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. Together, we have developed an FAQ for the upcoming Primary Election on June 22, 2021:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

 

VOTER REGISTRATION 

How can I find out if I’m registered to vote?

You can check your voter registration status, which political party you are enrolled in, and your political district information by using the NYS Voter Lookup tool. Check your registration.

Can I still register to vote on June 22?

May 28 was the deadline to register to vote in the June 22 primary elections. To be eligible to vote in a party’s primary elections in June, new voters must enroll in that political party when registering.

How do I find out if I am eligible to vote on June 22? 

You can vote in the primary if there is an election in your district, held by a political party with which you are registered. Only voters registered with a party may vote in that party’s primary elections.

• Check your voter registration status and party affiliation with the voter look up tool from the NYS Board of Elections.
• Then, use WhosOntheBallot.org to confirm which races are happening in your community. 

WHAT’S ON THE BALLOT

How do I find out what’s on my ballot?

Find the elections happening in your neighborhood and see who is on the ballot by entering your address at WhosOntheBallot.org. If there is a contest listed for your party and district, that means you have a primary election to vote in! 

Where can I learn more about candidates on my ballot?

To learn more about the candidates on your ballot, you can enter in your address in WhosOntheBallot.org to find which offices will be on your ballot, and a list of candidates running for each office. You can also find candidates website and social media links. 

IN-PERSON VOTING

When can I vote early in person?

You don’t have to wait until Election Day to vote in person! Early voting starts on June 12 and is available every day through June 20. Voting early is convenient, fast, and flexible.

The only difference between voting early and voting on Election Day is where and when you vote. Your early voting site may be different from your Election Day poll site, and hours vary. Ballot marking devices will be available at all poll sites and Board of Elections offices.

Learn more about voting early and look up your poll site.

What are the dates and hours for early voting? 

You must vote at your assigned early voting site. Your early voting site may be different from your Election Day poll site, so make sure to check before you go! Find my poll site:

When can I vote on election day in person?

Just like the old days, you can vote in person on Election Day this June 22. Polls are open from 6am-9pm.  You must vote at your assigned poll site. Ballot marking devices will be available at all poll sites and Board of Elections offices.

Learn more about election day voting and look up your assigned poll site.

Can I vote early if I requested or submitted an absentee ballot already?

Yes! If you vote in person after requesting or submitting an absentee ballot, your absentee ballot is automatically disqualified. Only your in person vote will count. You do not need to bring your absentee ballot to your poll site.

 

HOW TO VOTE BY MAIL/ABSENTEE BALLOT

Can I still vote by mail?

Yes. Voting by mail is a safe, easy, and secure way to cast your vote! This is a great option if you are unable to vote in person, have health or safety concerns, or just want to vote from the comfort of home. 

If you are affected by COVID-19 and/or the potential of contracting the virus, please check the box for “Temporary Illness” on the application. The definition has been temporarily expanded to include “a risk of contracting or spreading a disease” such as COVID-19.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot for the June 22 primary is June 15. We recommend requesting your absentee ballot as soon as possible.

How do I request an absentee (or mail-in) ballot?

To vote by mail you must request an  absentee ballot from the NYC Board of Elections by the deadline, June 15. You can request an absentee ballot online, by mail, or by phone. Accessible absentee ballots that can be read by a screen reader are also available for voters who are visually impaired.

Online: You can request an absentee ballot or an accessible absentee ballot online from the NYC Board of Elections website. It takes less than two minutes!

• Request absentee ballot

Mail: To request an absentee ballot by mail, fill out a paper request form and mail it to your local NYC Board of Elections office.

• Download absentee ballot request form 
• Download accessible absentee ballot request form

Email: To request an absentee ballot over email, you can email a signed, completed PDF of your ballot request form to AbsenteeHelp@boe.nyc. 

Phone: You can call the NYC Board of Elections to ask for a ballot request form. Call 1-866-VOTE-NYC (1-866-868-3692).

In Person: Find your local NYC Board of Elections office

How do I complete my absentee (or mail-in) ballot? 

To complete your ballot:

• Use a blue or black pen.

• Mark your choices by completely filling in the ovals. The June 22 primary election will use Ranked Choice Voting for city offices. Learn more about Ranked Choice Voting.

• Place your ballot in the ballot envelope. Sign and date the back of your ballot envelope by the red X.

• Place your ballot envelope in the return envelope with the barcode.

 

How do I return an absentee ballot to vote by mail?

You can return your absentee ballot by mailing it to the NYC Board of Elections or dropping it off at a ballot box.

Mail in your ballot

• Your ballot must be postmarked by June 22. We recommend mailing it in as soon as possible!

• You must add postage to mail in your ballot. We recommend two stamps.

Drop off your ballot

• You can drop your ballot in a ballot box at any poll site or Board of Elections office by June 22.

• You do not need postage if you are dropping off your ballot.

When do I need to return my absentee (or mail-in) ballot?

You can return your absentee ballot by mailing it to the NYC Board of Elections or dropping it off at a ballot box by June 22.

What if I cannot read or sign the absentee ballot due to disability?

For the June 22 primary elections, voters with disabilities can request an accessible absentee ballot. The request form for an accessible absentee ballot may be sent via email to the NYC Board of Elections.  Voters must use this form and send their request for an accessible absentee ballot by June 15. Voters can sign the request form with text input or e-signature. 

