Voter Guide 2026

Greetings Voter, 

We created this guide to make sure you know how, when and where to vote, what your rights are, and who’s running for office this year. Please share with as many people as possible so we can have a huge turnout this year!

See you at the polls!

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

  • To be eligible to vote in this year’s elections, New Yorkers must register to vote online (if eligible), in person, or by mail by these deadline dates:

    Saturday, October 24, 2026 is the deadline to register to vote before the Primary Election, the last day to request an early mail/absentee ballot to be received by mail, and the first day of Early Voting for the Primary Election. 

    Register by mail - Your mailed registration form must be received by a board of elections Agency-Based voter registration center

    Register in person - You can register at your county board of elections or at any New York State Agency-Based voter registration center

    Register online (if eligible)

  • -Early Voting for the Primary Election will be October 24, 2026 – November 1, 2026

    -Election Day — November 3, 2026

    -In-person application: The last day to apply in person for a ballot at your county board of elections is November 2, 2026

    -Ballot return by mail: Your completed ballot must be postmarked by November 3, 2026 (Election Day) and received by your county board of elections no later than November 10, 2026

    -Ballot return in person: You can drop off your completed ballot by 9 p.m. on November 3, 2026, at any poll site or your county board of elections office. 

IMPORTANT DEADLINES

WHERE TO VOTE

  • Early Voting for the General Election will be October 24 - November 1, 2026. Designated polling sites

    SUFFOLK

    NASSAU

  • Before Election Day, locate your polling place online or by contacting your local board of elections. You may receive a helpful information card in the mail listing your polling place, but if you are registered, you are entitled to vote whether you receive the card or not.


    All polling locations throughout New York State are open from 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m on November 3, 2026

VOTING BY EARLY MAIL OR ABSENTEE

  • Early Mail eligibility (as of Jan 1, 2024):

    Any registered voter may apply for an early mail ballot. Also known as “no excuse” voting.

    You are eligible to vote by Absentee Ballot if:

    -You will be out of the county where you live on Election Day

    -You are unable to go to the polls because you are temporarily or permanently ill, physically disabled or in the hospital, or are the primary caregiver of such a person (temporary illness includes being unable to appear due to the risk of contracting or spreading a communicable disease like COVID-19);

    -You are a resident or patient in a Veterans Administration hospital;-

    You are detained in jail awaiting grand jury action or trial; or

    -You are incarcerated after a conviction for a non-felony offense. (N.Y. Election Law § 8-400.)

  • To vote by mail, you must first submit an absentee ballot application. You can apply for your absentee ballot online at absenteeballot.elections.ny.gov, or by mail, phone, online or in person with your county board of elections. Verify the address at which you are registered to vote at voterlookup.elections.ny.gov.

    After your application has been approved, you will receive an absentee ballot in the mail. Carefully follow the directions provided on the absentee ballot.

    To avoid postal delays and any problems counting your vote, apply for and send in your absentee ballot as early as possible. Deadline for Board of Elections to receive your application is October 24th.

    If you prefer not to mail your absentee ballot, you may deliver it to any early voting or election day poll site, or your board of elections office.

  • -Using the online Ballot Request Application portal
    -If you have a print disability, which means any disability that interferes with the effective reading, writing, or use of printed material, and require a ballot with accessible features you may apply using the online Accessible Absentee Ballot Application portal. Print disabilities include blindness, low vision, dyslexia, dysgraphia, learning disabilities, and physical disabilities that limit writing abilities. Please find the link to the portal in the section below.
    -By going in-person to your local county board of elections
    -By designating another person to deliver your application in-person to your local county board of elections and receive your ballot

  • For the June Primary Election:
    -    Put it in the mail ensuring it receives a postmark no later than November 3.
    -Bringing it to your County Board of Elections Office no later than November 3 by 9pm.
    -    Bringing it to an early voting poll site in your county between October 24 and November 1.
    -Bringing it to a poll site in your county on November 3, 2026 by 9pm.

    If you decide not to vote absentee after requesting a ballot, you will need to fill out a provisional ballot at the pollsite.

