GUIDE GUIDE VOTER VOTER
FFOR OR CITIZENS CITIZENS
WHYVOTE? WHYVOTE?
Preparing to vote for an election can be daunting at timesvoter districts change, ballot language or what will be on the ballot can be difficult to understand, on top of language barriers and lack of resources.
However, your vote is SO important, now more than ever! Local elections in New York City can have winning margins with less than 100 votes, so every vote counts!
Our goal with this New Voter Guide is to help you navigate the voting process as seamlessly and easily as possible to participate in a democracy and exercise your right to vote. All the information listed in this booklet is nonpartisan information that can be easily digestible by you, the reader!
YOUR YOUR VOTING RIGHTS VOTING RIGHTS
As a registered voter, you have the right to:
Vote
Have your votes count
Secrecy in Voting
Freedom in Voting
Permanent Registration
Accessible Elections
Assistance in Voting
Instruction in Voting
Affidavit Voting
At your poll site, you have the right to:
Ask a poll worker for help
Use an interpreter if you need language assistance, they can be a friend, family, or any person you trust
Bring voting material with you as long as it is not left in the booth or displayed in any way.
Vote even if the voting machine is broken
Vote by affidavit ballot if your name is missing from the list of voters at your polling site
Not show an ID if you are NOT a first time voter
At work, you have the right to:
Take two paid hours off of work at the beginning or end of your shift if polls are open for less than four hours before your shift starts and after it ends
That means, on Election Day, you can take paid time off if you are scheduled to start work before 10AM and end work after 5PM. You must notify your employer at least two days before you plan to vote.
COMMONLY ASKED COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS QUESTIONS
Q: Who is qualified to register to vote?
Be a U.S. citizen; Be over 18 years old; Be a resident of this state and the county, city or village for at least 30 days before the election; Not be in prison for a felony conviction; Not be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court; Not claim the right to vote elsewhere.
Q: How do I register to vote?
A: New Yorkers have three options to register:
1. Online: New Yorkers can register through the State online voter registration portal or, if you live in New York City, through NYC’s Board of Elections website.
2. In-Person: At a county Board of Elections office, DMV, or any state agency-based registration center.
3. By Mail: Can complete voter registration form and mail to county Board of Elections.
Q: Do I have to register every year?
A: No. Once you register you are permanently registered. Unless you are changing political parties or your home address, you do not have to reregister.
Q:WhathappensifIcan’tgotothepollsin person?
A: If you are out of town or physically unable to go to the polls, you can request to vote by early mail or absentee ballot through the mail (more info. on pg. 15).
Q:WhatifIneedhelpatthepolls?
A: If you need help because you cannot read the ballot or are disabled, federal laws allow you to have a friend or relative with you in the privacy booth, along with poll site workers who are ready to help you when you need it.
Q:DoIhavetoenrollinapoliticalparty?
A: No. However, if you would like to participate in Primary Elections, you have to be enrolled in a party. Because you are picking a candidate to represent a party in general elections, you must be enrolled with that political party to vote in the primaries. You can declare a party affiliation when you register to vote. On your voter registration form, there will be a section for you to choose your preferred political party. This will determine which Primaries you are able to vote in.
Q: Can I change political parties?
A: Yes, you can change your political party affiliation by re-registering to vote and picking your new preferred party. The deadline to change political parties to vote in primary elections for that same election year in New York City is February 14 . th
Q: What do I need when I go to vote?
A: When you enter a poll site you will be asked to sign in to confirm your registration with a poll worker. If the poll worker tells you your name is not on the voter roll and you think you might be at the wrong poll site, ask the poll worker to give you the correct polling address. If you are at your correct poll site and are not on the register, you may still vote through an affidavit ballot and your vote will be counted once your registration is verified. If you did not present a form of identification when you registered to vote, you must present valid ID when you go to the polling site for the first time.
Q: What if I move?
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A: If you change your home address within New York State, you need to update your voter registration to ensure you are voting in the correct elections at the correct polling sites.
You can re-register and submit a voter registration form with your updated address. If you have a NYS DMV license, you can update your address online through MyDMV, and select the option to notify the Board of Elections.
WHO’S RUNNING WHO’S RUNNING
FOR WHAT? FOR WHAT?
