLE 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:

• Email: AccessibleBallot@boe.nyc
• Call: 1-866-868-3692
• Mail your local Board of Elections office
• Fax: 212-487-5349
• In person: Visit your local New York City Board of Elections office.

Requests for accessible ballots must be postmarked, emailed, submitted online, or faxed to the Board of Elections by October 27, 2020. You can apply in-person for an absentee ballot until November 2, 2020.

The Board of Elections says it will start mailing absentee ballots in late September. You can track the status of your absentee ballot by visiting nycabsentee.com/tracking.

IF I VOTED BY MAIL DURING THE JUNE PRIMARIES, DO I NEED TO REQUEST A BALLOT FOR NOVEMBER?

Yes, unless you were previously on the permanent absentee voter list due to a long-term disability or illness, you need to request a ballot again for November.

WHEN WILL ABSENTEE BALLOTS BE MAILED?

The Board of Elections started mailing ballots to voters who request them on a rolling basis beginning on September 18, 2020. Track your absentee ballot at nycabsentee.com/tracking.

DO I HAVE TO MAIL MY ABSENTEE BALLOT OR CAN I DROP IT OFF SOMEWHERE?

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:

• At any Early Voting poll site, between Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, November 1.
• At any Election Day poll site on Tuesday, November 3 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• At any NYC Board of Elections office through Election Day.

WHEN IS THE DEADLINE TO MAIL IN MY ABSENTEE BALLOT?

Absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day on November 3.

We recommend mailing your completed ballot in as soon as possible to avoid any concern about your ballot not receiving a postmark and arriving too late to be counted. Absentee ballots received by the Board of Elections on the day after Election Day will be counted, even if they do not have a postmark.

HOW CAN I CHECK ON THE STATUS OF MY MAILED-IN ABSENTEE BALLOT?

Track your mailed-in absentee ballot request at nycabsentee.com/tracking. Once you have submitted your request for an absentee ballot, you can use the site to confirm whether the Board of Elections has:

1. received your absentee ballot request,
2. mailed your absentee ballot to you, and
3. accepted your completed absentee ballot, or if you need to fix it

DO I NEED TO PUT STAMPS ON MY ABSENTEE BALLOT ENVELOPE?

YES, unlike the June primary, you must put stamps on the return envelope that comes with your absentee ballot!

The return envelope is the larger envelope of two envelopes that will come with your absentee ballot and will have the return address of your local County Board of Elections printed on the outside and should have a logo that reads, “Official Election Mail”.

HOW DO I CAST AN ABSENTEE PAPER BALLOT?

You will receive a ballot, a smaller security envelope, and a larger return envelope.

• Mark the ballot with your choices for each office, following the instructions.
• Once you have completed marking your ballot, fold it and place it in the security envelope. (This is the smaller envelope that has a place for your signature.)
• Sign and date the outside of the security envelope where indicated.
• Seal the security envelope.
• Place the security envelope in the return envelope (This is the larger envelope with a return address to your county Board of Elections and an “Official Election Mail” logo).
• Seal the return envelope.
• Place proper postage on the return envelope.

HOW DO I CAST AN ACCESSIBLE ABSENTEE BALLOT?

HOW DO I VOTE IF I JUST WANT TO VOTE ON ELECTION DAY?

If you are a registered voter, on Election Day you can go to your polling place between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. and cast your ballot. Be sure to check the location of your polling place!

WHERE AND WHEN CAN I VOTE ON ELECTION DAY?

You can find your Election Day polling place here. Polling places open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 9:00 p.m. If you live in New York City and want to see your ballot ahead of time, visit WhosOntheBallot.

CAN I STILL VOTE IN PERSON IF I REQUESTED AN ABSENTEE BALLOT?

Yes. New York law allows a voter to vote in-person (at their assigned polling place) even if the voter requested or even mailed in an absentee ballot. This is because before any absentee ballot is counted, a bi-partisan team of CBOE staff in a transparent process with representatives of candidates, political parties, and the press present, determine whether the ballot meets the requirements of NYS Election Law. One of the first things they check is whether the person voted in person. If so, the absentee ballot is put aside and not counted.

DO I HAVE TO BRING ID?

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.

IF I WANT TO VOTE IN PERSON, BUT CANNOT USE A PEN TO COMPLETE THE PAPER BALLOT, DO I HAVE ANY OPTIONS?

Yes, you can bring someone to assist you, you can request assistance from the poll workers or you can use a Ballot Marking Device (“BMD”) to mark your ballot at the polling site. However, anyone who assists you cannot be your employer nor your union representative.

WHAT IS A BALLOT MARKING DEVICE?
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.

CAN I USE A BALLOT MARKING DEVICE?
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.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

WHAT IF I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?

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.

• New York City Board of Elections: https://www.vote.nyc/, 866-VOTE-NYC
• New York State Board of Elections: https://www.elections.ny.gov/
• League of Women Voters Vote: 411 https://www.vote411.org/
• NYC Votes: www.voting.nyc
• Disability Rights, New York: https://www.drny.org