New York Voter Registration Information

Presidential Primary Election
April 24, 2012

Presidential Primary Election Voter Registration Deadline
March 30, 2012

Primary Election
September 11, 2012

General Election
November 6, 2012

General Election Voter Registration Deadline
October 17, 2012

Voter Registration and Eligibility
Must register to vote at least 25 days before the election.

Note: You may register at your local board of elections or any state agency participating in the National Voter Registration Act, on any business day throughout the year but, to be eligible to vote in the November general election, your application must be received no later than October 10th except, if you have been honorably discharged from the military or have become a naturalized citizen since October 10th, you may register in person at the board of elections up until October 24th.

To Change Your Party Affiliation:
You can change your party affiliation by obtaining a Voter Registration Form,
indicating the change and sending it to the Board of Elections.We will process the information and send you a new voter card reflecting the change in party. You cannot change your enrollment and vote in the new party. You cannot change your enrollment and vote in the new party of your  choice in the same year.

PLEASE NOTE: a change of enrollment will go into affect ONE WEEK following the General Election. The last day to change your enrollment is the same as the last day to register for the General Election (25 days prior).

QUALIFICATIONS

To register to vote in the State of New York, an individual must meet the following qualifications:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be at least 18 years old by December 31 of the year in which you file this form (note: you must be 18 years old by the date of the general, primary or other election in which you want to vote)
• Live at present address at least 30 days before an election
• Not be in jail or on parole for a felony conviction
• Not claim the right to vote elsewhere

 OBTAINING A VOTER REGISTRATION FORM

Register in person at your County Board of Elections.

or at any New York State Agency-Based voter registration center.

Request a voter registration application by entering your name into the State Board of Elections' mailing list.

Call the State Board of Elections' 1-800-FOR-VOTE hotline to request a voter application.

You may also obtain Registration Forms from:

• Libraries
• Post Offices
• most New York City Government agencies.
  MAIL (DO NOT FAX)
   Voter Registration Form to:
• Board of Elections in the City of New York
  32 Broadway, 7th Floor
  New York, New York 10004-1609

Download a PDF version of the New York State Voter Registration Form, available online:
English
Spanish

Print the form, complete and sign it. Then mail it to your county board of elections (contact information).

NEW YORK ABSENTEE BALLOTS

Who Can Absentee Vote in New York?

In order to vote by absentee ballot, the voter must meet one of the following qualifications:

• Unavoidably absent from his/her county on Election Day
• Unable to appear at the polls due to illness or disability
• A patient in a Veterans' Administration Hospital
• Detained in jail awaiting Grand Jury action or confined in prison after conviction for an offense other than a felony

How Can I Acquire an Absentee Ballot?

Applications for Absentee Ballots are available at your County Board of Elections (contact information).
Obtain an application for an absentee ballot online here. Upon completion, applications must be mailed to your county board no later than the seventh day before the election or delivered in person no later than the day before the election.

Voters may also request an absentee ballot by sending a letter to the County Board of Elections. The letter must be received by the County Board no earlier than 30 days and no later than 7 days before the election. The letter must contain the following information:

• The address where the voter is registered
• The address where the ballot is to be sent
• The reason for the request
• The signature of the voter

Military personnel can acquire Federal Voting Assistance Program Applications from a Voting Assistance Officer, or online here.

Additional Information for Overseas Voters

How do I Return the Absentee Ballot and What is the Deadline?

In order to be counted, the ballot must either be delivered to the Board of Elections by the close of the polls on Election Day, or be postmarked the day before the election and received by the Board of Elections no later than seven days after the election.

Source of information:
New York State Board of Elections
40 Steuben Street
Albany, NY 12207-2108
Phone: 518-474-6220
Voter Information Hotline: 800-367-8683
TTY: 212-487-5496
[email protected]

http://www.elections.ny.gov/

PROTECT YOUR SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS
BY EXERCISING YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE!