Election Day has arrived, and New York City voters are heading to the polls to make their choices for this year’s presidential primary.

Here's everything you need to know before you cast your ballot.

How do I find my polling place?

If you’re a New York City voter, you can enter your address at https://vote.nyc/page/understanding-ballot to find your early voting and Election Day polling place. Note that your early voting polling place could be different than your Election Day polling place.

The New York City Board of Elections recommends double checking your polling place. 

Am I eligible to vote in the April 2 presidential primary?

If you registered to vote by March 23, you are eligible to vote in the presidential primary. But you have to be registered as a member of a particular party (for example, the Democratic Party or the Republican Party) in order to vote in that primary. New York state's primaries are closed primaries, meaning that only members of a political party can vote in that party's primary.

In order to be eligible to vote in a party's presidential primary, you would have needed to change your party affiliation by Feb. 14.

What’s on my ballot?

In the presidential primary, all 50 states hold election over the course of several months to determine the individual candidates for the presidential election in November.

So far, incumbent Joe Biden is in the lead for the Democratic nomination, and Donald Trump is in the lead for the Republican nomination. Their leads are so large that the contests are already essentially over.

Marianne Williamson, who is on the ballot, is also an active candidate in the Democratic presidential primary.

Other candidates, including Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy and Chris Christie on the Republican side, and Dean Phillips on the Democratic side, have dropped out of the race, but remain on the ballot.

Voters in the Democratic primary will also be voting for people that their respective congressional districts will send to the Democratic National Convention as delegates this summer.

You can see a sample ballot by entering your address at https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/. 

Do I need ID to vote?

If you are registered to vote and provided ID when you registered, you do not need ID or any other documentation when you go to vote, according to New York state law. If you did not provide ID when you first registered, you can still vote at a polling location with an affidavit ballot. 

Can I register to vote online?

Yes! New York City residents who do not have a driver’s license, permit or non-driver ID can now register to vote online through the Board of Elections website. You can register to vote online at https://e-register.vote.nyc/. The online application allows residents to register to vote for the first time, change the name or address on their voter registration, become a member of a political party and/or change party membership.

If you have a valid New York state driver’s license, permit or non-driver ID, you will be directed to use the New York state DMV’s Electronic Voter Registration Application to either register to vote or update your voter registration.

However, according to the DMV, any online registration on the agency’s site must be done by March 22 in order to be eligible to vote in the primary. Voters are still eligible to register through the Board of Elections’ online portal by March 23.

Non-New York City residents will be directed to the state Board of Elections’ website.

To register, you must be 18 years old by the end of this year, not be in prison for a felony conviction, not claim the right to vote anywhere else and not be found to be “incompetent” by the court.

Can I take time off work to vote?

New York state law mandates that voters with certain schedules that conflict with polling location hours get two hours of paid time off if they do not have “sufficient time to vote.”

“Sufficient time to vote” is defined by the state Board of Elections as four hours before or after your work shift. 

The example the state provides is that a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. employee whose polling location is open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. would not be eligible for mandatory paid time off because they would have four hours after their shift to vote. However, if the shift in that scenario went from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., employers would be required to provide paid time off because the employee would only have three hours before and after their shift. 

Employees are required to give their employers two working days’ notice if they need to take paid time off to vote. Employers cannot require employees to use any of their personal time or other earned leave time to vote.

If employers refuse or fail to provide an employee with paid time off in circumstances where it was required, the state recommends speaking with a private attorney or contacting the following agencies: 

For Wage Payment Purposes:

New York State Department of Labor
Division of Labor Standards
Bldg. 12, Rm. 185C,
State Office Campus, Albany NY 12240
Tel. 888-4-NYSDOL (469-7365)

OR

New York State Attorney General's Office Labor Bureau
28 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10005
Tel. (212) 416-8700

For election law purposes, the state advises voters to contact their county board of elections.

Voting early by mail

The New York Early Mail Voter Act allows registered voters to obtain early mail voting ballots through application to the Board of Elections.

All registered voters are eligible to apply for an early mail ballot.

There are several ways to apply for the early voting ballot: Use the online Ballot Request Application portal, go in person to the local county board of elections, or allow another person to deliver the application in-person to the local county board of elections. For voters with a print disability, apply by using the online Accessible Ballot Application.

