Jolt the Vote

The federal primary in June sprang some surprises, and the primaries at the state and local level in September are ripe for more, particularly on the Democratic side.

So—are you registered to vote at your current address? Although you can register any time during the year, your form must be delivered or mailed at least 25 days before an election for it to be effective for that election. Even if you don’t enroll in a party, you’ll still want to vote in the general election in November. It’s a big one for us: one U.S. Senator, member of Congress, governor, lieutenant governor, state attorney general, judges, and more.

ELECTIONS COMING UP
Thursday, Sept. 13: State and local primaries—on a Thursday
Tuesday, Nov. 6: General election

Note: To vote in a primary election you must (1) be registered to vote at your current address and (2) be enrolled in the official political party recognized by the NY State Board of Elections that is holding a primary.

REGISTER BY MAIL

• Download the Voter Registration Form (available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Bengali).
• Voter Registration Forms with prepaid postage are also available at the Board of Elections, libraries, post offices, most New York City government agencies, and the League of Women Voters of the City of New York. To have a registration form mailed to you, call the Board of Elections at 866-VOTE-NYC (866-868-3692).
• Fill out a Voter Registration Application using a pen with only blue or black ink. Be sure to sign the form.
• Mail the Voter Registration Form to: Board of Elections, 32 Broadway, 7th floor, New York, NY 10004.

REGISTER IN PERSON
Register in person at any of the Board of Elections offices in the five boroughs.
Manhattan: 200 Varick Street (near W. Houston St.), 10th floor, 212-886-2100, Monday–Friday,  9 a.m.–5 p.m.

REGISTER ONLINE
If you have a New York State driver’s license or DMV-issued nondriver’s ID card, go to https://dmv.ny.gov/more-info/electronic-voter-registration-application.

REGISTRATION DATES
State and local primaries
Aug. 18 Last day to postmark a mail application. Aug. 22 Last day it must be received by Board of Elections.
Aug. 19 Last day an in-person application must be received by the Board of Elections.

General election
Oct. 12 Last day to postmark a mail application. Oct. 17 Last day it must be received by the Board of Elections.
Oct. 12 Last day an in-person application must be received by the Board of Elections. If you have been honorably discharged from the military or have become a naturalized citizen since Oct. 13, you may register in person at the Board of Elections until October 27.

To register to vote in the City of New York, you must:

1. be a citizen of the United States (includes persons born in Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and naturalized citizens).
2. be a New York City resident for at least 30 days by the time of election.
3. be 18 years old by December 31 of the year the registration is filed (note: you must be 18 years old by the date of the general, primary, or other election in which you want to vote).
4. not be serving a prison sentence or be on parole for a felony conviction.
5. not be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court.
6. not claim the right to vote elsewhere (outside the City of New York).

The “Help America Vote Act” (HAVA) of 2002 requires all first-time voters who register by mail to provide additional identification either on or with the voter registration application, for example, the voter’s driver’s license number or the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security number. If you do not have a driver’s license or Social Security number, you may use a valid photo ID, a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or some other government document that shows your name and address.