Voters Urged to Make 2023 Registration Deadlines

Election Day may not be until November 7, but there are some key deadlines voters may want to be aware of if they need to register to cast their ballots this year.

This cycle features local races and, as the saying goes, all politics is local.

“So much emphasis is placed on presidential elections that many think it isn’t important to vote in off-year local elections. This is wrong,” said Susan Wilson, President of the League of Women Voters of the Hamptons, Shelter Island, and the North Fork. “Voting is especially important at local levels of government, which have a major impact on our daily lives by deciding on issues such as property taxes, affordable housing, and protection of our natural resources.”

2023 Voter Registration Deadlines

VOTER ELIGIBILITY

Voters must be United States citizens and 18 years old or older, but may pre-register at 16 or 17. Voters must be a residents of New York State and the county, city, or village for at least 30 days before the election, cannot be in prison for a felony conviction and must not claim the right to vote elsewhere.

PRIMARY DEADLINES

In order to be eligible to vote in this year’s primary election, an application must be received by a board of elections no later than June 17. Same goes for notices of change of address. Voters may register at their board of elections or any agency such as the post office.

PRIMARY ABSENTEE BALLOT DEADLINES

June 12 is the last day for the board of elections to receive absentee ballot applications by letter, telefax, or through the absentee request portal. June 26 is the last day to apply in-person for absentee ballots. And June 27 is the last day to deliver ballots in-person to the local board of elections or to any poll site and is also the last day to postmark ballots, which can’t be received by the local board of elections after July 4.

GENERAL ELECTION DEADLINES

Applications by mail must be received by a board of elections no later than October 28 to be eligible to vote in the general election. Notices of change of address from registered voters received by October 28 by a county board of elections must be processed and entered in the records in time.

ABSENTEE BALLOT DEADLINES FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION

October 23 is the last day for the board of elections to receive absentee ballot applications by letter, telefax, or through the absentee request portal. November 6 is the last day to apply in-person for absentee ballots. And November 7: The last day to deliver ballots in-person to the local board of elections or to any poll site in your county and is also the last day to postmark ballots, which cannot be received by the local board of elections later than November 14. Military voter ballots must be received no later than November 20.

“Your vote is your voice, use it to make changes in your community,” Wilson added. “Every vote counts!”