2025istheyearofmunicipalelections,whereour votescanshiftthelocalpoliticallandscapeof ourcities. Thisyear,wevoteonfivedifferenttypesofelected positions:
1.Mayor-headoftheexecutivebranchofNew York’scitygovernment,overseeingadministrationof localgovernment,andresponsibleformanaging andproposingthecity’sbudget
2.PublicAdvocate-servesasamediatorforcity governmentwheretheycanmakeproposalsto addressshortcomingsorfailuresofcityservices
3.Comptroller-afinancialmanagerthatoversees theaccountingandfinancialreportingprocedures forthegovernmentofNewYorkCity
4.BoroughPresidents-thechiefexecutivesofthe fiveboroughsofNewYorkCity
5.CityCouncil-lawmakingbodyofNewYorkCity, negotiateswiththemayortoreview,amend,and voteonthefinalbudget
BEFORE YOU VOTE BEFORE YOU VOTE
1. Make sure you are registered to vote and your home address is correct on your registration.
a. You can check your registration, poll sites, and election districts through the QR code on pg 15.
2. If you are not registered to vote yet, you can register to vote before each election registration deadline.
a.Deadlines to register will be listed on pg 14.
AFTER YOU VOTE AFTER YOU VOTE
Unless other specified hours, poll sites will close at 9PM.
Anyone in line when polls close are still allowed to place their vote.
It may take days or weeks for all votes to be counted after the election in some races.
You can check unofficial election results on the Board of Elections website.
RANKED CHOICE VOTING RANKED CHOICE VOTING
In the June Primary Election, you will use ranked choice voting (RCV) for City Council in New York City.
Here’s how it works:
Voters can rank up to five (5) candidates in order of preference, instead of picking just one. You do not have to rank all five (5).
If a candidate reaches over 50% + 1 of 1stchoice votes, they are the winner. If a candidate does NOT receive over 50% + 1 of 1st-choice votes, then votes will be counted in rounds.
The candidate with the least number of votes in each round will be eliminated. If the candidate that got eliminated was your 1st-choice, your vote will go to the 2nd-choice candidate on your ballot and so on for each round. The rounds of counting votes and eliminating candidates will continue until one candidate wins a majority vote.
HOW TO FILL OUT HOW TO FILL OUT YOUR BALLOT YOUR BALLOT
Rank as many or as few candidates as you like, and choose only one candidate per column.
1 choice can go under the 1 column, 2 for 2, so on so forth. st nd
1.DON’T give more than one ranking for a candidate.
2.DON’T fill in more than one oval in the same ranking for different candidates.
3.Make sure your ovals are completely filled in, ovals not filled in completely will not be read by the machine.
COMMON QUESTIONS COMMON QUESTIONS
ABOUT RCV ABOUT RCV
Q:Doesrankingothercandidatesaffectmy firstchoice?
A: No, ranking other candidates does not affect your first-choice. In Round 1 only your first choice is counted. Your second, third, and fourth choices only count when your first-choice is eliminated or does not win.
Q:WhatifIdon’twanttorankallthe candidates?
A: You do not have to rank all five choices. You can choose as many or as few candidates as you like, but only up to five candidates. If you choose to rank less than five candidates, leave the other columns blank.
Q:Howdomychoicesgeteliminatedineach round?
A: If no candidate receives more than 50% of first-choice votes, then the candidate with the least number of votes will be eliminated. If your first-choice is eliminated, then your next choice will be counted in the next round and continues until there is one winner.
IMPORTANT DATES TO NOTE IMPORTANT DATES TO NOTE
February 14, 2025
June 09, 2025
June 14, 2025
Last day to change political party affiliation
Last day to register change of address for Primary Election
Voter registration deadline for Primary Election; last day to receive application for Mail-In ballot, Absentee ballot, and for Military/ Special Federal/UOCAVA ballot for primary if not previously registered
June 14 - 22, 2025 Primary Election Early Voting Week
June 24, 2025 Primary Election Day!
October 25, 2025
Voter registration deadline for General Election; last day to receive application for Mail-In ballot, Absentee ballot, and for Military/ Special Federal/UOCAVA ballot for primary if not previously registered
October 25 -
November 02, 2025 General Election Early Voting Week
November 04, 2025 General Election Day!
SOME HELPFUL SOME HELPFUL
Korean Chinese American Council