Registration
New York registration options include Online, By Mail, and In Person.
State Voting Guide
New York Voting Guide
Use this New York voting guide to check registration options, voter ID requirements, polling hours, absentee voting, eligibility rules, and official resources.
Last reviewed: August 14, 2026. Generated from structured state voting models and official-source links.
At a Glance
New York voting quick facts
Voter ID
New York is listed as No document required to vote.
Poll Hours
Polling places are generally open 6:00 AM-9:00 PM.
Absentee and Mail Voting
Absent from your county or, if a resident of New York City absent from said city, on Election Day.
Felony Voting Rights
In New York, people with felony convictions lose voting rights only while incarcerated and receive automatic restoration after release. In 2021, SB 830 restored voting rights to citizens on parole.
Voter Lookup
Lookup tools may help with check your voter registration status, check your polling place location, check the status of your absentee ballot, and 3 more.
Register
New York voter registration options
New York voters may register online, by mail, or in person. Registration deadlines may vary by election type or method where noted.
Online Available
You can use the DMV Electronic Voter Registration Application to register to vote or to update the information you have on file with the New York State Board of Elections
- Online registration must be completed 10 days before Election Day.
By Mail Available
You can register to vote by mail. You can request a New York State Voter Registration form by mail by entering your name directly into our mailing list database
- Mail registration must meet the state deadline 10 days before Election Day.
In Person Available
You can register in person at your county board of elections or at any New York State Agency-Based voter registration center.
- In-person registration must be completed 10 days before Election Day.
military overseas Available
To register as a new military voter and/or to request an absentee ballot, you must complete a Federal Post Card Application. and return it to your county board of elections in New York.
national_form
The National Mail Voter Registration Form may also be available where accepted.
registration_status
Consider yourself registered when- and only when- you receive an acknowledgment from your county clerk. Never assume you are registered to vote until you have received this acknowledgment. Call your county clerk and inquire about the status of your application.
Identification
New York voter ID laws
New York voter ID rule: No document required to vote.
No document required to vote
New York voter ID rule: No document required to vote.
Code: N.Y. Elec. Law § 8-303, N.Y. Elec. Law § 5-210(6), and 52 U.S.C. § 21083(b) (HAVA requirements for certain first-time voters)
Accepted forms of ID
- New York generally does not require registered voters to present identification when voting in person.
If you do not have ID
- Most New York voters are not required to present identification in order to vote.
- If identification is required for a first-time voter under federal law and the voter cannot provide it, the voter may cast an affidavit or provisional ballot subject to eligibility verification.
Polling Places
New York poll hours
Polling places in New York are generally open 6:00 AM-9:00 PM.
6:00 AM-9:00 PM
POLLS OPEN AT 6 AM - CLOSE AT 9 PM. In New York City and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam and Erie POLLS OPEN AT 12 NOON and CLOSE AT 9 PM. In all other counties
Absentee Voting
New York absentee and mail voting
Absent from your county or, if a resident of New York City absent from said city, on Election Day.
Absentee Voting In New York
Absent from your county or, if a resident of New York City absent from said city, on Election Day.
Absentee Voting Eligibility
- Absent from your county or, if a resident of New York City absent from said city, 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 patient or inmate 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.
Request an absentee ballot
You may also request an Absentee Ballot by sending a letter to your county board of elections. The letter must be received by your county board no earlier than 30 days and no later than seven days before the election. The letter must contain the following information:
- the address where you are registered
- an address where the ballot is to be sent
- the reason for the request, and
- the signature of the voter
Eligibility
New York voter eligibility
Under federal law, if you move within 30 days of a presidential election, you are allowed to vote for President and Vice President in your former state of residence, either in person or by absentee ballot.
Age requirements
Voting age: you must be 18 years old by the date of the general, primary or other election in which you want to vote
Registration age: You must be at least 18 by end of calendar year in which you register to vote.
To register to vote in the State of New York, an individual must meet the following qualifications:
- be a United States citizen;
- be 18 years old by December 31 of the year in which you file this form (note: you must be 18 years old by the date of the general, primary or other election in which you want to vote);
- live at your present address at least 30 days before an election;
- not be in prison or on parole for a felony conviction and;
- not be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court;
- not claim the right to vote elsewhere.
Voting Rights
New York felony conviction voting rights
In New York, people with felony convictions lose voting rights only while incarcerated and receive automatic restoration after release. In 2021, SB 830 restored voting rights to citizens on parole.
Lost Only While Incarcerated; Automatic Restoration After Release
In New York, people with felony convictions lose voting rights only while incarcerated and receive automatic restoration after release. In 2021, SB 830 restored voting rights to citizens on parole.
Citation: N.Y. Const. Art. II, § 3; N.Y. Elec. Law § 5-106
Recent actions
- 2021 Passed SB 830 restoring voting rights to citizens on parole.
- 2018 Gov. Cuomo issued an executive order removing restrictions on parolee voting.
Work and Voting
New York time off for voting
As a registered voter, you may take off up to 3 hours, without loss of pay, to allow you time to vote.
Time off status: Yes
As a registered voter, you may take off up to 3 hours, without loss of pay, to allow you time to vote.
Time Allowed Employees to Vote on Election Day
- As a registered voter, you may take off up to 3 hours, without loss of pay, to allow you time to vote.
- You may take time off at the beginning or end of your working shift, as your employer may designate, unless otherwise mutually agreed.
- You must notify your employer not less than 2 days before the day of the election that you will take time off to vote.
Lookup
New York voter information lookup
Check Your Voter Registration Status.
Voter Information Lookup
Use the lookup tool to check your voter registration status, check your polling place location, check the status of your absentee ballot, learn about voting machines, and 2 more.
Moving
New York moving and student voting
The voter registration form should be used as a change of address form. Notices of change of address from registered voters received at least 20 days before a special, primary or general election by a county board of elections must be processed and entered in the records in time for that election.
Movers and college students Voting
The voter registration form should be used as a change of address form. Notices of change of address from registered voters received at least 20 days before a special, primary or general election by a county board of elections must be processed and entered in the records in time for that election.
Change of Name and/or Address
- The voter registration form should be used as a change of address form. Notices of change of address from registered voters received at least 20 days before a special, primary or general election by a county board of elections must be...
College Students
- At School. Students can establish residency in New York if they have a present intention to remain at their New York school address for the time being, and they intend to make it their principal home.[9] Any other interpretation of the...
- At Home. Students who lived in New York before moving elsewhere to attend school, and who wish to establish or keep their New York voting residency (i.e., at their parents’ New York address), should have no problem doing so unless they have...
Sources
New York official voting resources
Questions
Common New York questions
Can I register to vote online in New York?
New York lists online voter registration as available. You can use the DMV Electronic Voter Registration Application to register to vote or to update the information you have on file with the New York State Board of Elections
What voter ID rule does New York use?
New York is listed as No document required to vote. Review the accepted ID forms and voter-without-ID procedures before voting.
What time do polls open in New York?
Polling places in New York are generally open 6:00 AM-9:00 PM. Confirm your assigned polling place before Election Day.
Where can I check my New York voter registration or polling place?
The New York voter lookup section lists tools for check your voter registration status, check your polling place location, check the status of your absentee ballot, learn about voting machines, and 2 more.
Can people with felony convictions vote in New York?
In New York, people with felony convictions lose voting rights only while incarcerated and receive automatic restoration after release. In 2021, SB 830 restored voting rights to citizens on parole.