By Rachel Kahn, THE CITY | Photo Courtesy: THE CITY

How to register to vote, vote early, by mail and by absentee ballot — among other things. Here’s how to get ready for the general election.

On Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, New Yorkers will get a chance to cast their votes for the 47th president of the United States, among other choices on the ballot.

Despite the state’s often abysmal voter turnout, the 2020 election was one of the most well-attended in U.S. history nationally — and New York’s turnout was relatively high. Still, only 57% of the state’s voters cast a vote that year.

Will you be among the New Yorkers who show up at the polls this year?

Here’s everything you need to know about when, where and how to vote in the five boroughs in the upcoming general election.

How can I register to vote?

There are three ways you can register to vote in New York: in-person, by mail or online. New York offers a slew of different websites that make it easy to register — but which ones you can use might depend on whether or not you have a New York State Driver’s License.

If you have a valid state driver’s license, you can register online with New York City’s Board of Elections (BOE), the state Department of Motor Vehicles, with NY.Gov, and through TurboVote.

If you do not have a valid New York driver’s license, you can register on the city BOE website. Or, you can print out an application, sign it and mail it to the BOE at 32 Broadway, 7 Fl., New York, NY 10004.

You can also register in person at one of the city’s BOE offices. There’s one in every borough, and they’re open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In order to register to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old on Election Day or before, not currently be in prison for a felony, not claim the right to vote somewhere else and not be found incompetent by a court. In New York, if you have previously been incarcerated, you still have the right to vote, but you will need to register again once you have been released from prison.

When is the deadline for registering to vote?

If you register to vote online or in person, you must do so by Oct. 26 — 10 days before Election Day, Nov. 5.

If you mail in your registration, the city BOE must receive it by Oct. 26. This means it must be postmarked and sent by Oct. 21 or earlier.

I can’t remember if I’m registered to vote already. Where can I check?

If you’re not sure if you’re registered, you can check here with the city Board of Elections. Sites that aren’t run by the BOE (like TurboVote) might not have the most updated information, so it’s best to go straight to the source. You can also call the BOE at 1-866-868-3692.

When does early voting start?

The big date to remember here is Oct. 26.

That’s when early voting in New York begins, running through Nov. 3. You can vote in person from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at your local early voting polling place on weekends, and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays.

Your early voting poll site might be different from the place where you’d vote on Election Day, so it’s important to double check. Find your polling places here.

How can I request an absentee or mailed ballot?

If you are a resident but not in New York, or won’t be able to physically make it to the polls for Election Day, you can request an absentee ballot here.

The last day to request an absentee ballot is — you guessed it — Oct. 26. That means if you send in a request for an absentee ballot, it must be postmarked by Oct. 26, and if you request one online, you must make that request by Oct. 26.

If you want to vote early but can’t physically make it to a polling place, you can also request a mailed early ballot (also by Oct. 26).

Just know that if you request a mail-in ballot of any kind, including absentees, you will not be allowed to cast your ballot in person on a voting machine if you change your mind on Election Day. However, if you go to vote in person and you had requested a by-mail ballot, you will be offered the chance to vote using an affidavit ballot. That will be counted separately by poll workers after they have confirmed that you never used your absentee or mail-in ballot.

When is my absentee or mailed ballot due?

Your absentee or mail-in ballot must be postmarked no later than Election Day: Nov. 5.

That means you can mail your absentee ballot back on Nov. 5 or any day before, as long as it reaches the BOE by November 12. If possible, however, the U.S. Postal Service recommends that you mail your ballot a week before Election Day to give the city BOE ample time to count the votes.

If you’re planning on voting absentee or by mail, don’t wait to request your ballot! Oct. 26 will be here before you know it, and you don’t want to miss your window.

What’s on the ballot?

Everyone’s ballot will look a little different. What’s on your ballot depends on where you live: there might be a candidate filling a vacancy or running in a special special election that only your district is voting for.

All ballots will ask New Yorkers to choose between two candidates for the next president of the U.S.: former President Donald Trump (R) or Vice President Kamala Harris (D).

The ballot also includes other candidate races on the state and local levels, as well as ballot measures, which are laws, issues, or questions that will be decided directly by voters. This year, there is one ballot measure that would amend the New York constitution with more protections for gender identity and reproductive rights. There will also potentially be ballot measures that would make changes to the City Charter — the document that lays out all of the rules and processes for how the city is run, governed, and organized — including fiscal reform measures

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