Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who is eligible to register to vote?

A: To qualify for voter registration in New York State, you must:

• be a United States Citizen;
• be 18 years old (you may pre-register at 16 or 17 but cannot vote until you are 18);
• be a resident of this state and the county, city or village for at least 30 days before the election;
• not be in prison for a felony conviction;
• not be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court;
• not claim the right to vote elsewhere.

Q: How can a New Yorker register to vote?

A: New Yorkers have three options when choosing to register to vote:

• ONLINE: New Yorkers can register to vote via the state’s online voter registration (OVR) portal.
• IN PERSON: New Yorkers can register at a County Board of Elections, the DMV, or at any state agency-based registration center.
• BY MAIL: New Yorkers can register by completing a voter registration form and mailing it to the local County Board of Elections.

New Yorkers may register to vote up to ten days before an election in order to vote in that election.

Q: How can a voter update their registration (change of name, address, party enrollment)?

A: Voters may use the online voter registration (OVR) portal or a voter registration form to update their registration. Notices of change of name or address from registered voters must be received at least 15 days before an election by the County Board of Elections. An application to change one's party enrollment in any year must be received by the County Board of Elections no later than February 14th in order to vote in that party’s Primary Election(s) for that year.

Q: What are the voter registration options available to New Yorkers with accessibility needs? 

A: The New York State Board of Elections has made registering to vote accessible to all New Yorkers by offering multiple methods for completing a Voter Registration Form on our Voter Registration page.

Q: How are the voter rolls maintained in New York State to ensure they are updated and accurate?

A: County Boards of Elections use approved voter registration systems and software to maintain and update the voter registration records of voters within the county. List maintenance is one of the most important functions of the County Boards of Elections. Voter records are constantly changing as new voters are registered, voters update records, statuses of voters change, and voters are purged after moving, dying, becoming incarcerated, etc. All list maintenance is conducted by bipartisan teams to ensure the process is fair, accurate, and transparent.

Q: How can a voter request an early vote by mail ballot?

A: Voters can request an early vote by mail ballot via the State Board’s online portal, by mailing in an application, or by returning the completed application in person to the local County Board of Elections (or sending it along with a designee).

Q: How can a voter request an absentee ballot?

A: Voters can request an absentee ballot via the State Board’s online portal, by mailing in an application, or by returning the completed application in person to the local County Board of Elections (or sending it along with a designee).

Q: What are the voting options available to New Yorkers with accessibility needs? 

A: When it comes to casting a ballot, both voting in person and by mail offer completely accessible options to voters:

• Poll sites, before they can be officially designated for use, are required to undergo accessibility surveys to ensure substantial compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Any voter may request to use a Ballot Marking Device (BMD) to allow them to vote privately and independently.
• Voters with a print disability who wish to receive a ballot with accessible features which allow them to mark their ballot privately and independently at home, may apply using the online Accessible Ballot Application portal.

The New York State Board of Elections is committed to providing exemplary assistance to all voters, including those with access needs. Any voter who requests assistance is entitled to receive it, regardless of the reason.

Q: How can a voter look up their polling place to vote in person?

A: Voters can look up their polling place – for both Early Voting days and Election Day – via the State Board’s voter lookup application. Alternatively, voters can contact their local County Board of Elections. Early Voting occurs for nine days, starting with the tenth day before Election Day. Locations and hours vary from county to county.

Q: Are voting machines safe to use?

A: Absolutely! Voting machines must be certified by the State Board of Elections prior to counties purchasing and using them in elections. Prior to certification, the voting systems are rigorously tested by one of only two federally accredited labs and reviewed by an independent security expert to ensure compliance with all federal and state legal requirements. In addition to technical analysis, prior to certification, the State Board holds multiple demonstrations, reviews and responds to public comments, and publishes testing reports online. The State Board also must certify any upgrades or modifications. Such changes may not be used by a county until certified by the State Board. Testing of machines occurs before, during, and after use to ensure accurate and secure results. Before a county can use new voting machines, the machines must undergo acceptance testing by the State Board. After a voting system vendor delivers any new systems to a county, State Board staff will verify in person that all delivered hardware and software meets State standards. The process is thorough and transparent to ensure New Yorkers that their elections are administered in a fair and secure way.

Q: What about the software used by voting technology?

