Quick Links: Frequently Asked Questions | Resources | Forms | Look Up Tools
How to Register to Vote (video)
Board of Elections Clickable Map (New York State)
Step-by-Step Guide for Filling Out Your Voter Registration Form
How to Complete the Fillable Voter Registration Form (video)
How to Register to Vote Using the Online Registration System (video)
How to Determine What Address to Use as a College Student Voter (video)
Six Easy Tips for First Time Voters (video)
Polling Location Look-Up Tool (New York State)
Voting by Absentee Ballot
Voting By Absentee Ballot (video)
Early Voting
What is Early Voting? (video)
Early Voting Polling Location and Hours (New York State)
What's On My Ballot? Tools: Ballot Ready | Ballotpedia | Vote411 | RocktheVote | HeadCount
Who are my representatives? Common Cause Representative Look-Up Tool
Podcast: Democracy Matters - Election Emotions & What We Can Do About Them. Are you feeling anxious, fatigued, worried, angry or hopeful about the election? In this episode we talk with Dr. Benjamin Blankenship, assistant professor of Psychology at James Madison University about what drives election emotions and what we can do to cope.
Polling Location Look Up Tool (New York State)
Early Voting Location (Click on your county/borough)
Who is on my Ballot?
Didn’t find the answer to your question? Here are some other common questions from our friends at NYPIRG.
If I’m from another area of New York, where should I register to vote? College students have a choice about where to register to vote. You can register using your campus or off-campus apartment address, or register using your permanent home address. If you register or remain registered at your home address you may want to determine how to vote using an absentee ballot for the primary and general elections. New York State has guidance on how to request and utilize an absentee ballot if you are not able to be in your voting precinct (or home) on an election day. If you are unsure, we suggest you watch our How to Determine What Address to Use as College Student Voter video.
If I am registering to vote using my dorm or on-campus address, how do I do that? If you want to use your dorm address as your voter registration address, you will need to complete a fillable voter registration form. When you complete question 8, use the following address: 1300 Elmwood Avenue; Dorm Building, Room Number; Buffalo; 14222. The county is Erie.
What’s the deadline to register? In 2021 you must adhere to the following deadlines:
General Election Registration Deadline: October 8. 2021
When are the 2021 Elections?
General Election: November 2, 2021
What’s the difference between the General Election and “Primary” elections? General Elections are held yearly in November and are when most candidates running for local, state, and national offices are elected. This is when the President, most Senate and House of Representative members, most state level Congress representatives, and local city/town/village positions are elected. A primary election is an election used either to narrow the field of candidates for a given elective office or to determine the nominees for political parties in advance of the general election. New York State has closed primaries, so in order to participate a voter must affiliate formally, or register, with a political party in advance of the election date in order to participate in that party's primary election. For example, to determine which Republican candidate will advance to be the party’s nominee for a Senate position, you must be registered as a Republican. If you are a registered Democrat, Independent, Green Party, etc. you cannot vote in the Republican primary election.
I am a victim of domestic violence. How can I ensure I protect myself? N.Y. Election Law (5-508) allows victims of domestic violence who obtain a court order from NY Supreme Court, Family Court or County Court in the county where they are registered to have their voter registration record kept separate and apart from other registration records and not be made available for inspection or copying by the public or any other person, except election officials acting within the course and scope of their official duties. Under a separate section of the law (11-306), you can also be excused from going to your polling place to vote and get a special ballot. For further information, you should contact your local board of elections for their confidential registration and special ballot procedures.
How can I make changes to my name and/or address to my voter registration records? The voter registration form should be used as a change of address form. Notices of change of address from registered voters received at least 20 days before a special, primary or general election by a county board of elections must be processed and entered in the records in time for that election.
How can I change my party affiliation to vote in a primary election? The voter registration form should be used to change your party affiliation from one party to another or to affiliate for the first time in a party. A change of affiliation received up until February 14 each year will be effective immediately. Changes received on or after February 15 until seven days after the June Primary Election will be set aside and opened the seventh day following the June Primary Election and entered in the voter's registration record. Please see Deadlines referenced.
Do I need any identification in order to vote on Election Day? Probably not, but you may want to bring ID to be safe. Only certain newly registered voters are required to bring an ID to the polls, so if you've voted in your county/NYC in a previous election you shouldn't need one. Most voters who have voted in a previous election will not have to show any identification or proof of citizenship to vote. The mailing or voter card you may have received in the mail is intended to help you locate your polling site, but it is not required to vote. As a voter all you will have to do is sign your name in the poll site book. However, voters registering for the first time in their present county/NYC, may be asked to show ID at the polls in order to submit their ballot into a scanner, if they did not include their license (or non driver ID) number or the last four digits of their social security number on their registration form, or if their license/ID number/social security number couldn't be verified with the state's database. So new voters should make sure they bring ID with them to the polls and as a precaution, already registered voters may want to do the same. All that said, even if you are asked to produce ID and that ID is rejected by poll workers it is still your right to vote by paper/affidavit ballot. If you are asked to show ID, all that is required is ”current and valid photo identification" with your name and picture such as a driver’s license or college ID. Government documents and utility bills or bank statements with your name and address are also acceptable forms of ID.
Where do I go to vote? If you live on campus, your polling site is the Asarese-Matters Community Center at 50 Rees Street (across from campus parking lot R-14). If you are registered to vote in a New York City borough, call toll free (866) VOTE-NYC or visit the Board of Elections in the City of New York’s website. If you are registered in another New York State county you can find your polling site on the New York State Board of Elections' website.
How do I find out if I am already registered to vote? Registered New York State voters can find their voter registration and polling site information on the Board of Elections' website.
How do I contact my county Board of Elections? Use the roster from the New York State Board of Elections to identify the address and contact information for your county's Board of Elections.
Who can I contact on campus if I have questions about voter registration? You can contact Aurora Schunk, Assistant Director of Civic and Community Engagement. She can be reached in South Wing 120, and at 716-878-3919 or cce@buffalostate.edu.
Do I have any rights as a voter? Yes! NYPIRG compiled a great list of New York State Voter’s Bill of Rights. It tells you what to do in scenarios if you think your rights have been violated. Some important things to keep in mind:
You are entitled to vote as long as you are in line by 9:00 pm.
You may take any information into the polls with you, but you can’t solicit votes for a candidate or issue on the ballot, or electioneer, within 100 feet of the poll site entrance.
Most polling places are accessible to people with disabilities. If yours is not, you may ask to have your records transferred to a nearby accessible polling place. (You may also vote by absentee ballot. Try to request an absentee ballot at least a month before Election Day.)
Your right to vote may be “challenged” by someone at the polls. You’ll have to sign an oath (affidavit) swearing you're eligible, but you still get to vote.
All poll workers are required to wear an ID badge with their name.
