DMV reminds New Yorkers of voter registration deadline ahead of Election Day
ALBANY, N.Y. » The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is reminding New Yorkers that the deadline to register to vote in this November’s election is approaching.
Voters must register by Oct. 8 to cast ballots this year.
New Yorkers can apply in person at the DMV when they complete a driver’s license, learner permit, or non-driver ID transaction. They must have a reservation to visit a DMV office. Those who already have a license, permit, or nondriver ID can visit the DMV website to apply to register or update the information they have on file with the Board of Elections. Applications must be submitted online no later than Oct. 8.
Notices of change of address from registered voters received by Oct. 13 by a county board of elections must be processed and entered in the records in time for the election.
To apply by mail, applications must be postmarked no later than Oct. 8 and received by a Board of Elections no later than Oct. 13 to be eligible to vote in the general election. New Yorkers can also register in person at their local Board of Elections. Those who were honorably discharged from the US Military or have become a naturalized US citizen after Oct. 8 may register in person at the Board of Elections up until Oct. 23.
“The DMV is proud to offer New Yorkers multiple ways to apply for voter registration,” DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said.
“Voter participation is the cornerstone of our democracy, and I encourage everyone eligible to register,” Schroeder explained.
New Yorkers can easily apply to register to vote or change their enrollment information using the online voter registration application service on the DMV’s website. Almost 2.4 million people have applied to register to vote online since 2012. More than 942,000 were first-time voters.
To apply to register using the DMV website, customers must enter information from their New York State driver’s license, permit, or non-driver ID, their date of birth, current zip code, last four digits of their Social Security Number, and their email address. The information provided is validated to ensure accuracy and security.
The DMV does not approve or deny voter registration applications. Upon completion, DMV sends the voter registration applications to the County Board of Elections for review and action. Once processed, the county will notify the applicants either that they are registered to vote or that additional information is needed to complete the application. Additionally, New Yorkers can use the New York State Board of Elections website to check their voter registration status.
To be eligible to vote in New York, one must:
• be a United States citizen;
• be 18 years old (you may pre-register at 16 or 17 but cannot vote until you are 18);
• be a resident of this state and the county, city, or village for at least 30 days before the election;
• not be in prison for a felony conviction;
• not be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court;
• not claim the right to vote elsewhere.