Applications needed to be submitted by mail, email or fax by March 23 to your county board of elections in order for a voter to be eligible to vote in the presidential primary. 

To apply virtually, voters could go to the online Ballot Request Application. The last day to apply online was also March 23.

The day before Election Day, Monday, April 1, was the last day in-person applications could be submitted.

The last day for an early mail ballot to be mailed or submitted in-person by your designated representative is Election Day, Tuesday, April 2. If mailed, it must be postmarked by Tuesday, April 9.

How do I apply for an absentee ballot?

People who qualify for an absentee ballot had until March 23 to apply for one.

Here are the English and Spanish New York state absentee ballot applications.

Applications needed to be submitted by mail, email or fax by March 23 to your county board of elections in order for a voter to be eligible to vote in the presidential primary. 

To apply virtually, voters could go to the online Ballot Request Application. The last day to apply online was also March 23.

In-person applications could be submitted up to the day before Election Day, Monday, April 1.

Election Day, Tuesday, April 2, is the last day for an absentee ballot to be mailed or submitted in-person by your designated representative. 

Who qualifies for an absentee ballot?

According to the city and state Board of Elections, the following groups of registered voters qualify:

  • absent from New York City on Election Day
  • unable to go to the polls due to illness or disabliity, or because they are the primary caregiver of someone who is ill or physically disabled
  • a resident or patient at a VA hospital
  • In jail or prison for any reason, unless they were convicted of a felony

I’m a military service member, merchant marine, a military or merchant marine family member living away from their voting district, or a citizen living outside the United States and I need an absentee ballot, but I’m not registered to vote.

March 23 was the last day for unregistered voters who qualify for an absentee ballot to submit an application.

How do I vote with an absentee ballot and an early mail ballot?

Fill out your ballot like you would any ballot, following the instructions included. Make sure you sign and date the security envelope before returning your ballot.

Both ballots can be mailed back, or dropped off at either an early voting or Election Day poll site during those poll sites' operating hours, or at a local Board of Elections office before or on Election Day. If mailing, the ballot must be postmarked by April 2 and received by April 9. 

What if I requested an early mail or absentee ballot and decided to vote at the polls?

You can, but you will be given an affidavit ballot instead of being able to use a polling machine so the Board of Elections can first determine if you are an eligible voter. A law change adopted the rule for New York state in 2021 after chaotic ballot counting in a 2020 upstate congressional race delayed the race being called for months.

What happens if I’m turned away on Election Day?

There are a number of reasons you could arrive at your polling place and be told you can’t vote.

First, double-check you’re at the right polling place by visiting https://vote.nyc/page/understanding-ballot. If you are and are still being turned away, it is possible you may not have registered in time or, if you recently moved, you haven’t changed your registration to your current address.

Ask poll workers to check if you are registered to vote in another borough. If your poll workers are not being helpful, contact or visit your local elections office, which can be found here.

It is also possible you have been marked an inactive voter, in error by the Board of Elections or because you have not voted in two consecutive federal elections over the course of five years. 

If you are still being told you are not on the voter rolls, you can request an affidavit ballot from a poll worker. Filling out this ballot will allow you to attest you are eligible to vote and participate in the election. The city’s Board of Elections will then verify whether you are eligible or not. If you are, your vote will be counted. If not, they will contact you with a notice you are not eligible and paperwork for you to register for future elections.

Who can I call if poll workers or others are obstructing me from voting?

If you face issues at the polls that cannot be solved by calmly and clearly communicating with poll workers on the ground, you have a number of options.

Government agencies that can help you exercise your right to vote:

  • New York Election Hotline:  1-800-771-7755
  • The U.S. Department of Justice Voting Rights Hotline: 1-800-253-3931

A coalition of civil rights groups have also put together a series of multilingual hotlines that can help with each step of the voting process:

Does my vote matter?

Yes! Voter turnout in New York is notoriously low, adding extra weight to the votes of New Yorkers who do show up to the polls.

If you’re a first-time voter or unsure about how the process works, voting in person may be easier because poll workers will be on hand to answer any questions you may have. 

Can I check poll wait times online?

No, currently the city and the state do not offer the ability to check poll wait times online.

Can I bring my dog to a polling station?

Dogs are not eligible to vote, and their owners are generally discouraged from bringing them — or any animal — to the polls, unless they help with accessibility.