Make sure you're registered to vote
A two-minute check that's worth doing every spring. The rules don't often change but addresses do.
Most people who think they’re registered are. But “most” isn’t “all.” Registrations can quietly lapse if you’ve moved counties or missed several election cycles in a row. Two minutes now beats showing up on Election Day and finding your registration isn’t up to date.
Check your status
New York maintains a public lookup tool you can use any time:
Punch in your name, date of birth, and county. The tool tells you whether you’re registered, where you’re registered, and which polling place you’re assigned to.
If you’re not registered (or need to update your info)
You can register (or update) online at the state’s MyDMV portal if you have a New York driver’s license or state ID:
dmv.ny.gov/more-info/electronic-voter-registration-application
If you’d rather do it on paper, the state Board of Elections has a mail-in form. You can also pick one up at your county Board of Elections office, the DMV, the post office, and most public libraries.
The deadline to register before any given election is about 25 days before that election in New York. (The rules are slightly different for party primary elections.) Don’t wait until the last week.
Help a neighbor check too
The fastest way to make sure your friends and family are on the rolls is to text them the link. Most people will check on their phone in under a minute. That’s how a lot of registration cleanup gets done around here—neighbors checking on neighbors, no clipboards required.