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Represent NYC: Election Coverage

Early Voting: New York State & Federal Primary Election

June 17, 2020
early voting

The Primary Election is being held on June 23 for in-person voting and early voting is on the way! 

We are three days into the early voting, it's the first time voters have gone to the polls since the coronavirus crisis has devastated New York. In-person voting has begun in New York!  

Protect your vote! Having problems at the poll site? Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE to report any issues or if you have any questions!

3 Ways to Vote in June, so keep scrolling to learn more!

Vote early

Early Voting In-Person

The city's Board of Elections has put in place measures to keep people safe. Now, in addition to getting a ballot, voters also get an antiviral handwipe at the entrance. Everyone wears a mask, of course. And stickers show voters how far apart to stand in line.

  • All June-eligible voters have the option to Vote By Mail, Vote Early, or Vote on Election Day.
  • Vote Early June 13 - June 21.  Don't worry about the long lines, vote early! 

    For the first time, New Yorkers will be able to cast their ballot ahead of Election Day instead of showing up for the usual 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on one day.

  • Where will these early voting polling sites be located? New York City Board of Elections will operate the 61 early voting polling sites in the five boroughs:

     

    The borough-by-borough breakdown: Look Up Your Polling Site  There are 9 in Manhattan. 

  • In Manhattan there are Presidential, Federal, and State primaries in June 2020. Voters must be enrolled in a party holding a primary to participate.

Text NYCVOTES to 917-979-6377 to receive text alerts about your elections.

What to Expect When You Arrive at a Polling Site

  • You are required to wear a mask/face covering when entering any Board of Elections facility and you must maintain at least 6 feet of distance at all times.
  • When you arrive, you'll see tables for election districts (E.D.). If you don't know your E.D., a poll worker can assist. You will be asked to sign above your original signature on an alphabetical computerized poll list. You will then be given a paper ballot and be directed to a privacy booth. After you mark your ballot you will take it to a scanner.
  • As standard procedure, NYPD officers will be at all polling sites to ensure ballots are not tampered with and no inappropriate electioneering takes place.
On June 8th, Empire State Indivisible hosted a debate between the primary Democratic candidates running for Congressional District 12 in Manhattan.

 Vote absentee

You can also mail in your absentee ballot.

  • Vote by June 23
    • Once requested, your absentee ballot will be mailed to you before the election.
    • You must complete it and either mail it back (postmarked by June 23) or drop it off at your local Board of Elections before election day.

Any voter who needs to check the status of their absentee ballot DM NYCBoardOfElections @BOENYC. Send them your name and address so our staff can research.

Due to the 2020 coronavirus outbreak Governor Cuomo announced that all New Yorkers will be allowed to vote absentee for the June 23 Democratic primary in an effort to maintain social distancing throughout the state. But what does this mean?

Ballots must be postmarked by June 23 to count for contested races for the U.S. House of Representatives, state legislative seats and Queens borough president.  Do not forget to sign and date the envelope!

The ballot also contains the names of 11 candidates for president and slates of delegates to the Democratic convention, even though only Joe Biden officially remains in the race.

Out of the 625,000 absentee ballots requested by New York City voters in areas with contested races, about 70,000 had yet to be mailed as of Monday, according to city Board of Elections records. That 89% marks a significant improvement over the 54% previously reported by the board in late May.

Many people are concerned about lines at the post office to submit their absentee ballot. The BOE said,  you can submit it IN PERSON at any Early Voting site? So it's a great way to avoid crowds entirely! https://nyc.pollsitelocator.com

Just over 10,000 people in New York City and 22,000 statewide opted to cast their ballots in person during the first three days of early voting, which began Saturday.

Vote on election day