New York Voter Empowerment Information 2004

Who Can Vote? You can register if you meet all of the following qualifications: (1) you are a United States citizen; (2) you will be at least 18 years old on Election Day; (3) on Election Day, you will have lived for at least 30 days in the county, city, or village in which you will vote; (4) you have not been declared mentally incompetent by a court; (5) you do not claim the right to vote elsewhere; and (6) you are not in jail or on parole for a felony conviction. You Must Be Registered In Order To Vote. Can I Vote Where My School Is, Even If I Live In Student Housing? Yes, if you regard your school community as your primary residence. If so, if your school is in a different city or county than where you registered to vote, you must re-register in the city or county where your school is. If you regard another community as your primary residence, you should vote there in person or by absentee ballot. If I Move, Do I Have To Re-Register To Vote? If you move outside the city or county where you are registered to vote, you must re-register in your new city or county. If you move within the same city or county, you do not have to re-register. When Do I Vote? Election Day is Tuesday, November 2. Polling places will be open from 6am until 9pm. You have the right to vote if you are in line or in your polling place when the polls close. Where Do I Vote? You may get a card in the mail telling you where your polling place is. You may vote even if you do not get this card or do not have it with you on Election Day. To find your polling place or Election District, contact your county board of elections. You can find the phone number in the government pages of your phone book or online at If you live in New York City, contact the New York City Board of Elections at (866) VOTE-NYC. At your polling place, vote in the Election District in which you live. A poll worker should be able to tell you your Election District if you do not know it. If I Am Unable To Vote At My Polling Place On Election Day, Can I Still Vote? Yes. If on Election Day you will be out of the county where you live or will be unable to go to the polls because of illness or physical disability, you may vote by absentee ballot. You may also vote by absentee ballot if you are a patient or inmate in a Veterans’ Administration Hospital, if you are a pre-trial detainee, or if you are confined in prison after conviction for a non-felony offense. How Do I Vote By Absentee Ballot? You must complete an absentee ballot application and absentee ballot. To get an application, call your county Board of Elections. Mail your completed application to your Board of Elections by Tuesday, October 26, or deliver it in person by Monday, November 1. Your completed absentee ballot must be postmarked by Monday, November 1 and received by Tuesday, November 9. If you cannot pick up your ballot, or will not be able to receive it through the mail, you have the right to designate someone to pick it up for you. Will I Be Asked To Show Identification At My Polling Place? Maybe. Federal law requires poll workers to ask for it only if you fall into all 3 of the following categories: 1) you register by mail after January 1, 2003; 2) you have never voted in a federal election in the county of your registration; and 3) you did not provide your driver’s license number, non-driver’s license identification number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number; or a copy of a current and valid photo ID or current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or government document showing your name and address. What If I Have To Show Identification? You should show (but not give to) the poll worker a current and valid photo ID or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or government document showing your name and address. Doing this gives you the right to vote on the machine at your polling place. What If I Don’t Have An Id Or Any Of Those Documents With Me? You can vote on a paper ballot, called an affidavit ballot, at your polling site. You also have the right to get a Certificate to Obtain a Court Order. This allows you to go to a judge and get a court order stating that you have the right to vote on the voting machine. This is time-consuming. What If I Show Up At My Polling Place On Election Day And My Name Is Not On The List Of Registered Voters, Even Though I Registered? First, ask the poll worker to check the list again and to confirm that you are at the right polling place. If that fails, ask for an affidavit ballot. You have the right to vote by affidavit ballot or get a Certificate to Obtain a Court Order even if your name is not on the voter list. What If My Name Is On The List Of Registered Voters But Someone Challenges My Right To Vote? Ask for the challenge oath. You have the right to vote on a voting machine if you complete this oath. What If I’ve Moved Within My County, My Signature Is Missing From Or Wrong In The Poll Book, Or My Party Enrollment Is Listed Wrong? You have the right to vote on an affidavit ballot or to get a Certificate to Obtain a Court Order. What If I Need Assistance In The Voting Booth? If you need help in the voting booth because of a physical disability or because you cannot read the ballot, tell a poll worker. You have the right to have anyone you choose help you in the voting booth, including a poll worker or inspector, as long as the person is not your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer or agent of your union. Language interpreters present at your polling site are allowed to go into the poll booth with you. In addition, ballots and other written materials at the polling site may be available in languages besides English. The particular languages of the interpreters and written materials vary based on geography; contact your local Board of Elections for information on what language assistance will be available to you. Can I Take Time Off Work To Vote? You have the right to take time off to vote, without loss of pay for up to two hours, if you would not otherwise be able to vote and you notify your employer at least two working days in advance. What Can I Do To Avoid Potential Problems On Election Day? Vote early in the day to avoid the last-minute rush. Bring some form of identification, even if it may not be required. Ask for help if you need it. Read all instructions carefully. Take your time. You can take up to 3 minutes in a voting machine and 5 minutes in a voting booth. What If I Have Questions? New York State Board of Elections: (800) 367-8683 New York City Board of Elections: (212) VOTE-NYC or (866) VOTE-NYC U.S. Department of Justice: (800) 253-3931 ACLU Voting Rights Project: (877) 523-2792 New York Civil Liberties Union: (212) 344-3005 New York Public Interest Research Group: (212) 822-0282