The History & Political Science Department encourages
all students, faculty, and staff to exercise their political and civil rights
by registering to vote and participating in the electoral process.
In the meantime, here is some quick information to help you understand voting in New
York State with some important updates (italicized and bold print below) since its first posting:
The 2019 General Election is November 5,
2019. The last day to register in order to take part in this election is
October 11, 2019 (25 days in advance).
Registering to Vote
How do I check if I'm
already registered to vote or not?
You can look up your voter registration information with the
New York Board of Elections
here.
How to I register to
Vote?
New York Voter Registration forms are always available
through the New York State Board of Elections online
here (English
version) and
here (Spanish
version). You can also pick up a voter registration form in the History &
Political Science Department. Just stop by DS 139 and ask for a blank
voter registration form: we are always happy to help you with any questions you
might have about the voting registration process.
Alternatively, you may register to vote through the
DMV
website if you have an account (i.e. drivers license or automobile
registration.
Am I Eligible to Vote?
In order to vote you must: 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;
- not
be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court;
- not
claim the right to vote elsewhere.
At what address
should I register?
If you are a college student, you may register at either
your local college address (provided you will have lived there for at least 30
days before the election) or at your home-town address. The address at
which you are registered to vote will determine your polling place on election
day. So, if you want to vote at a polling place near Daemen you
should register using your local (Erie County) address or fill out a change of
registration card by the registration deadline. If you register to vote at your home-town address, you will need to request an absentee ballot (or travel home to vote). For example, if you are currently registered to vote in NYC and are not able to travel
back to cast your ballot then you will need to apply for an absentee ballot, or change your registration to your college-residence address.
How do I apply for an Absentee
ballot?
If you are filling out a new voter registration form you can simply check
the box on Item 15 in order to have an absentee ballot application sent to your
local address.
If you are already registered to vote, you can request an absentee ballot
from your county board of election. Absentee ballot requests forms can be
found
here (English)
and
here (Spanish).
The
application request must be
received by the county board of elections by mail no later than 7 days before
the election (or the day before if submitted in person). For the 2019
General election this means the last date you can postmark an application for
an absentee ballot is October 29. You can request one in person at the county board of elections up until
November 4.
Students who are registered to vote at their non-college
address should check "absent from county" when filling out your
absentee ballot request form (you are unable to vote in person in the county
where you are registered because you are away at college).
Wait, didn’t I hear something about no excuse voting being passed in New York?
The New York Constitution does not currently allow for
no-excuse absentee voting. To change this, there needs to be a constitutional amendment.
The New York legislature has started the process by passing legislation to
change the constitution to allow for no-excuse absentee voting. This law will
have to be passed in the next legislative session and then be formally submitted
to the voters of New York for ratification – this is the process for
constitutional amendment. So, for now, voting absentee requires an excuse.
See
here for
complete information on absentee voting.
If you do not want to worry about voting absentee, remember that you may also
choose to fill out a new voter registration form to update/change your
registration to your local (Erie County) address, as long as you will have
lived there at least 30 days before the election in which you are seeking to
vote.
What do I do with my completed voter registration form?
Once you've filled out and signed the form you
should then mail it to the county board of elections (county in which you are
registering to vote). In Erie County, the address is: 134 West Eagle St.,
Buffalo, NY 14202. You can look up the addresses for other New York
counties
here.
What is the deadline for registering to
vote in the 2019 General Election (November 5, 2019)?
Voter Registration forms must be postmarked no later than October 11,
2019 and received by a county Board of Elections no later than October 16 in
order for you to be eligible to vote in the General Election on November 5.
You may also register in person at the Erie County Board of Elections on 134 West Eagle St. in Buffalo or at any Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) up to
October 26, 2019.
What happens after I mail in my voter
registration form?
Once the board of elections has received the form, they will process the registration and you will receive your voter registration card in the mail
(at the address you listed on the form). If you registered through the DMV website, it may take a little longer for the board of elections to receive the transfer of information
and process your registration.
Your voter identification card will list the
polling location where you must report to vote based on your registration
address. If you misplace the card, or haven't yet received it, you may look up your registration/polling
place information with the New York State Board of Elections
here.
I already registered,
how do I change or update my information/address?
New York recently passed laws to make your voting registration more portable with electronic voting rolls/database. But it is still a good idea to always fill out a new
voter registration form when you move. You can update or change your name or
address at any time simply by filling out a new voter registration form and
mailing it, same as above, to your county Board of Elections. You can also fill
out a new form to change your party registration, but please note that in New
York, party membership changes will not be processed until after the
next general election (see below).
Should I register as a member of a
political party (i.e., declare party affiliation)?
