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Voter Registration Deadlines Loom for NY and NJ

By

Brigid Bergin

Published Oct 5, 2021

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Voting booths seen in the Brooklyn Museum

 

Scott Heins / Gothamist

By

Brigid Bergin

Published Oct 5, 2021

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The time is running out if you want to participate in the upcoming elections in New York and New Jersey. The marquee contest in the city will decide who takes the reins at City Hall after eight years of Mayor Bill de Blasio. In New Jersey, voters will pick their state’s next governor.

Election day in both states is Tuesday, November 2nd. Early voting in NYC runs from October 23rd through 31st.

Here’s what you need to know about registering to vote in NYC & NJ

Deadlines

Where Do I Register in New York?

Go in-person to any Board of Elections office and fill out a paper form by this Friday, October 8th. There are offices in each of the five boroughs as well as the executive office in Lower Manhattan.

You could also download a paper form, print it out, fill in your information and mail it to BOE. An important note: the BOE will not accept a form with any kind of digital signature, you need to sign it yourself. The form is supposed to be postage paid. But if you put it in an envelope, which would make sense if you are just printing a piece of paper, you will need to stamp the envelope.

The form must be postmarked no later than Friday, October 8th and then received by the BOE by Wednesday, October 13th. Here is the address to mail it if you are registering in New York City:

Board of Elections

32 Broadway, 7 Fl

New York, NY 10004-1609

The only way to register online in New York State is through the Department of Motor Vehicles. You must have a State DMV issued driver's license, permit or non-driver identification card. You will also need the zip code currently on file with the DMV and the last four digits of your social security number.

Keep in mind: the DMV is not actually processing voter registration forms, they are just collecting the information for the Board of Elections and then transferring the data to them. In other words, don’t rely on this online platform as a reliable last-minute option.

According to the state DMV’s website, local BOE’s are supposed to contact a voter once their registration has been processed. Then they offer this advice, emphasis ours: “Please allow up to six weeks to hear from the Board of Elections in your County or City. If after 6 weeks you have not heard from them, contact them at the phone number or address provided on the New York State Board of Elections website.”

Where Do I Register In New Jersey?

You can register online with a valid driver’s license or non-driver identification card issued by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC). You could also use your Social Security number, but according to Department of State regulations, “you must have the ability to sign on-screen or upload your signature to complete the registration process. If you are unable to provide a digital signature, you can not register online.”

You can also print out the form and mail it to your respective county. Find the forms here.

Who Is Eligible to Register to Vote in New York?

A U.S. citizen, 18 or older can register and vote (16 and 17-year-olds can pre-register, but will not be permitted to vote until they turn 18). You also must be a resident there for at least 30 days before the election; an can not be in prison for a felony conviction; ruled mentally incompetent by a court; or claim the right to vote elsewhere.

Who Is Eligible to Register to Vote in New Jersey?

A U.S. citizen, 18 or older can register and vote (17-year-olds can pre-register in New Jersey). You must be a resident there for at least 30 days and you can not be serving a sentence of incarceration, “as a result of a conviction of an indictable offense under the laws of this or another state or of the United States.”

How Do I Check To See If I Am Registered?

What If I Still Have More Questions?

Tagged

register to vote

election 2021

voting

Brigid Bergin

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Brigid Bergin is an award-winning senior reporter on the People and Power desk. She is fiercely committed to telling stories that help people engage and support democracy. In 2022, she hosted a live, ten-week call-in politics show ahead of the midterm elections called The People's Guide to Power. Brigid's reporting in 2017 included some of the first coverage of a political newcomer now known as AOC. In 2016, she broke the news of a voter purge in Brooklyn just days before New York’s presidential primary, triggering city, state and federal investigations. Brigid also guest hosts The Brian Lehrer Show and All Of It. She graduated from the University at Albany and the CUNY Newmark School of Journalism. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 917-723-4719.

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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