2024 NYS General Election guide

Important dates

  • October 26 - November 3: early voting

  • November 5: general election - polls are open from 6am to 9pm

  • If you've moved:

    • October 21: change of address received by this date must be processed

  • If you are not registered to vote:

    • October 26: last day for ONLINE or IN-PERSON voter registration; MAIL-IN registration must be received by a Board of Elections

  • Voting by absentee or early mail ballot (any registered voter may apply to vote by early mail ballot)

    • October 26: last day for ONLINE application; MAIL-IN application must be received by a Board of Elections

    • November 4: last day for IN-PERSON application

    • November 5: last day to postmark completed MAIL-IN ballot or deliver completed ballot IN-PERSON to the local Board of Elections or to any poll site in your county

Make sure you are registered to vote & that your address is up to date with your county Board of Elections

Who will I be voting on in the 2024 general election? (go to www.vote411.org for all ballot info)

  • President & Vice President

  • One US Senate seat

  • All members of the US House of Representatives

  • All NYS Assembly Members and NYS Senators

  • Some village, town, county, special districts

Who can vote?

  • To vote you must:

    • be a United States citizen

    • be 18-years old by Nov 5, 20-24 (16- and 17-year olds may pre-register)

    • live at your present address at least 30 days before an election

    • not be currently incarcerated for a felony conviction

    • not be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court

    • not claim the right to vote elsewhere

    • be registered to vote

How do I register to vote?

How do I make sure I am registered to vote?

Where do I vote?

4 ways to vote (2 in person, 2 by ballot)

  • Vote in person on election day (assigned poll sites) at polling place or vote early in person during nine days leading up to election days. In NYC, you must vote at an assigned poll site during early voting; elsewhere in the state, you can vote early at any poll site in your county.

  • Submit absentee ballot application or submit early mail application online at state Board of Elections (https://elections.ny.gov/request-ballot) and vote by absentee ballot or vote by early mail ballot. If you apply for an absentee ballot or early mail voting and decide to vote in person, you will vote by affidavit ballot

How do I vote by absentee ballot?

  • Meet one of the qualifications:

    • Absent from your county or, if a resident of New York City, absent from the five boroughs, on Election Day

    • Unable to appear at the polls due to temporary or permanent illness or disability

    • Unable to appear because you are the primary caregiver of one or more individuals who are ill or physically disabled

    • A resident or patient of a Veterans Health Administration Hospital

    • In jail or prison for any reason other than a felony conviction. This includes anyone who is awaiting grand jury action, awaiting trial, or serving a sentence for a misdemeanor

How do I vote by early mail ballot?

  • Any registered voter may apply to vote by early mail ballot

  • No excuse or qualification is required to vote by early mail ballot

Process for absentee ballot & vote by early mail ballot

  • You may apply for an absentee ballot or vote by early mail ballot in any of the following ways:

    • By using the online portal: https://elections.ny.gov/request-ballot

    • If you are visually impaired and require a ballot with accessible features, you may apply by using the online Accessible Absentee Ballot Application portal: https://absenteeballot.elections.ny.gov/home/accessible

    • 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

    • Return absentee ballot or vote by early mail ballot once received and completed; follow instructions provided

Do I need identification to vote?

  • NO! Your signature is your identification to vote

  • You may be asked for identification if it is the first time you are voting in person and you registered by mail

Where do I find ballot & candidate information?

Source: https://lwvny.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/VotersGuide1_Bi-Fold-2024_WEB.pdf