VOTER REGISTRATION FAQs

  • U.S. citizens can vote if they are at least 18 years old on Election Day, have been a resident of the city or county for at least 30 days, do not claim the right to vote elsewhere, have not been declared mentally incompetent, and are not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction. In addition, most New Yorkers who are on parole for a felony conviction are now eligible to vote. If you are a student, homeless, a survivor of intimate partner violence with related concerns, or living with a mental or physical impairment, you can still vote.

  • New York requires voters to register with a local board of elections prior to Election Day. Paper registration forms can be submitted in person or by mail. New Yorkers with state identification and a social security number can also register to vote, or update registration information such as name, address, or party enrollment, online at the state’s DMV website.

  • New York voters can register by mail, in person, or online if eligible.

    To register by mail, send your voter registration form to your local board of elections.

    Voter registration forms are available online.

    Voter registration forms are also available by calling 1-800-FOR-VOTE (TDD/TTY Dial 711), or at the Department of Motor Vehicles, state public assistance agencies, public libraries, and many government offices.

    To register in person, visit your local board of elections or a participating state agency office and fill out a registration form up. Please call the office ahead of time to check the current hours of operation.

  • Prospective voters typically provide a valid New York State driver’s license number or the last four digits of a Social Security Number. First-time registrants registering by mail or in person may also register by providing a copy of: a valid photo ID, a current utility bill, a bank statement, a government check, or certain other government documentation that shows your name and address.

  • Voters who move within the state or change their name should notify the local board of elections by submitting an updated registration form, or by updating their registrations via MyDMV. Voters who did not notify the board of elections of the change can still vote on Election Day in their new name, or at the polling place for their new address, per N.Y. Election Law §8-302, but will have to vote by affidavit ballot or may opt to seek a court order to cast a regular ballot.

  • Voters can check their registration status by visiting New York’s voter lookup page or by contacting the local board of elections.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

  • Voters have rights in New York and around the country. Before going to the polling place, review your rights if you are a student, are homeless, have a criminal record, have concerns over language access or live with mental or physical disabilities.

    All U.S. citizens who are at least 18 years old on Election Day and have resided in the county for at least 30 days are eligible to vote, so long as they have not been declared mentally incompetent and are not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction. If this describes you, you are entitled to vote.

    New York voters also have a right to:
    -Take up to two hours of paid time off to vote if their work schedule otherwise prevents them from voting in person while the polls are open. Voters must tell their employers that they need time off to vote at least two days before the election. N.Y. Elec. Law § 3-110.

    -Bring written or printed materials into voting booths, but not to display or leave campaign clothing, stickers or buttons at the polling place. N.Y. Elec. Law § 17-130(4).

    -Vote free from harassment or intimidation.

    -Take “Challenge Oaths” if someone challenges your right to vote. You have the right to cast a regular ballot if you can complete the oaths required of you. N.Y. Elec. Law § 8-504.

    -Receive instructions from a poll worker on how to use voting equipment before you enter the voting booth. N.Y. Elec. Law § 8-306.

    -Vote without an ID unless you are a first-time voter who registered by mail and did not provide identification.

    -Vote by affidavit or provisional ballot (a paper ballot in an envelope) if you have any problems with your registration.

  • Students can register to vote either at school or at home, at whatever address they consider their primary legal residence.

  • People who are homeless can register to vote by identifying a place of residence (a street corner, a park, a shelter, or any other place where you usually stay) and a mailing address (a local advocacy organization, shelter, outreach center, or anyone willing to accept mail for you). For more information, view this Guide for Homeless Individuals.

  • People with disabilities can vote at their local polling place with the assistance of a person of their choice (other than an employer, an agent of an employer, or an officer or agent of a labor union). If a voter requesting assistance does not select a specific person, they will be assisted by two election inspectors, each from a different party.

    Polling places in New York are required to be accessible unless they are granted an exemption. If a polling place is not accessible, contact the local board of elections and ask for an accommodation or an absentee ballot application. If voting in person is not feasible, voters with disabilities have the right to vote by absentee ballot and to automatically receive an absentee ballot for subsequent elections.

  • Call the Election Protection hotline at (866) OUR-VOTE/1-866-687-8683.

BLACK VOTERS OF LONG ISLAND

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