Voter registration forms are available at these offices. You can also get a registration form and other
information by calling 866-VOTE-NYC. You can download and print a registration form on the BOE’s Web site,
www.vote.nyc.ny.us, or fill out a request online to have a form mailed to you. However they are obtained,
voter registration forms must be filled out, signed, and either mailed or hand delivered to one of the
offices listed above, because they must have an original signature (in ink) to be valid.
Please note: You cannot submit your voter registration form via the BOE’s Web
site—you may only download
or request one.
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How long is my registration good for?
Your registration has no expiration date. However, your registration may be cancelled if you have moved and did not update your address with the BOE
and you did not vote in the 1998 or 2000 (federal) elections. Call 866-VOTE-NYC for
more information.
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What if I have moved (within New York City)?
If you have moved since you last voted, you must change your address with the BOE by submitting a new voter
registration form and checking the box labeled "Address change." Click here
for more information on obtaining and submitting a voter registration form.
If you have moved within New York City and you have not changed your address with the
BOE, you may still
be able to vote by going to your new polling place and filling out a form that will be available there.
However, it is best to update your registration whenever you move by filling out a
voter registration form
with your new address and sending it to the BOE. Forms are available
online from the BOE at www.vote.nyc.ny.us.
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What will I be
voting on in the November 5 general election?
A number of offices are up for election in 2002, including governor and
various state senate and assembly seats, that are not covered by this Voter
Guide. You will also be voting on a ballot proposal, which is a question
placed before the voters to decide.
If you live in the 38th Council District, you will also be voting to elect a
new City Council member in a special election on November 5. Click here
to find out if you live in the 38th Council District. Click here to view
questions and answers about voting in the 38th Council District Special Election.
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Where do I go to vote?
You vote at your local polling place. If you are a registered voter, you should receive a notice from the
Board of Elections telling you where your polling place is. Read the notice carefully. If you do not have
your postcard or you do not know where to vote, call 866-VOTE-NYC.
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When I get to my polling place, where do I go?
The notice you receive from the Board of Elections tells you what Assembly District (A.D.) and Election
District (E.D.) you live in. These numbers are important because they tell you which voting booth to use.
If you forget your A.D. or E.D. on election day, one of the election clerks will be able to tell you which
booth to use.
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What if my name is not on the list when I get to my polling place? Will I still be able to vote?
If you are not on the poll-list, it may be because your registration form was not received. If you believe that you are eligible, you can still vote. Ask for an
affidavit ballot, which is a paper ballot. After the election, the Board of Elections will check its records
and your vote will be counted if you are indeed eligible to vote. If not, you will receive a notice
that you are not eligible, along with a registration form for future elections.
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Can I vote if I can’t get to my polling place on election day?
You can vote by absentee ballot for a number of reasons, such as if you are going to be away at school, on
vacation, or a patient in a hospital. Call 866-VOTE-NYC to find out if you can vote by absentee ballot, and
to request an application for an absentee ballot.
To vote by absentee ballot, follow these two steps:
-
File an Absentee Ballot Application. You can
have an absentee ballot application mailed to you by calling 866-VOTE-NYC. You can also pick up an application
at any of the Board of Elections’ offices,
or download and print an absentee ballot application from the BOE’s Web site, www.vote.nyc.ny.us. For the
general election on November 5, 2002, completed absentee ballot applications must be postmarked by October
29, 2002, or must be personally
delivered to the BOE office by 5:00 p.m. on November
4, 2002.
-
Send in your Absentee Ballot. After you submit the absentee ballot application, you will receive an absentee
ballot on which to cast your vote. You can have the ballot mailed to you by including a mailing address on your
application, or you can pick up the ballot at your Board of Elections borough office after you have filed the
absentee ballot application. For the general election, absentee ballots must be postmarked by
November 4, 2002
or personally delivered to the BOE’s office in your borough by 9:00 p.m. on
November 5, 2002.
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How can I get more information?
The Board of Elections has a toll-free voter assistance telephone number to answer questions from voters.
To learn more about voting in this election, call 866-VOTE-NYC (866-868-3692), or, for the hearing impaired,
(212) 487-5496. There is also information available on the BOE’s Web site, www.vote.nyc.ny.us.
The Voter Assistance Commission is a nonpartisan government agency created to encourage more New Yorkers to
register and to vote. The Commission identifies historically under-represented groups and works with other
public agencies, private groups, and community-based organizations to encourage registration and voting.
The Commission holds an annual public hearing after the general election to learn about experiences with
voting in New York City and to make recommendations for improvements. The Commission also holds public
meetings prior to the general election to discuss other voting issues. To find out when the annual
public hearing will be held or to get more information, call (212) 788-8384, write to the Voter Assistance
Commission, 100 Gold St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10038, or visit its Web site at
www.ci.nyc.ny.us/voter.
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