Voter Registration and Education

To register to vote in the City of New York:

• You must be a citizen of the United States. This includes those born in Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• You must be a New York City resident for at least 30 days.
• You must be 18 years of age before the next election.
• You must not be serving a jail sentence or be on parole for a felony conviction, unless you have received a pardon for voting purposes.
• You must not be judged mentally incompetent by a court.
• You must not claim the right to vote elsewhere (outside the City of New York).

For Non-New York Residents

If you would like to register in your home state there are a few resources you may use. Note that registration deadlines and eligibility requirements vary per state.

• Visit the U.S. Election Assistance Commission website to download the National Voter Registration form. This is the one document that enables you to register to vote anywhere in the country.  It includes state specific instructions to assist you in filling out the form and getting it delivered to the proper address.
• You will also find voter registration forms on TurboVote. TurboVote includes deadlines, easy-to-follow-directions, and a breakdown of the relevant laws. 

About TurboVote: A product of the nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit Deomocracy Works, is a "one-stop shop" voter registration and engagement service. Through a seamless interface, users can:

• Register to vote, request an absentee ballot, and/or update an address.  If a state does not permit registration online, they'll receive completed forms with stamped envelopes addressed to the local election office.
• Track elections with text messages and email reminders. Users receive all the information needed to vote in every election, including poll locations, election dates, information on laws, and deadlines.
• Ask for help through TurboVote's dedicated help desk. 

If you don't want to use TurboVote, here are some area resources:

New York State Board of Elections

New Jersey Division of Elections

Connecticut Elections and Voting

Absentee ballot applications are also available on these sites. 

Election Day is an optional holiday for employees and you are encouraged to take time to vote. New York State employees have the right to time off to vote, per N. Y. Election Law Section 3-110, with the following stipulations:

• If you do not have 4 consecutive hours to vote, either from the opening of the polls to the beginning of your working shift, or between the end of your working shift and the closing of the polls, you may take off up to 2 hours, without loss of pay, to allow you time to vote if you are a registered voter.
• You may take time off at the beginning or end of your working shift, as your employer may designate, unless otherwise mutually agreed.
• You must notify your employer not less than 2 days, but not more than 10 days, before the day of the day of the election that you will take time off to vote.