For New York State residents, registering to vote — or changing one’s voting location — is among the easier tasks involving officialdom. New voting applications have to arrive at a board of elections office no later than June 13 for the primary that closes on June 23. In-person registration is also due by June 13. Important to note: Address changes are due at least 15 days before any election.
In-person registration is done at any county board of elections office (unfortunately for would-be voters Suffolk’s is in Yaphank) and Department of Motor Vehicles centers. A one-page form can be downloaded and signed and is available via the state and county boards of election websites. A voter application hotline, 800-for-vote (800-367-8683) is another option. And there is an online registration link on the state website for anyone who wants to avoid the cost of a first-class stamp.
Qualifications to vote for people ages 18 and above include United States citizenship and residency for at least 30 days before the election. Even 16-year-old New Yorkers can apply, though their right to vote will be on hold until their 18th birthday. Copies of the required forms, as well as tons of information about the election system, is available from the League of Women Voters, lwvny.org.
Party-switchers hoping to vote in the June 23 primary would have had to do so by Feb. 14; those who change, say, from Republican to Democratic after that date must wait until after June 30 to be eligible to vote. An online tool also available on the county and state boards of election websites can be used to check one’s registration and polling place. Early voting begins June 13.
In East Hampton Town, added intrigue comes in the form of rare contested races for Democratic committee members. Primary voters will elect a pair of representatives in their respective districts. This is no trivial matter and could shape the town’s politics for years to come.