Turn out to vote

Vote in person on Election Day

Students who are registered to vote on campus will vote in the University Union for general elections. Students who register with their local off-campus address will vote at a polling site near their residence.

Find your polling place 

Polls in New York are open 6 a.m.– 9 p.m.

Vote in person during Early Voting

New York voters have the option to vote early. Check with New York Board of Elections websitefor early voting hours and locations for upcoming elections. If voting early, you may vote at any polling site within your county in New York (excluding New York City). 

Vote Absentee or by Mail

If you are unable to vote in person, plan ahead to request a ballot!

When you receive your ballot:

  1. Follow the instructions on your ballot carefully and make your selections for each election. Do not make any stray marks. Note that ballots may vary from state to state.
  2. Sign and date your ballot on the signature line. A witness signature is only required if you cannot physically sign your name.
  3. Seal your ballot: first place it inside the security envelope, then seal that inside the return envelope. Do not use tape. (Follow the directions printed on both envelopes.)
  4. Apply a stamp to your return envelope, if needed. New York and many other states send mail ballots with pre-paid return postage, so you may not need to stamp it. If you need stamps, the Center for Civic Engagement can provide them at no charge for Official U.S. Election Mail.  
  5. Drop your sealed ballot in any mailbox serviced by USPS or deliver to your nearest post office as soon as possible. The deadline to postmark your New York mail ballot is on Election Day. You cannot drop off an out-of-county ballot at a Broome County poll site.
    Note: The United States Postal Service has clarified its procedures regarding postmarking. If you are voting by mail in a state that has a postmarked by deadline for mail ballots (including New York), we highly recommend taking your ballot in person to a U.S. Post Office and requesting a postmark if you are mailing it within a week of the deadline. Please also note that Campus Mail Services cannot apply postmarks to outgoing mail. The nearest post office to campus is located at 117 Rano Blvd, Vestal, NY (next to Target). 

Voting FAQs

I haven’t updated my address on my voter registration. Can I still vote? 

If you are registered to vote in New York and moved within the state without updating your voter registration address, you can likely still vote! Go to the polling place for your current address and let the poll worker know that you are a currently registered New York voter and need to request an affidavit ballot. Complete the ballot carefully using your current local address. Broome County voters can use this website to find their polling place.

You can update your address online or by submitting a new voter registration to your local board of elections before the voter registration deadline. 

Do I need an ID to vote?

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.

Can I vote on campus? 

The Election Day polling location for students living on campus is located in the University Union. If you live off-campus, you can vote on Election Day at your polling location or during early voting at any Broome County polling location.