Voting Times

Primary Election:     Polls are open from 12 Noon - 9 PM

General Election:     Polls are open from 6 AM - 9 PM

Voter Registration

To Register To Vote You Must:

• Be a U.S. Citizen.
• Be 18 years old by December 31 of the year in which you register. * Note: You must be 18 years old by the date of the general, primary or other election in which you want to vote.
• Be a resident of the county for at least 30 days before the election.
• Not claim the right to vote elsewhere.
• Not be in jail or on parole for a felony conviction.

You can obtain a mail registration form by calling 1-800-FOR-VOTE or your County Board of Election. Forms are also available at most government agencies and post offices. Complete the form and mail it to your County Board of Elections. You may also register in person at your County Board of Elections.

You need to re-register if:

• You move out of the County.
• Change your name.
• Change your party enrollment.
• Move within the County.

Voting in Primary Elections

You must be enrolled in one of the eight recognized parties (i.e., Republican, Democratic, Independence, Conservative, Liberal, Right to Life, Green or Working Families) and there must be a primary in the party in which you are enrolled.

Indicating your choice of party enrollment

Use the same form as you do to register to vote. In Section 1, indicate that you are filing either a new registration or a change of enrollment, then complete the rest of the form and choose your enrollment in Section 10. *Note: If you are already registered and are filing a change of enrollment, the change will not take effect until after the next November General Election.

Where do I vote?

Each year, 65 to 75 days before the General Election, you should receive a postcard from the Board of Elections verifying your current address. This card also indicates the location of your polling place and whether or not this place is accessible to the handicapped. If you have any questions about the information provided, call your County Board of Elections.

Obtaining special help at the polls

A voter with a disability may have the assistance of anyone of their choice, so long as the person providing the assistance is not the voter's employer or union agent.

If the voter requests assistance from the inspectors at the polling place, one from each of the two parties represented there will help.

Write-In Voting

If you ask, an inspector will show you on the sample ballot displayed in your polling place how to cast a write-in vote. Be aware, however; that once you open the write-in slot, all levers in that office column are locked and you will not be able to vote for a name on the machine except when there is more than one person to be elected for that office. You may then vote by write-in and lever ballot. If you write in the name of someone already appearing on the machine, your vote for that person will not be counted.

How is my vote kept secret?

Your vote is protected through a system of mechanical and administrative safeguards. For example, the back of the voting machine can only be opened at the beginning of the election, before any votes are cast, and then again at the close of the voting. When the machine is opened, only totals show and election officials have no way of knowing who voted for which candidate.

The number assigned to each voter by the inspector in no way reveals for whom you voted. This makes it possible to keep an exact record of the number of votes cast on the machine and to pinpoint any problems that may occur on the machine.

How can I obtain an absentee ballot?

If you will be absent from your county on election day because of your occupation, business, vacation or studies, you can request an absentee ballot application and vote by absentee ballot in any primary, special or general election. The application may be obtained from any Board of Elections. If you are calling or applying by mail, you must do so at least seven days before the election. If you are applying in person, you may do so up to and including the day before the election. You may also vote by absentee ballot if you are ill or have a physical disability. Persons who are permanently ill or disabled may receive absentee ballots for all future elections by filing only one application indicating your illness or disability. You will then be sent an absentee ballot for every primary, special or general election for which you qualify as a voter.

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