Your vote counts!

According to the New York State Board of Elections, the turnout for the city’s 2009 election was the worst for a mayoral election since 1969, with only 26 percent of the New York City’s registered voters turning up at the polls. We can do better!

By voting where you live, you can help to send someone to Albany that supports your views and beliefs. State Government is all important when it comes to many of the most pressing issues of the day, including school funding, gay marriage, MTA funding and criminal laws. With some elections won by very small margins, your vote can make the difference. In the 2008 election, Frank Padavan won his New York State Senate seat by only 400 votes.

If you're a registered voter*, put these dates on your calendar now:

Primary: September 14th, 2010
General Election: November 2nd, 2010

If you’re not registered, no problem. Just follow our 3-Step Guide:

1. Make sure you qualify

You must answer "yes" to the following questions:

• Are you a citizen of the United States (Includes those persons born in Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands)?
• Have you lived in New York City for at least 30 days?
• Will you be 18 before the next election?

And "no" to these ones:

• Are you in jail or on parole for a felony conviction?
• Would a court rule that you're mentally incompetent?
• Are you trying to vote outside of New York?

2. Register by the deadline

2010 Deadlines:
Primary: August 20st, 2010
General Election: October 8th, 2010

*Note to procrastinators: The NYC Board of Elections office at 32 Broadway, NYC 10004, 7th floor, will be open until midnight on August 20,2010 and October 8,2010 to receive last minute registrations.

How to Register

: Make a trip to the Board of Elections or register by mail

1. Get a registration form:
   Dowload one here: [English] [Spanish] [Chinese] [Korean]
   
   Call 1-866-VOTE-NYC and they'll send you a postage-paid form
   
   Pick up up at your library, post office or other government agencies
   
   
2. Fill it out with blue or black ink
   
   
3. Sign and Mail it to:
   Board of Elections in the City of New York
   32 Broadway, 7 Fl.
   New York, NY 10004-1609
   
   

3. Find your polling place and do a Registration double-check

To find out your polling place, visit: voterlookup.elections.state.ny.us/votersearch.aspx or call the Board of Elections: 1-866-VOTE-NYC

Notes:

*Did you move since the last election?
If you change your address, tell the Board of Elections asap. If you don't let them know and vote in the wrong district, you forgo the opportunity to vote for the candidates who will actually represent you at your new address, and the vote you cast could be disqualified. New York State law requires you to notify the Board of Elections regarding your change in address within 25 days of the General Election to keep your right to vote.

To change your address, fill out your new address on a voter registration form (PDF) or pay a visit to the Board of Elections and do so in person. The Board of Elections routinely checks its voter rolls with a list of people from United States Postal Service who have submitted a change of address. For voters that match, the Board of Elections sends a confirmation notice to indeed verify if the voter has moved. Still, it's always best to notify them of your new address directly.

**Don’t skip the Primary!
In New York City Primaries are strictly by party-line. Without a party affiliation you can't vote in the Primary and, consequently, you lose an opportunity to shape the election process. In other words, if you are a registered Democrat or Republican you can only vote in the primary for one of the Democrat or Republican candidates. (Sorry Independents, even if you like one of the Democrat or Republican candidates, you can't vote for them in the primary.) So, if you care about a specific race or specific candidate, it is all about the primary, because if you don't come out and vote for him or her then, they may not even be on the ballot come November. You can register with a party when you register to vote.