All elections are important, and this 2020 election year may be more important than most.
This is your last chance to get an absentee ballot to vote by mail in the New York State primary on Tuesday, June 23, 2020.
Your request must be postmarked by Friday, June 12, to be eligible to vote by mail.
Download and complete a voter registration form now, fill it out and mail it immediately to the Board of Elections.
Normally, absentee ballots are for those who cannot vote in person because of physical ailments or travel.
Since 2020 is not normal, Gov. Cuomo issued an executive order allowing any New Yorker anywhere in the state – including NYC – can observe stay-at-home rules and social distancing guidelines and vote by mail with an absentee ballot
“New Yorkers shouldn’t have to choose between their health and their civic duty,” Cuomo tweeted.
There is also early voting starting June 12, so you can mail your absentee ballot the minute you receive it.
If you do not vote, you do not have the right to complain about who wins.
If you are a registered voter, you may already have received 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.
I already got mine – that’s the photo.
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.
If you have not received your absentee ballot application yet:
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.
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
Voting for President in November 2020
Deadline for voting in the Federal election in November is Oct. 12.
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.
Do it now, before you forget.
And remember, if you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain about who is elected.
This was first published in 2016 and is updated annually, including for 2020.
What do you think about this? We welcome your comments.