Here's what to know about registering to vote for the fall election

ALBANY — New Yorkers seeking to register to vote in the Nov. 5 general election have until Oct. 26 to register for the first time or to re-register if eligibility has lapsed.

The state Board of Elections provides information on who can register and how to register.

How to know if you are registered

The online voter lookup is at voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/

It shows if a New Yorker is registered to vote, in which legislative and congressional districts he or she lives, and where you can vote early or on the traditional Election Day.

Who may register to vote

• U.S. citizens who are 18 years or older.
• A prospective voter must have been a resident of the state and the county, city or village in which he or she is voting for at least 30 days before Election Day.

Who may not register to vote

• Anyone who is in prison for a felony or who has been judged mentally incompetent by a court.
• Anyone who claims the right to vote in another state.

How to register to vote

• To register on the Online Voter Registration Portal (my.ny.gov/LoginV4/login.xhtml), prospective voters will need a state NY.Gov ID account. If the New Yorker had used a NY.Gov ID account for business with a state agency, the same login and access can be used to access the portal. Others will have to create an account.
• Prospective voters may sign a New York State Voter Registration Form and either submit it online or by printing it and hand-delivering or mailing it to the local board of elections. The voter registration form is available in English and Spanish at elections.ny.gov/voter-registration-process
• Prospective voters may also call the state Board of Elections hotline at 800-FOR-VOTE (800-367-8683).

The deadlines to register

• Applications to register by mail must be received by the local board of elections no later than Oct. 26 for the applicant to be eligible to vote in the Nov. 5 election.
• The deadline to apply for registration in person is also Oct. 26. Applications may be submitted in person at any state agency participating in the National Voter Registration Act, including the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

Identification needed to register

To register New Yorkers must provide data from:

• A New York state driver’s license, driving permit or nondriver identification card.
• The ZIP code on file with the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
• A Social Security number.

If the prospective voter doesn’t have a Department of Motor Vehicles license or identification card, residency and identification can be proven through a valid photo ID, a current utility bill, a bank statement, paycheck, government check or other government documents that show the holder’s name and address. A copy of one of those alternative forms of identification can be submitted with their registration form.

Making changes in voter registration

• Registered voters may update their name and or address at their local board of elections or through the state website at nyovr.elections.ny.gov/ or at elections.ny.gov/voter-registration-process#registration-forms
• A change of name and or address must be received by a local board of elections at least 15 days before Election Day and must be processed and entered into voting records in time for the election.

Voting

• Early voting is from Oct. 26 through Nov. 3.
• Voting on the traditional Election Day is Nov. 5.

Mail-in ballots

Any registered voter for any reason may request a mail-in ballot through:

• The online portal at ballotapplication.elections.ny.gov/home/earlymail
• By visiting their local board of elections.
• By designating another person to deliver the application in person to their local board of elections and receive a ballot.
• Downloading a Early Mail Ballot Application at ballotapplication.elections.ny.gov/home/earlymail

An application for a mail-in ballot must be received by the local board of elections no later than 10 days before Election Day. New Yorkers can drop off a mail-in ballot application no later than Nov. 4.

Absentee ballots

An absentee ballot can be used when a voter is out of their county or borough on Election Day.

A New Yorker can apply for an absentee ballot through the state’s online portal at ballotapplication.elections.ny.gov/home/absentee

An application for an absentee ballot must be received by the local board of elections no later than 10 days before the election. Applications can be dropped off in person no later than Nov. 4, the day before the election.

An absentee ballot may be cast by:

• Mailing it with a postmark no later than Nov. 5. The ballot must be received by the local board of elections no later than Nov. 12.
• Dropping the ballot off at the local board of elections no later than 9 p.m. on Nov. 5, the end of voting.
• Dropping it off at an early voting poll site between Oct. 26 and Nov. 3.
• Bringing it to a poll site within the voter’s county by 9 p.m. Nov. 5.

By Michael Gormley

michael.gormley@newsday.com@GormleyAlbany

Michael Gormley has worked for Newsday since 2013, covering state government, politics and issues. He has covered Albany since 2001.