New York's general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Early voting runs October 24 to November 1, and you can still register until October 24. Rules come from the New York State Board of Elections; check elections.ny.gov or your county board of elections if anything changes.
Key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| October 19 | Last day for the board to receive a change of address if you moved within New York. |
| October 24 | Last day for the board to receive your voter registration, and last day to request a mail ballot online or by mail. Early voting starts. |
| October 24 to November 1 | Early voting, every day including weekends. Hours and sites vary by county. |
| November 2 | Last day to request a mail ballot in person at your board of elections. |
| November 3 | Election Day, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. everywhere in the state. If you're in line by 9 p.m., you can vote. Last day to postmark or drop off a mail ballot. |
| November 10 | Last day for a mail ballot postmarked by Election Day to arrive. |
Sources: State Board of Elections deadlines and mail ballot rules. Early voting hours and sites for each county we cover are in our early voting guide.
Check your registration and find your poll site
The state's voter lookup shows whether you're registered, your party enrollment and your poll site. In New York City you can also use findmypollsite.vote.nyc. In the city, you're assigned one early voting site, and it may not be the same place you vote on Election Day.
Do I need ID?
Usually not. New York doesn't ask most voters for ID. The exception is a first-time voter whose identity couldn't be checked when they registered, usually because they registered by mail without a driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. They need a photo ID or a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or government document with their name and address. Without one, they can still vote by affidavit ballot.
Voting by mail
Any registered voter can vote by mail with an early mail ballot; you don't need a reason. (Absentee ballots, which need a reason such as being away or sick, still exist, but most people don't need them.) Request one online by October 24 or in person by November 2. New York City voters can use vote.nyc.
To return it, mail it postmarked by November 3 so it arrives by November 10, or drop it off at any early voting site or Election Day poll site in your county, or at your county board of elections by 9 p.m. on Election Day. Mail early: postmarks aren't always applied the day you drop something in a box.
Changed your mind? If you asked for a mail ballot, you can still vote in person, but you'll vote on a paper affidavit ballot instead of the machine. It's counted only if your mail ballot never arrived.
Why is the same name on the ballot twice?
New York is one of the few states with fusion voting: more than one party can nominate the same candidate. Kathy Hochul, for example, is on both the Democratic and Working Families lines, and Bruce Blakeman is on the Republican and Conservative lines. Fill in one oval for the candidate you want. The vote counts for them either way. The line you choose decides which party gets credit, and a party needs enough votes for governor to keep its place on future ballots. New York has no straight-ticket option, so mark every race you want to vote in. PolitiFact explains fusion voting.
Turn your ballot over
Ballot proposals are printed on the back. This year there are no statewide proposals, but New York City voters have five city charter proposals on the back of the ballot. Our Manhattan guide explains each one.
Phones, photos and notes
No ballot selfies. New York law bars showing anyone your marked ballot, and a federal court upheld the ban in 2017, so don't photograph it. Campaigning is banned within 100 feet of a poll site, which includes shirts or buttons for a candidate. Write down or print your picks before you go, and keep your notes to yourself.
If something goes wrong
If you're not in the poll book, first make sure you're at the right site and table. If you are, you have the right to vote by affidavit ballot, which counts once the board confirms your registration. In New York City, ballots and interpreters are available in Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Bengali at many sites, and you can bring your own interpreter as long as it isn't your employer or union representative.
See who's on your New York ballot
We rate every contested race in a sentence or two with sources. New York statewide races, plus these county guides:
- Manhattan (New York County), NY: Manhattan: Lower Manhattan, the Villages, Chelsea, Midtown, Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Harlem, Washington Heights, Inwood, Roosevelt Island