All elections are important, and this 2021 election for NYC Mayor, City Council and Congressional representatives may be the most important in decades.
Monday, Oct. 18 is the deadline to get an absentee ballot to vote by mail in New York City and NY State on Tuesday, Nov. 7, ,2021.
All registered voters can request an absentee ballot if they are concerned about COVID. You may already have received one in the mail. If not, you can request an absentee ballot online.
Absentee ballots normally are for those who cannot vote in person because of physical ailments or travel. But as we all know, 2021 is not a normal year. Neither was 2020.
If you do not vote, you do not have the right to complain about who wins.
Download your absentee ballot here.
Solicitud de balota para voto en ausencia del estado de Nueva York
紐約州缺席選票申請表
뉴욕주부재자투표용지신청서
And get it in the mail immediately. Or
Fax application to 212-487-5349
Mail application to local borough office
Calling 1-866-VOTE-NYC (1-866-868-3692)
If you do not vote, you do not have the right to complain about who wins.
If you are a registered voter, you may receive a New York State Absentee Ballot Application from the Board of Elections.
It arrives by USPS regular mail, the same way you send it back, and the same way you vote by mail.
Check the box “temporary illness or physical disability (including affected/potential COVID19) and the rest of required info, and put it in the nearest USPS mailbox.
You won’t even need a stamp - it is a “postage paid” envelope, so you are mailing it for FREE.
- Note - when you get the actual ballot, it will require two stamps to mail.
How to register to vote by mail
Download and complete a voter registration form and get it in the mail to your local New York County Board of Elections.
Or, pick up a voter registration form at your nearest US Post Office branch.
Or, phone 866-868-3692 to request a mail-in ballot.
Fill it out and mail it to New York County Board of Elections, 32 Broadway, 7th Fl., New York, NY 10004.
If you do not vote, you do not have the right to complain about who wins.
If you are not a registered voter:
How to register to vote by mail
Download and complete a voter registration form and get it in the mail to your local New York County Board of Elections.
Or, pick up a voter registration form at your nearest US Post Office branch, many library branches, and most NYC government offices.
Mail it to New York County Board of Elections, 32 Broadway, 7th Fl., New York, NY 10004.
Once you are registered to vote in the primary, you are automatically registered to vote in November for whomever you want to be President for the next four years, and in every NY State and Federal election of the future.
If you do not vote, you do not have the right to complain about who wins.
![nyc mayoral primary]()
How to register to vote online
Visit the MyDMV website and sign in or create a new account.
Click on “Electronic Voter Registration Application” and fill out the appropriate information. Be sure your personal information is up-to-date before submitting the application.
If you have changed your name or address, visit the Change of Name or Change of Address pages to update that information.
If you do not vote, you do not have the right to complain about who wins.
How to register to vote by mail
Download and complete a voter registration form and get it in the mail to your local New York County Board of Elections.
Or, pick up a voter registration form at your nearest US Post Office branch, many library branches, and most NYC government offices.
Mail it to New York County Board of Elections, 32 Broadway, 7th Fl., New York, NY 10004.
If you do not vote, you do not have the right to complain about who wins.
How to register to vote in person
In New York State counties no longer on stay-at-home rules, you can register to vote in person at your local Board of Elections office or at any of these New York State agencies.
Because of Coronavirus, not all of them are open, or open the traditional 9am to 5pm weekdays, so telephone first.
You must have a physical copy of the New York voter registration form when you arrive.
Download the form in English here.
You can also contact these New York City offices for information:
- The Bronx: 1780 Grand Concourse, 5th Floor, 718-299-9017
- Brooklyn: 345 Adams St., 4 Floor, 718-797-8800
- Manhattan: 200 Varick St., 10 Floor, 212-886-2100
- Queens: 118-35 Queens Blvd., Forest Hills, 718-730-6730
- Staten Island: 1 Edgewater Plaza, 4 Floor, 718-876-0079
For more information, visit the City Board of Elections, the DMV, or the State Board of Elections.
Or call the New York Board of Elections at 800-367-8683.
And remember, if you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain about who is elected.
Here is Gov. Cuomo’s statement about absentee voting:
As we prepare for the upcoming 2020 election, it is critical we protect the most fundamental cornerstone of our democracy. Today, I signed legislation that ensures every New Yorker can safely vote in November amid the COVID-19 pandemic and guarantees that every vote will be counted.
The legislation will also ensure that every vote is counted. All Boards of Elections in New York state must count:
1. All ballots postmarked on or before Election Day (November 3rd) and received within seven days after Election Day.
2. All ballots without a postmark received on November 4th (the day after Election Day).
New Yorkers can choose to vote early in-person or vote in-person on Election Day.
In 2020, New Yorkers have options. Make your voice heard.
This was first published in 2016 and is updated annually, including for 2021.
What do you think about this? We welcome your comments.