Another Election Day is coming up. New York City voters will head to the polls to make their choices for this year’s June 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 from 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 June primary?

If you are registered to vote by June 15, you are eligible to vote in the June 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 primary, you would have needed to change your party affiliation by Feb. 14.

What’s on my ballot?

All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for reelection in November, including the 26 across New York state.

In New York City, there are a total of three congressional primaries and a number of primaries for state Senate and Assembly. There are also a few judicial races to become a Democratic district leader or a delegate to the party’s judicial convention.

Aside from a Republican primary for the state Assembly in Queens, all of the other primaries are Democratic races. There are no primaries for voters on Staten Island.

There is one race for Congress that is expected to be particularly competitive. Westchester County Executive George Latimer, who is a longtime local elected Democrat, is challenging Rep. Jamaal Bowman for the Democratic seat in the 16th Congressional District. The district consists of a small portion of the northern Bronx and the southern half of Westchester County, including White Plains, Mount Vernon, Yonkers, New Rochelle and Rye.

The former state senator became the county executive in 2017 after defeating Republican incumbent Rob Astorino. In early December, he announced he would challenge Bowman for the seat. 

Bowman was first elected to the seat in 2020, defeating 31-year incumbent Rep. Eliot Engel.

The two candidates debated on NY1 live.

To catch up on what’s been going on throughout the campaign trial for the primary, follow along Spectrum News’ congressional live blog for the latest. 

Do I need an 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 an 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 Friday, June 14 to be eligible to vote in the primary. Voters are still eligible to register through the Board of Elections’ online portal by June 15.

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

Registered voters are now allowed to obtain early mail voting ballots through application to the Board of Elections, thanks to the New York Early Mail Voter Act.

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 June 15 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 is also June 15.

The day before Election Day, Monday, June 24, is the last day in-person applications can 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, June 25. If mailed, it must be postmarked by Tuesday, June 25.

How do I apply for an absentee ballot?

People who qualify for an absentee ballot had until June 24 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 June 15 to your county board of elections in order for a voter to be eligible to vote in the June primary. 

To apply virtually, voters could go to the online Ballot Request Application. The last day to apply online is also June 15.

In-person applications could be submitted up to the day before Election Day, Monday, June 24.

Election Day, Tuesday, June 25, 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 disability, 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.

June 15 was the last day for unregistered voters who qualify for an absentee ballot to apply.

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 June 25 and received by July 2.

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 few 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 several 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, the city and the state do not currently 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.