The Board of Elections will send the voter an accessible absentee ballot via email as soon as possible after receiving the form. The Board will also mail a postage paid return envelope and an oath envelope to the voter.

The voter can mark their selections on the computer and then print out the completed ballot. The voter must sign the oath envelope and place the completed ballot in the oath envelope. The voter must put the oath envelope in the larger, postage paid envelope and mail it by June 22. 

Voters with disabilities may also use a ballot marking device at their local poll site, their assigned early voting poll site, or at a BOE office. 

RANKED CHOICE VOTING

What is Ranked Choice Voting?

In primary and special elections for local offices, you can rank up to 5 candidates in order of preference instead of choosing just one. Learn more about Ranked Choice Voting.

Why are we using Ranked Choice Voting?

New Yorkers elected to use Ranked Choice Voting in a 2019 ballot measure. It passed with 73.5% support.

Which elections will use Ranked Choice Voting? 

NYC will use Ranked Choice Voting in primary and special elections for local offices:

• Mayor 
• Public Advocate
• Comptroller
• Borough President
• City Council.

What are the benefits of Ranked Choice Voting?

There are several ways that Ranked Choice Voting could benefit New York City voters:

• It gives you more say in who gets elected. Even if your top choice candidate does not win, you can still help choose who does.

• It gives you more choices. You can rank up to five candidates, allowing you to support your favorite candidate without worrying about whether they’re likely to win. 

• More diverse candidates win elections. Cities that have implemented Ranked Choice Voting have elected more women and more women of color, making their elected officials more representative of their communities.

How do I fill out my ballot? 

With Ranked Choice Voting, you can rank up to five candidates in order of preference instead of choosing just one. Only rank one candidate per column

Don’t rank any candidate more than once.

Here’s how to fill out your ballot:

1. Pick your first-choice candidate and completely fill in the oval next to their name under the 1st column.
2. If you have a second-choice candidate, fill in the oval next to their name under the 2nd column.
3. You can rank up to 5 candidates. You can still choose to vote for only one candidate if you prefer. Ranking other candidates does not harm your first choice.

Practice ranking your choices on a sample ballot. It will let you know if your ballot is filled out correctly or how to fix it if you make an error.

How will my ballot be counted? 

All 1st choice votes are counted. If a candidate receives more than 50% of votes, they win! However, if no candidate earns more than 50% of 1st choice votes, then counting will continue in rounds.

Each round, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. If your highest-ranked candidate is eliminated, your vote goes to the next highest ranked candidate on your ballot.

This process continues until there are only 2 candidates left. The candidate with the most votes wins!

See how votes are counted in rounds

Can I still vote for just one candidate?

Yes! You can still vote for just your 1st- choice candidate. However, ranking other candidates does not harm your 1st choice. If your 1st and only choice is eliminated, your vote will have no influence on the outcome of the election. (You may hear folks call this an “exhausted ballot.”)

Do I have to rank a total of 5 candidates?

No. You can rank up to five candidates, but you do not need to rank a total of 5.

Can I rank my favorite candidate more than once?

No. If you rank your preferred candidate more than once (for example as your 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th choice), then only your first ranking will count. There is no strategic benefit to giving the same candidate multiple rankings. It doesn’t help them, and it takes away your chance to have a say about who you’d choose next out of the remaining candidates (This is another way your ballot can get “exhausted”).

Can I rank multiple candidates as my first choice?

No. You can only choose one candidate for each ranking. If you choose more than one candidate as your 1st choice, your ballot will not be valid.

How do I vote for a write-in candidate with Ranked Choice Voting?

To vote for a candidate whose name is not on the ballot, write their name on the “Write-in” line and fill in an oval to rank your write-in choice.

Does ranking 5 candidates mean I have 5 votes?

No. Your vote only counts for the highest active candidate on your ballot. Your vote will only count for your 2nd choice if your 1st choice is eliminated, and so on.

 

Election Protection

Election protection is the place you can call/email/text to report voting rights violations and is an additional resource to answer election-related questions and address any problems experienced by voters. There are a handful of hotlines and email addresses where information like this can be reported.

Our Vote

Phone:

 

NY State Attorney General’s Office 

Phone Hotline: 1-800-771-7755

Online Complaint form: https://ag.ny.gov/election-hotline

The telephone hotline will open on June 12, 2021 and will be running between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM from Saturday, June 12, 2021 through Sunday, June 20, 2021 and between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 (Election Day). Volunteers will only answer hotline calls during these times. However, voicemails will also be returned in a timely fashion. 

Hotline calls and written requests for election-related assistance are processed by attorneys and staff in the NYS Attorney General’s Office.

NYCLU’s Voting Team

NYCLU accepts any non-urgent red flags around voter protection or voting process at vote@nyclu.org or (212) 607-3300

Voter Questions & Testimonials

Social Media

Tag in @nycvotes to your social media voting-related questions! Voters can also DM on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook  also @nycvotes. 

Voter Assistance Advisory Committee (VAAC) Post-Election Hearing

The New York City Campaign Finance Board’s VAAC will be holding a post-election hearing on June 30, 2021. To document your June Primary election voter experience in writing, you may submit formal or informal testimony to Jordan Pantalone at jpantalone@nyccfb.info