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Can I vote by mail in New York?
Yes. Anyone can request a mail ballot.
Any registered voter can request a mail (absentee) ballot, no reason needed. There's a deadline, so request early.
- Voter registrationMon, Oct 19 by mail · Sat, Oct 24 onlinePassed
By mail: postmarked by Oct. 19 and received by Oct. 24. Online or in person: Oct. 24. No same-day registration.
- Mail request must be receivedSat, Oct 24Passed
Missed the request deadline?
- Any absentee-eligible voter applying in person at the county board, or through an agent. Deadline: Mon, Nov 2, during board office hours. Apply in person at your county board of elections; the ballot is handed to you or your agent. source
- NextFill it in, sign the envelope, and get it in the mail byTue, Oct 272 days
USPS says allow 7 days. Your ballot must be postmarked by Tue, Nov 3; mailing earlier avoids a late postmark. Or use a drop box.
- Returning it:
Postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by Nov. 10, or hand-delivered by 9 p.m. Nov. 3 to your county board or any poll site (or to an early voting site Oct. 24–Nov. 1). Return envelope is postage-paid.
Dropping it off? Drop-off is run by your county or town rather than the state, so locations vary. county board of elections.
Who can return it for you: The official source doesn't say whether someone else may carry it. Ask your county election office. The law says the sealed envelope 'shall then be mailed or delivered to the board of elections ... or deposited in a ballot drop box' and doesn't say who may deliver it. Drop boxes are allowed. No limit in statute. source
- Election DayTue, Nov 39 days
If your ballot gets flaggedDeadline: Tue, Nov 10 · 16 days
If your ballot was flagged
- Read the letter, email or text from your county. It says what's wrong.
- Return the signed cure affirmation from the board's notice, on paper or electronically, within 7 business days of the notice being mailed or by 5 p.m. on Nov. 10, whichever is later. Missing or mismatched signatures, a missing witness and an unsigned envelope can all be fixed. Deadline: Tue, Nov 10 · 16 days
- Call your county election office. You can say:
Hi, I voted by mail and my ballot was flagged. What do I need to do to fix it, and by when? Can I do it today?
Trouble voting? Free, nonpartisan hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE · 888-VE-Y-VOTA · 888-API-VOTE · 844-YALLA-US
Good to know in New York Any voter can request an early mail ballot. In-person applications are accepted until the day before. Ballots go out 46 days before Election Day (Sept. 18). Once you've been issued a mail ballot, voting in person means an affidavit ballot.
Where are you with your ballot?
Where are you with your ballot?
Will your ballot count in New York?
Will your ballot count in New York?
- Is this your first time voting by mail?
- Have you moved since you last voted?
- Has your signature changed much since you registered?
Why ballots get rejected in New York, and how to avoid it
- Sign the envelope the way you signed your voter registration or driver's license. Your state compares them.
- Use the secrecy sleeve if one is included, then the return envelope. Don't tape anything.
- Your state goes by the postmark. Automated postmarks can lag a day, so hand it to a clerk at the post office counter and ask for a manual postmark (free).
- Keep the phone and email on your registration current. If there's a problem, that's how they reach you to fix it.
Voting in person insteadpolling place, early voting, ID
Polling place and sample ballot: Your state's voter portal shows where you vote in person, what's on your ballot, and your registration status, all from your address. Open the voter portal
Open now through Sun, Nov 1. Locations and hours
You don't need to show ID to vote in person. Exception: if you registered by mail and this is your first federal election in the state, federal law says bring ID the first time.
Accepted: None for most voters (signature in poll book). Only voters flagged as HAVA-unverified first-time mail registrants must show: driver's license/DMV non-driver photo ID or other current valid photo ID, or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document with name and address. Without one: Regular voters: nothing. HAVA-flagged voter without ID votes by affidavit (provisional) ballot.
More about your statepermanent list, counting, alerts
New York has a permanently disabled absentee status for voters with a permanent illness or physical disability. Sign up once and you won't have to request again. File one absentee application with the disability statement; a ballot then comes for every election. No permanent option for the no-excuse early mail ballot.
New York cannot start counting mail ballots until Election Day itself, so results take longer than you might expect. Results are certified Mon, Dec 7. Mail ballots postmarked by Election Day arrive through Nov. 10 and are canvassed after.
- Military or overseas. You're covered by federal law (UOCAVA), which usually gives you longer deadlines and electronic delivery. Use the Federal Post Card Application to register and request a ballot in one step. If your ballot doesn't arrive, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is your backup. FVAP.gov
- College student. You can register at your school address or your family's, not both. If you're registered back home and away at school, request a mail ballot from home early; campus mail is slow. Some states require a specific reason for students to vote absentee, so check your state's rule above. Student voter guide
- Disability or need help marking a ballot. Every state must offer an accessible way to vote. Most have an accessible mail-ballot option you can mark on a screen reader or your own device, and all allow a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep) to assist. Ask your county election office for the accessible absentee ballot. If illness, a hospital stay or a disability keeps you from the polls AFTER the request deadline, most states still have a way to get you a ballot: see "Missed the request deadline?" under your state's dates, and "Who can return it for you" for whether a family member or helper may carry it back. EAC: voters with disabilities
- Moved recently. Your registration is tied to your address. If you moved within your state, update it before the registration deadline; if you've moved across state lines, register in the new state. Moved after the deadline? Many states let you vote at your old precinct one last time or update in person; call your county. vote.gov
- Past felony conviction. Rules vary widely: some states restore rights automatically on release, others after probation or parole, a few require a separate process. Don't assume you can't vote. Check your state before the registration deadline. NCSL: restoration of voting rights
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Verified against the official page 2026-09-10. Rule checked 2026-09-09. Deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Request deadlines are "received by," not postmarked. The official site wins if anything differs. Spot something wrong? We check every report against the state's own page and fix errors as soon as they're reported. Email fix@ballotbymail.org or use the report form.