How to register to vote in New York

The information on this page applies to the November 3, 2020 General Election. Voting for that election has ended in all states.

Who can vote

To register in New York you must:

be a citizen of the United States
be a resident of this state and the county, city or village for at least 30 days before the 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

Online voter registration

New York offers online voter registration.
You should know: you need a NY state driver license, permit or non-driver ID issued by the DMV to use New York's online voter registration system AND a social security number. The address listed on your ID needs to match where you’re registering to vote. If you don't have a New York-issued ID, or prefer to register at a different address, you can still register by mail to vote.

By-mail voter registration

Use the New York voter registration form

You can also register to vote using the New York voter registration form. Be sure to read the instructions carefully and fill it out completely. Send the completed form to your local election official

Use the National Voter Registration Form

Print and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
Box 6 - ID Number: Federal law requires that you provide your New York driver's license number to register to vote. If you do not have a driver's license then you will have to provide at least the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you have neither, please write "NONE" on the form. A unique identifying number will be assigned to you by your State.
Box 7 - Choice of Party: You can only vote in a partisan primary in New York if you are a registered member of that party. You should register with the party whose primary you would like to vote in.
Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: Leave blank. This information is not required.
Review the "Who can vote?" section above and check that you're eligible.
Sign the form.
Send the completed form to your local election official
If you are registering to vote for the first time in your jurisdiction and are mailing this registration application, Federal law requires you to show proof of identification the first time you vote. Proof of identification includes: A current and valid photo identification or A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows your name and address. More information here.

Election Day registration

New York does not offer registration on Election Day.

In-person voter registration

Due to COVID-19, in-person services may have limited availability. Contact your local election office to confirm. See CDC guidance on safe in-person registration and voting.

You can also register to vote in person. Contact your local election office for information on when and where to register to vote.
Learn more by visiting the State Board of Elections for New York or contacting your local election official.

Get step-by-step help

If you’d like more help planning how to register, TurboVote can walk you through the process! They can also help you start the absentee/mail-in ballot request process, send you election reminders, and more.

Military and overseas voters

Active-duty military, their families, and overseas citizens can register to vote and request their absentee ballot using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). The FPCA process is done by mail, but your state may offer other options to request and return ballots. Please contact your election official for more information about delivery and return methods, including email, fax, and state online portals. To follow the FPCA process:

Fill out the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), or download a copy. Your election official may have questions, so please provide an email address or phone number where they can reach you.
Send the application to your election official.
It is never too early to submit an FPCA! Please do so as soon as possible.
Please fill out and send back your ballot as soon as you receive it.
States begin mailing absentee ballots at least 45 days before Election Day. If you haven't received your ballot by 30 days before Election Day, contact your local election office.

If after submitting your FPCA, your ballot does not arrive, contact your election official first. Then:

You can still vote using the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). Print, sign, and mail your FWAB to your local election office.
If you mail a FWAB and then receive your regular absentee ballot, you should complete and mail your absentee ballot also. Election officials will ensure that only one ballot is counted.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program – FVAP.gov offers additional information on military and overseas voting in New York. You can also call 1-800-438-VOTE or email vote@fvap.gov

Check your voter registration status

You can look up your voter registration record and verify that your information is correct using New York's voter registration lookup tool.

Election contact information for New York

Address:
State Board of Elections
40 North Pearl Street, Suite 5
Albany, NY 12207

Phone Number:
800-367-8683

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