In New York you may only vote in a political party's primary (nominating)
elections if you are a registered member of that political party. So, if
you want to vote in the primary elections, you should select the box to register for the party in whose
primaries you wish to regularly participate. This is Box 14 of the voter registration
form. Checking a box means that you will be recorded as member of that party
and will be eligible to vote in that party's primary
elections (and only that party's primary elections).
If you do not wish to affiliate with a political party (i.e, you want to be registered as an independent), you
should check “No Party” at Box 14. New York law currently does not let unaffiliated voters participate in partisan primary elections. Be aware that New York has an organized “Independence Party” -- if you check that box it does not mean you are registering as an independent, it
means you wish to be a registered member of the Independence Party.
Can I change political
parties?
You can change your party affiliation by filling out a new
voter registration form. Update: New York just changed the rules for partisan affiliation changes, you now have until February 14, 2020 if you want to change your partisan affiliation (from unaffiliated to party member, or from one party to another) in advance of the 2020 presidential preference primary (scheduled for April 28, 2020).
If you think you might want to vote in a partisan
presidential primary in 2020 (that is, you want to have a vote in choosing the
party’s presidential nominee), you should register with the party in whose
primary you will want to participate before February 14, 2020.
New York’s presidential preference primaries are currently scheduled for April 28 2020.
See
here for
information on changing your party registration.
If I register with a
political party does that mean I’m stuck voting for their candidate in the
general election?
No. Registering as a member of a political party only affects
your eligibility to vote in that party’s partisan primary elections (these are intra-party
elections that are held before the general election in which the party members
decide which candidate to nominate). In a primary election, only registered members
of that party can receive the party’s ballot and may vote on which person they want
to be the party’s nominee.
Declaring partisan affiliation does not in any way affect
which candidate or party you may vote for in the general election. In the
general election, everyone receives the same ballot with the candidates of all
parties listed. You may vote for whichever candidate/party you prefer for each
race in the secrecy of the ballot box. You may vote a so-called straight ticket (vote for
all of a particular party’s candidates) or split your ticket (cast a vote for
which ever candidate you like best for each office – i.e. vote for the
Republican candidate for some offices and the Democratic candidate for
others).
Voting: How does it all Work?
Early Voting in New
York!
For the first time voters in New York can take advantage of
an early voting period. For the 2019 General Election (November 5), the early
voting period is October 26 to November 3, 2019. Early voting works a little
differently. To vote early, you must report to a designated early voting site,
the location and hours of which will be determined by each county. So, you will
want to check the board of elections website for the county in which you are
registered to vote. The process is simple – you will have to sign the poll book
(which may be a paper book or electronic). You will receive a ballot and
instructions on how to submit your ballot in the available scanner. There will
be a sample ballot posted you can refer to before receiving your official ballot
and casting your vote.
To vote early you still have to be registered to vote. The
voter registration deadline is October 11, 2019. You do not need an excuse to
vote early in the general election – it is an option for your convenience.
Update: Time Saving Tip: When early voting, if you take your voter registration card with you they can use the bar code on the back to more quickly retrieve your voter registration information in the electronic rolls. The early voting sites will not, in most cases, be your regular polling site. A list of early voting locations in Erie County can be found here: https://www.elections.erie.gov/early-voting/
Is my early voting ballot counted
early? No, your ballot will be counted along with the ballots cast on
November 5. You only get to vote once—if you vote early, you have cast your
ballot and do not get to vote again or “change your vote” by voting on election
day.
What if I run into a
problem trying to vote early?
As on election day: if, for any reason, you are told you are
not registered or eligible to vote, you may ask for a
provisional (or affidavit) ballot – this allows you to case a provisional vote. The Board of
Elections will review your registration and qualifications and, if it is determined that you are in fact entitled to vote, your provisional
ballot will be counted. If they determine that you are not entitled to cast a vote, they will destroy the ballot.
Election Day Voting
On election day, you must report to the designated polling
place for the address at which you are registered to vote. If you are not sure
where your polling place is, or you lost your voter registration card, you may
look up your information
here.
In New York, POLLS OPEN AT 6 AM - CLOSE AT 9 PM on election day.
What if I'm not able
to go to my polling place on the day of the election?
If you know that you will not able to report to your registered polling place on election day
for any of the reasons listed below, then you will need to request an absentee
(mail in) ballot in advance. Information on requesting an absentee (mail-in)
ballot, along with the absentee ballot request form, can be found
here. The completed absentee ballot application must be mailed to your
county board no
later than the seventh day before the election or, if delivered in person, no
later than the day before the election.
You are eligible to vote absentee if you are:
- 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.
