Saturday, February 3rd, is the first day of Early Voting for the special elections in New York’s 3rd Congressional District and the Bronx’s 77th Assembly District. Early Voting will continue through Sunday, February 11th. Election Day is Tuesday, February, 13th. February 3 is the only day a person can register to vote in person at a poll site and cast their ballot on the same day. This “Golden Day” occurs because advocates fought to change the voter registration deadline from 25 days to 10 days before an election – establishing one day when New Yorkers can register and vote in-person.

New York’s 3rd Congressional District includes parts of Queens and northern Long Island. Bronx’s Assembly District 77 covers parts of the Claremont, Highbridge and Morris Heights neighborhoods. Only residents who live within the districts will be permitted to vote for their new representatives. Confirm your eligibility and find your Early Voting poll site here.

“Early voting is a game changer for New Yorkers: they no longer have to choose between work or voting – it’s a win win. We are encouraging all voters in these 2 districts to cast their ballots, whether it’s early in person, by mail, absentee, or on Election Day. All methods are safe and secure, and we encourage everyone to get out that vote!” said Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY.

The state Legislature passed and Governor Hochul signed new legislation that allows New Yorkers the opportunity to vote by mail without providing an excuse. Voters can request their mail-in ballot online, by fax, or by mail. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is February 3. The deadline to return these ballots is February 13th. Voters can track their ballot once they have requested one here.

As New Yorkers head to the polls, Common Cause/NY encourages all voters to familiarize themselves with their rights, and to report any misconduct to 886-OUR-VOTE, a national election protection hotline. Here’s what to know before you vote:

• Our elections are safe and secure.
• Polling sites are open 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM on Election Day. Make sure to find your poll site here.
• Do not leave your poll site without casting your ballot, whether that means placing it into a scanner or voting by affidavit ballot (also known as a provisional ballot).
• When in doubt, call 1-866-OURVOTE: a free hotline of legal personnel can talk you through it. Spanish, Arabic and Asian languages support are also available via the Election Protection website.
• You have the right to vote free of harassment. No matter who asks, you never need to show an ID in order to vote if you’ve voted in New York before. If someone asks for your ID, no matter who it is, simply let them know that you are not required to show ID in New York, unless you are a first time voter who did not provide a drivers incense number or info about your social security number on your voter registration.
• Due to a change in election law, New Yorkers can no longer cast a ballot on a voting machine if they have been sent an absentee or vote by mail ballot and then decide to vote in-person. Voters will be directed to vote via affidavit ballot instead.
• Voters can expect to know the final results in a few weeks. On election night, preliminary results include votes cast in person (either early or on Election Day) and valid absentee and vote by mail ballots received prior to election day. Thanks to a new, excellent law, voters can correct their absentee ballot over a small mistake, like forgetting their signature. The BOE will contact voters about the opportunity to fix their mistake.