Today marks an important day for voters as it’s Primary Day…again! Due to redistricting, there were actually two different Primary Elections in NYC this year, one today and one back in June which held elections for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Assembly, Judges, and Party Positions.
Though early voting has been taking place since August 13 for this second primary, which contains House of Representatives and Senate positions, registered voters can still go out and cast their votes today.
Here’s a full guide to voting in NYC:
Hours
Polling hours will run from 6:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. across all five boroughs.
Happy Election Day! Polls are open from 6am to 9pm. Find your poll site now: https://t.co/hnAIUiCbx2 #VoteNYC pic.twitter.com/sNKmCg3nwf
— NYC Board of Elections (@BOENYC) August 23, 2022
Where to vote NYC
You can find your polling place here. Simply add your address and zip code and your designated Election District (E.D.) and poll site will be listed, along with exact entrances for voters. You can even choose the option to preview a sample ballot before heading in to cast your vote.
NOTE: Your poll site may have changed since the last time you voted, so make sure you check your assigned location before you head out to the polls.
Do I have to be registered to vote?
Yes, and the deadline has already passed for this election.
New York also has a closed primary system so “only registered members whose party has a primary contest can cast a ballot,” Gothamist shares.
You can confirm if you are registered here.What if I am an Independent?
As explained above, “only registered members whose party has a primary contest can cast a ballot,” therefore, only registered Democrats and Republicans can go to the polls for this election.
What should I bring?
First time voters are required to give additional identification such as driver’s license number, last four digits of social security number, or non-driver’s ID number with their voter registration application.
Additionally, masks must be worn at all times in any Board of Elections facility.
Read here for step-by-step instructions on how to cast your vote on your at your poll site.
What’s on the NY 2022 ballot?
Cast your vote for:
- U.S. House of Representatives
- State Senate
In New York City, there are 13 individual races for the state Senate on the ballot – 12 Democratic races and one Republican race. Plus, several congressional races.
Furthermore, not every NYC congressional or State district has competing nominees, so therefore not every district will actually have voting capabilities for this election.
See a sample ballot for your district here after you type in your address, to clarify if you will be voting.
Who’s running?
Since there are quite a few among numerous districts, see here to learn more about the 2022 candidates.
What is ranked-choice voting?
This newly introduced voting system for NYC will be used citywide for primary and special elections for Mayor, Comptroller, Borough President, City Council, and Public Advocate. This unique system gives voters the option to rank their five favored candidates by preference (1 being most favored and so on).
However, it is will not be used in this election, since it is for state positions rather than city ones.
What about absentee ballots?
Unlike in previous years, if you have already requested to vote by Absentee Ballot, you will not be able to cast a ballot on a voting machine on Election Day. However, you can still vote in-person using an Affidavit ballot at early voting or election day.
Today (8/23) is also the last day to postmark or deliver your absentee ballot to the county board or poll site. Ballots must be received by August 30th.