New York Absentee Voter Guide

If you used the Rock the Vote widget to register to vote in New York voter, check your registration status TODAY and report problems to vote@rockthevote.com.

Military and overseas voters should check out the Overseas Vote Foundation.  Long Distance Voter's forms and deadlines should only be used by voters with US mailing addresses.

Mail-in Deadlines

General Election: Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Voter Registration

You can register to vote in New York if you:

• are a United States citizen
• will be 18 years old or older on or before the next election
• have lived in New York and in the county in which you intend to vote for at least 30 days.
• are not a convicted felon serving a sentence in a penal institution
• have not been judged in a court of law to be of unsound mind

How to register to vote:

• Recommended: You can use our Voter Registration Widget.  Enter your information, print and sign the completed form, and mail it to the New York State Board of Elections (the address is on the form).  Register to vote now!
• You can also download New York's voter registration form.  Fill out the form mail it to your County Board of Elections. The address is on the form.

ID requirements for first time voters:

You must include your New York driver's license number or non-driver ID number on your voter registration form.  If you don't have either of these numbers, you'll need to include a copy of your ID with your form. If you forget, you'll need to provide ID the first time you voter in person or by absentee ballot.  Acceptable forms of ID include: a copy ofa valid photo ID that shows your name OR a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or some other government document that shows your name and New York address.

Voter registration verification:

You should receive written confirmation that your voter registration was processed in 2-3 weeks.  Don't panic if you never receive your voter registration card: you don't actually need it to vote.  If you not sure if your registration was processed - or if you simply can't remember if you're register to vote - you can use the voter registration verification tools here.

Absentee Voting

You are eligible to vote absentee in New York if you will be:

• unavoidably absent from your county on Election Day
• unable to appear at the polls due to illness or disability
• a patient in a Veterans’ Administration Hospital
• detained in jail awaiting Grand Jury action or confined in prison after conviction for an offense other than a felony

How to apply for your absentee ballot:

Download and complete the New York Absentee Ballot Application  If you want the ballot mailed to you, be sure to include your mailing address in the space provided.  Mail or hand-deliver your completed application to your County Board of Elections.  Requests for absentee ballots are accepted 30 days before an election, so plan to send it so it arrives after October 6 - but, of course, BEFORE the deadline. Once they process it, they'll mail your ballot to you.

ID requirements for absentee voters:

You do not need to provide ID if you've already voted in New York at least once.  If you're voting in New York for the first time and you did not meet the ID requirements when you registered (see above), you must include a copy of your ID with your absentee ballot application.  Acceptable forms of ID include: a copy of a current and valid photo ID that shows your name OR a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or some other government document that shows your name and New York address.

Absentee ballot instructions:

The Board of Elections will mail you an absentee ballot and a return envelope.  Fill out your ballot, sign where indicated, put a stamp on it, and then mail your ballot back to your County Board of Elections.  Your ballot must be postmarked the day before Election Day.  

Permanent absentee voter status:

If you are permanently ill or disabled, you can use the New York Absentee Ballot Application to apply for permanent absentee status.  Once approved, New York State will automatically mail you an absentee ballot for each eligible election. 

Emergency absentee ballots:

If the deadline for requesting an absentee ballot by mail has passed and you cannot appear at the polls on Election Day because of an accident or sudden illness, then you may send a representative with an authorized letter to receive an Absentee Ballot Application and Absentee Ballot and return both to your County Board of Elections by 9:00 P.M. on Election Day.  Please contact your County Board of Elections for more information.

State Contact Information