Voter Engagement and Political Action

For information about the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on students and the 2020 Census, visit our Fall 2020 CCE services page.

The CCE helped nearly 2,000 students register to vote or request an absentee ballot prior to the Nov. 2019 election. Nearly 400 students voted at the on-campus polling place, a 117% increase over on-campus turnout in the 2015 election.

Register to Vote

You have the right to make your voice heard through local, state and national elections. In partnership with the Andrew Goodman Foundation Vote Everywhere initiative and the Broome County Board of Elections, the Center for Civic Engagement is committed to helping our students act as engaged, informed voters. Stop by the CCE in UU-137 for help registering to vote or completing an absentee ballot application, to drop off your completed form, or to ask any other questions about voting or registering to vote.

You have a choice!

You can register at your permanent home address (typically a parent's address) or at the on-campus or off-campus address where you live while attending school. Students who register at home will need to return home to vote on Election Day or vote by absentee ballot. Students who register using their school address will vote in the The Union (for on-campus students) or at a polling site near their residence (for off-campus students). 

Out-of-state students can register using their local address in Broome County. Registering locally will not impact your residency status for tuition purposes or impact your federal financial aid. You must be 18 in order to vote, but if you are 16 or 17 you can submit your voter registration form and it will become active once you turn 18.

You can change your registration at any time by filling out a new voter registration form (note Important Dates and Deadlines listed below). You can only be registered and vote in one location at a time. Completing a new voter registration form will nullify any previous registration information. Not sure if you are registered? Check your registration status. 

Voter registration forms

The pdf forms can be printed and turned in to the CCE in UU-137 or mailed directly to the appropriate board of elections office.

• Pre-populated N.Y. voter registration form (for students who live on campus)
• Blank N.Y. voter registration form (for students who live off campus or are registering with their home address)
• Register online through the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles at the address on your driver's license. Students wishing to register to vote in Broome County at their on-campus or off-campus address should complete a paper registration form.
• Change of address form for Broome County registered voters*

*You need to update your registration any time you move by completing a new voter registration form. Students who are currently registered in Broome County and are moving within the county (for example, a student who registered on campus and has now moved off campus) may submit a change of address letter rather than a new registration form. Students who moved between living communities on campus do NOT need to update their registration form.

Get out to vote

Students who live on campus and register with that address will vote in the University Union on Election Day. Students who register with their local off-campus address will vote at a polling site near their residence. Find your polling place. 

In New York, voters do not typically need to show ID to vote. However, if the board of elections is unable to verify your identity based on the information you provided on your voter registration form, you may be asked to show ID the first time you vote.

Students who register at home will need to return home to vote in person on Election Day or will vote by absentee ballot. In New York, the absentee ballot application must be postmarked seven days before Election Day, but ideally should be done a couple of weeks in advance to ensure the ballot arrives to you in time. After submitting the absentee ballot application, you will receive your ballot in the mail, so be sure to check your mailbox! You will then complete the ballot and must postmark it back to the board of elections by the day before Election Day (see Important Dates and Deadlines below).

Absentee ballot applications

• Pre-populated N.Y. absentee ballot application for students who live on campus
• Blank N.Y. absentee ballot application

Important dates and deadlines

Nov. 3, 2020, general election:

• Oct. 9: Last day to postmark voter registration (must be received by BOE no later than October 14) or register in person at BOE
• Oct. 14: Last day for BOE to receive change of address (only for current New York state registered voters who moved within the state)
• Oct. 27: Last day to postmark absentee request application or submit request via fax, email or BOE web portal
• Nov. 2: Last day to apply in person for absentee ballot
• Nov. 3: Last day to postmark absentee ballot (must be received by the local BOE no later than Nov. 10) and last day to deliver ballot in person to the local BOE (by someone other than the voter)

If you'd like to receive occasional text messages from the CCE and the Andrew Goodman Foundation with reminders about important voter registration deadlines and Election Day information, text "BinghamtonU" to 555-888 to sign up. Text "STOP" to opt out at any time. Message and data rates may apply.

Early voting

Registered New York voters have the option to vote early. Early voting will take place from Oct. 24–Nov. 1. This page will be updated with times and locations for Broome County, or check with your local BOE.

Have additional questions or need assistance with the voting process?

• Contact the Broome County Board of Elections at 607-778-2172 or in their offices at 60 Hawley St, Binghamton.
• Find contact information for your local election office.
• Visit the CCE in UU-137 or contact Alison Handy Twang, Associate Director, at atwang@binghamton.edu or 607-777-4287.
• Check out the Andrew Goodman Foundation's one-stop-shop voting portal to make sure you're ready to vote!

National partnerships and awards