Vote!

I'm a New York City resident but have never voted. Is it too late to register for the November election? How do I register in time?

Adam, UES

It's not too late at all. You still have until October 7 to register for the November 2 election. (The deadline in New Jersey is October 1 and in Connecticut it's October 18.)

Visit the New York State Board of Elections website where you can download a voter registration form to mail in. You can also call 1-800-FOR-VOTE to request one over the phone. If you will be getting or renewing a New York State driver's license soon, you can also register to vote with your application at the DMV.

If you live in New York because you are a student or are only here temporarily, consider voting in your home state via absentee ballot. Both Republicans and Democrats are counting on swing states to tilt the election in their favor and considering how close things were in 2000, your vote could actually make a difference.

That doesn't mean that New Yorkers shouldn't vote because our state is less of a toss up. Considering how hard so many people have fought for the right during our country's history, the right to vote should be exercised early and as often as is allowed by law.

Check out P. Diddy's new voter registration organization, Citizen Change.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Doug Gordon in Miscellaneous on July 21, 2004 10:43 AM

Comments [rss]

Erin

brooke, P. Diddy was on the Today Show yesterday babbling about how people died to give us the right to vote, and that this election is pivotal because... and then he cut himself off because Citizen Change is a non-partisan group (allegedly).

e, you don't have to bring your card to the voting booths, but you might want to call the Board of Elections just to be sure your registration was processed.

e

I'm pretty sure I registered when I got my license but I don't know where my card is. Do you have to bring the voter reg card to the polls with you in NY?

D

sounds a lot like new hampshire's "live free or die" slogan. certainly grabs your attention.

brooke

Does anyone really "get" the P-Diddy "VOTE OR DIE" slogan? I am all about voting...but die? Its sort of apocalyptic, no? Maybe "VOTE or be invisible"? Or "Vote or shut up" or "Vote and be heard" or something along those lines. It just sounds so dire.

sam

You don't ever need to fill out a new registration unless something on your part changes (new address, new name, new criminal record). Your district can change around you (like mine did after the 2000 census), but they will just send you the new polling information at your "registered" address.

And you don't need to de-register in one spot to register somewhere else. A new registration will wipe out the old one (provided that the Board of Elections actually reviews its records).

Doug

Be sure to show up on November 2nd, not 7th. The election is the first Tuesday in November.

folklaur70

if you are going to the same polling place and have not moved you just show up. your name will be in the book and you just sign on the line, and then you vote.

if there are multiple districts at your polling place, make sure you go to the correct table.

Confused

Slightly silly Q: if you've registered before (like last year) and haven't moved or anything, do you have to register again? Or just show up on Nov. 7th?