Students should check "absent from county" when
filling out your absentee ballot request form. The county board of elections will process the request and mail you an absentee ballot at the address you indicate on the request application.
For the November 5, 2019 General Election, the last day to
postmark your absentee ballot request is October 29, 2019. The last day to make
an in-person absentee ballot request is November 4.
The absentee ballot itself will be mailed to you and you must return it to cast your vote. Absentee ballots must be post-marked by November
4 (or may be delivered in person by November 5) to the appropriate county board
of elections.
I have never voted
before, what can I expect?
There will be trained poll workers to assist you at the
polling place. Generally, there is a line/table with poll workers where you
check in. The voter registration rolls are divided by precinct – your precinct
number is indicated on your voter registration card. If you do not know it,
just tell the poll worker where you live (the address at which you are
registered to vote) and they will tell you which table at which to check-in.
The poll workers will check the voter registration rolls for your name.
Once you are verified as properly registered (i.e. you are listed in the voter roll),
you will be asked to sign the poll book and will be given a ballot and necessary directions
by the poll workers as to the voting process. Erie County uses a DS 200 ballot scanner. You will be given
a paper ballot (usually in a privacy folder) and directed to booth or area where you complete the ballot in
privacy behind a cardboard screen. You will then feed the completed paper ballot into a scanning
machine in order to have it counted. A poll worker will be standing by in case you have any trouble with the machine. A video on the process can be
found
here. You
can find information on the various voting equipment used in other New York
counties
here.
If you encounter any difficulties, just ask a designated poll worker for assistance.
Do I need photo (or
other) ID to vote?
New York does not have a voter ID requirement but it does
not hurt to have some form of ID with you when you go to the polls in the event
your identity, signature, or eligibility is challenged by a poll worker.
Update: First time voters are recommended to bring ID to the polls as some election inspectors will verify ID for first time voters.
What if I am turned
away at the polls or told I am not registered to vote?
If, for whatever reason, a poll worker tells you that you
are not eligible to vote and you believe that this is an error and that you are
lawfully entitled to vote, you may ask for a provisional ballot.
Provisional ballots are set aside until the Board of
Elections clarifies your eligibility/registration status. If it is determined
that you are legally entitled to vote, your ballot will be counted. If it
is determined that you are not eligible/properly registered, the ballot will be
destroyed.
You will be asked to fill out/sign an affidavit as to your
eligibility/status when casting a provisional ballot.
Is there anything else I should know about going to the polling site?
Polling places will usually have a sample ballot posted near the entrance or registration desk. If you want a chance to study before you receive your official ballot, ask if there is a sample ballot you can look at prior to getting in line to vote.
New York prohibits electioneering in and around poling places, so leave any campaign paraphernalia behind and do not wear clothing with partisan labels, slogans, or candidate names into the polling place to avoid being asked to leave. There are sometimes partisan poll watchers present. These are members of a political party who observe voting for procedural irregularities or equipment issues. They should not interfere with your casting of your ballot. If anyone approaches you or challenges you, ask to speak to a poll worker and/or the poll supervisor. If you go with a buddy, you cannot fill out your ballots together. If anyone asks you for help with voting, direct them to speak with a poll worker.
Also you should not take voting selfies or pictures with your cell phone near or around the voting machines. Some polling places do have really cool stickers that say "I voted" -- slap one on and take your selfie after you've left the polling place.
What if I'm working
on Election Day?
New York does not allow voting by absentee ballot due to
your work schedule, but it does entitle all workers who do not have at least
four consecutive hours free during the period in which the polls are open, to
take time off of work (without a loss of pay for up to two hours) in order to
vote. Please note that the law requires that you notify your employer and
verify eligibility at least 2 days (but no earlier than 10 days)
before election day. You can read the law
here and
should consult with your employer.
Alternatively, you can take advantage of the early voting
period!
What if I'm Out of
State Resident/Voter?
Also new
for 2019: Protecting Victims of Domestic Violence
New York law allows victims of domestic violence who obtain a
court order from NY Supreme Court, Family Court or County Court in the county
where they are registered to have their voter registration record kept separate
and apart from other registration records and not be made available for
inspection or copying by the public or any other person, except election
officials acting within the course and scope of their official duties. Under a
separate section of the law (11-306), you can also be excused from going to
your polling place to vote and get a special ballot. For further information,
you should contact your local board of elections for their confidential
registration and special ballot procedures.
Still have questions?
Feel free to stop by the History & Political Science
Department for help. We're always happy to answer your question or help
direct you to the right place to get information. And remember, you can
always contact the
NY State Board
of Elections, or the Erie County Board of Elections, directly for voter
registration assistance.
