Nov. 5 is Election Day for the presidential race and other public offices including some U.S. Senate seats, U.S. Congress, as well as state Senate and Assembly. Depending on where you live, you'll find other local offices on the ballot, too.
But if you want to vote, first you have to register to do so.
To register to vote in New York State, you must be a United States citizen, be 18 years old or over and be a resident of the municipality in which you are registering to vote for at least 30 days before the election.
You can’t register to vote in New York if you are in prison for a felony conviction, have been judged mentally incompetent by a court, or if you already claim the right to vote elsewhere in the country.
If you meet the registration requirements, go to the New York State Board of Elections website at elections.ny.gov, and fill out the voter registration form, or print it and fill out a hard copy.
The form asks for some personal information including your name, date of birth, contact details, and your address. You’ll need to provide either your New York State DMV number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number to verify your identity. You then have the option to enroll with a political party, or alternatively you can register as an independent voter.
After signing the form, simply submit it online or mail it to your county board of elections.
The last day to register to vote in the 2024 general elections is Oct. 26 in New York State.
Many city and town halls across Western New York have physical voter registration forms available for residents of to pick up in-person. WBFO called several municipalities across the region, and the following said they had registration forms on hand:
- Town of Aurora
- Village of Blasdell
- Town of Boston
- Town of Eden
- Town of Evans
- Town of Hamburg
- Town of West Seneca
- City of Niagara Falls
- City of Lockport
- City of Jamestown
- City of Olean.
Early voting begins on Oct. 26 and runs through Nov. 3. Election Day is Nov. 5.
For the most up to date information on registering to vote, elections and polling places in your area, contact your county board of elections.
WBFO intern Jamal Harris contributed to this report.