A: Also very secure! The State Board is the keeper of all certified software used by voting machines, systems, and equipment. This ensures that all counties receive the proper software, and subsequent updates, for their machines from the same official source, and that the “trusted build” of the software has been reviewed and certified for use in New York. Voting system software can only be provided to counties by the State Board (as part of the acceptance testing previously described).County Boards are prohibited from using any software provided to them directly from a vendor.

Q: Are voting machines connected to the internet?

A: Voting machines in New York State are never connected to the internet. Any claim otherwise is incorrect.

Q: Are the voter registration systems secure?

A: Yes! Voter registration system software is used by County Boards of Elections to maintain and update the database of voter registration records for their county. As the digitized copy of the voter roll for the county, all maintenance is performed at the county level. All new and updated records kept in the county system are then shared with, and stored by, the statewide database known as NYSVoter, which functions as the official statewide list of voters. Voter registration systems must be approved for use by the New York State Board of Elections and once approved, undergo routine functional and security testing to ensure the system remains secure and compliant over time. Voter registration systems do not interface with voting machines in any way. 

Q: How are the voter rolls maintained in New York State to ensure they are updated and accurate?

A: County Boards of Elections use approved voter registration systems and software to maintain and update the voter registration records of voters within the county. List maintenance is one of the most important functions of the County Boards of Elections. Voter records are constantly changing as new voters are registered, voters update their records, statuses of voters change, and voters are purged after moving, dying, becoming incarcerated, etc. All list maintenance is conducted by bipartisan teams to ensure the process is fair, accurate, and transparent. 

Q: What are electronic poll books?

A: Electronic poll books are digital alternatives to traditional paper poll books used during elections to manage voter interactions at polling places. These devices, typically laptops or tablets, allow election workers to verify voter eligibility, check-in voters, redirect them to correct polling locations, and even update voter records in real-time. Electronic poll books are often used in conjunction with a ballot on demand printer to avoid waste from unused pre-printed ballots. Just like with voting machines and voter registration systems, electronic poll books must undergo functional and security testing before certification for use. Electronic poll books do not interface with voting machines.

Q: How can a voter be sure our elections are secure?

A: The processes and procedures outlined in New York State Election Law and Regulations ensure that specific steps are taken to keep elections secure, fair, and accessible to all. Whenever a voter has a question about elections, they should reach out directly to the New York State Board of Elections and the County Boards of Elections across the state for answers.

Q: Where is the best place to find information about elections and voting in New York State?

A: The New York State Board of Elections and the County Boards of Elections across the state are the best sources for factual information about elections and voting. While outside groups may want to be helpful by communicating with voters, going to the source is the safest way to ensure the voter is receiving accurate information.

Q: What can a voter do to help prevent the spread of misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation (MDM) about elections and voting?

A: First and foremost, a voter should always go to the New York State Board of Elections and the County Boards of Elections for information about elections and voting. The State Board maintains an updated website with current information about upcoming elections, deadlines, and processes, as well as uses social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and X to communicate with New Yorkers regularly. County Boards of Elections also have websites, and many use social media too. Secondly, MDM tends to thrive in an absence of facts, so the best defense against these is for voters to arm themselves with correct information ahead of time (and ignore/dismiss MDM when it surfaces). Third, voters should take care to not spread MDM (intentionally or accidentally). MDM frequently preys on emotion – particularly fear and anger – so if a voter sees something that causes an emotional response, the voter should verify the claim before spreading it further. 

Q: Where can voters learn about who has filed to run for elective office and the campaign finances of candidates and committees?

A: Both the New York State Board of Elections and the County Boards of Elections websites disclose who has submitted ballot access documents to run for office in races in which they certify. The State Board handles ballot access for federal, statewide, and state level offices where the district lines cross county borders. The County Boards handle ballot access for all local offices, as well as for state level offices contained within a single county. All candidates and committees for all state and local offices must register and file campaign finance disclosures with the New York State Board of Elections. All submissions can be searched on the Public Reporting application.

Q: How else can New Yorkers engage in the electoral process?

A: Besides learning about elections and voting from the New York State Board of Elections and the County Boards of Elections (from election officials, websites, social media accounts, etc.), New Yorkers have options to engage more with the electoral process in the state. New Yorkers can:

• Ensure their voter registration is up to date.
• Make a plan to vote by reviewing options to vote by mail or in person.
• Serve as a poll worker during Early Voting and/or Election Day to help your neighbors vote.
• Run for elective office in your community.