All elections are important, and this 2018 election year may be more important than most. Are you registered to vote?
Time is running out to register to vote in the New York State primary next month. You can register today online, in person or by mail, to be able to vote on Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018.
Yes, Thursday, not Tuesday.
The date of the NY State primary has been moved, because the traditional second Tuesday of the month, September 11, is both Rosh Hashonah, the start of the Jewish New Year, and 9/11, with all the grief and horror that terrible day brings to New Yorkers and Americans everywhere.
This year, New York City and New York State residents are voting for Governor, and members of both the NY State Legislature and US House of Representatives.
You must be registered to vote.
If you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain about who wins.
Here’s how to register to vote, and also how to get an absentee ballot if you are unable to vote in person on Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018.
And once you are registered for the primary, you re automatically registered to vote in the important Mid-Term elections in November and in every New York State and Federal election of the future.
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.
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 in time to be postmarked today. 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. The Board of Elections office is open until midnight today to accept last-minute registrations.
Registration forms must be postmarked by August 6, 2018 to be eligible to vote on Sept. 13.
How to register to vote in person
You can register to vote at your local New York County Board of Elections office or at any of these New York State agencies. All of them are open 9am to 5pm weekdays.
You must have a physical copy of the New York voter registration form when you arrive.
Download the form in English here.
- 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
How to get an absentee ballot
Get an absentee ballot if you are unable to vote in person because:
- You will be out of town or out of the country on Election Day.
- Unable to appear at the polls due to temporary or permanent illness or disability; or because you are the primary care giver of one or more individuals who are ill or physically disabled.
- A resident or patient of a Veterans Health Administration Hospital.
- Detained in jail awaiting Grand Jury action or confined in prison after conviction for an offense other than a felony.
Download the absentee ballot application here, and either bring it in person or mail it to one of the offices or addresses specified above.
If you mail it, the postmark deadline is also August 9.
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.
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