Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2020. New York offers absentee ballots by mail to voters who will be unable to vote in person. All other voters are expected to vote in person. New York offers early voting.
Vote in person
Vote on Election Day
Voters registered in New York can look up where to vote on New York’s site.
Vote early
New York voters can also vote before Election Day. The early voting period runs from Saturday, October 24, 2020 to Sunday, November 1, 2020, but dates and hours may vary based on where you live.
What to bring
- If you’ve voted in New York before, you don’t need to provide ID to vote.
- If you’re a first-time voter who registered by mail, and didn’t provide a copy of your ID with your registration, you may need to show ID to vote. Acceptable forms include: a current and valid photo ID; or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address.
- Voters without ID: If you are unable to provide ID, you will be able to vote an affidavit ballot.
Who can vote
You have to register to vote before Election Day in New York. You can find the deadline to register to vote in the “Dates and deadlines” section.
To register in New York you must:
- be a citizen of the United States
- be a resident of the county, or of the City of New York, at least 30 days before an election
- be 18 years old (you may pre-register at 16 or 17 but cannot vote until you are 18)
- not be in jail or on parole for a felony conviction (unless parolee pardoned or restored rights of citizenship)
- not currently be judged incompetent by order of a court of competent judicial authority
- not claim the right to vote elsewhere
- *find more information on voting rights restoration here
Vote by mail
- Review the absentee ballot application and confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements for voting absentee.
- Fill out the application completely.
- Submit the request to your local election office. You should request your ballot as far in advance of the election as possible. The deadline to request a ballot by mail is (received by) Tuesday, October 27, 2020.
- When your ballot arrives, read it carefully and follow the instructions to complete it and return it.